Call your daughter home

Call your daughter home / Deb Spera, read by Robin Miles, Adenrele Ojo, and Brittany Pressley 347 pgs.

A trio of Southern women in the years leading up to the great depression.  They are known to each other but not exactly friends.  Rhetta works for Annie who hires Gertrude.  All are dealing with difficult circumstances with dramatic stories to be revealed.  In the end their relationships matter.  At times difficult to listen to, you can't help but admire the backbone of each of these characters.  The narration is expertly done.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg  403 pp.

Somehow I forgot to blog about this one even though I absolutely love this book. It is one of those I just couldn't put down (or turn off, since it was an audiobook). The basis for the 1991 movie, the story encompasses so much. Evelyn, who is struggling with menopause, and Ninny Threadgoode, a resident of the local nursing home begin a friendship when Evelyn visits her mother-in-law there. Mrs. Threadgoode reminisces about her family and the book flashes back to the lives of Idgie Threadgoode, her partner Ruth, other family members and the events that took place in Whistle Stop, Alabama in the 1920s and 30s. Central to the story is the mystery around what happened to Ruth's missing abusive husband and whether or not Idgie killed him. Included in the story are the funny reports from "The Weems Weekly" chronicling events in and around the rural town. Anyone who has spent any time in a small town in the mid 20th century knows how realistic those so-called "news" items are. Even though there a plenty of men in the novel, it is a book about women, their struggles, their love, and their strengths. If you liked the movie you definitely should read the book.

The best cook in the world

The best cook in the world: tales from my Momma's table / Rick Bragg, read by the author, 390 pgs.

Rick Bragg's mom doesn't own a cookbook but she was taught how to cook the old fashioned way, she watched her mother and other wonderful cooks because she was interested even as a young girl.  She is confident and a natural but unfortunately gave birth to three boys, none of whom can reliably prepare toast.  Rick realized nobody was learning about his mother's cooking and that her abilities were like few others.  He started interviewing her about her food and the stories came out about where the recipe originated or stories related to the food.  Turns out those stories were as priceless as the recipe itself.  This is one long audiobook but once I started, I didn't want to stop.  Many great characters and much great food.  If you want to cook it, you may need the print version but the stories in Bragg's voice are priceless.

The almost sisters

The almost sisters by Joshilyn Jackson, read by the author, 342 pages.

Leia Birch Briggs is a comic book writer and artist.  Her signature characters are Violet and Violence.  She is working on an origin story but has writers block.  Part of the problem is all the other stuff going on in her life.  Her grandmother is suffering from a form of dementia, her step sister's marriage is falling apart, and she is pregnant after a one night stand at a comic con.  It sounds a little crazy but hold on, there is more.  In an effort to avoid spoilers, I will say this is a modern story of the South, with a little mystery thrown in along with some family dysfunction.  The author does a wonderful job with the audio version which I enjoyed immensely.