The Whole Town's Talking: A Novel

I have met and talked to Fannie Flagg on three occasions at book signings. She is vibrant, vivacious, and a joy to speak with. Her books reflect those qualities. When I read Fannie Flagg, I feel as if I’m sitting in her in living room, listening to her tell tales. Her folksy manner is appealing, and it shows in her writer’s voice. Her novel The Whole Town’s Talking is just another example of this. More akin to her A Redbird Christmas, this book is quieter and less raucous than her other hilarious novels. Still, her sense of humor shines, and every so often, she issues a zinger that makes you laugh out loud. Her descriptions of the antics of town hairdresser Tot Whooten are gut-busting funny. Local full-figured gal Norvaleen Whittle’s story is hysterical, and I defy anyone not to laugh at the plight of poor Verbena’s ill-fated trip to the bathroom. But Flagg also has a message to impart in this novel: life is for living. We don’t have to achieve great heights, we just have to keep on keepin’ on, and along the way, we look for and find joy. And no one ever dies, for we are a part of the cosmos, just having lived. This is a tad different Fannie Flagg, but it is Fannie Flagg nonetheless. I treasure the opportunity of having read this book, and having met Ms. Flagg personally.

I always enjoy a book by Fannie Flagg. She is not a pretentious author. She simply tells a believable take about colorful, but believable people living their lives= who, as a general rule, for the most part, neither saints nor sinners.

Fanny Flagg weaves a lovely story of a community's start and evolution against the backdrop of world events, technological progress, and pop culture for over a decade. This is an easy, mostly fun, and engaging read.If you have lived in a small town, tight knit community or just have a big family you will relate to The Whole Town is Talking. The book follows the birth, growth and decline of a town in Missouri through the lives and gossip of its inhabitants.Started by a Swedish dairy farmer and European settlers, the town comes to life when the farmer's mail order bride arrives. Told primarily in 3rd person, characters are brought to life and developed mostly at arms length. This doesn't stop the reader from coming to care for them and understand them.Just when you think that you are losing a character we discover that death isn't the end here. People go on existing and talking in the cemetery. So the whole town is literal talking. Every new arrival to the cemetery brings updates on loved ones and neighbors (some not so loved) and the world at large. But occasionally people disappear from the cemetery too. You have to wad to the end to understand why.Take some time out and find out what The Whole Town is Talking about.

I started reading this book but the print was small & I had to buy reading glasses.

Delightfully metaphysical in nature, Fannie Flagg’s down home humor makes you feel glad to know the people of Elmwood MO, even if passively sitting in a comfy armchair. Where the first three Elmwood books concentrate on a central character and all the people who orbit in and around their growth, this one takes you on a history tour from the beginning to end. You’ll find life, laughter, and the illusion of death all in one good rainy (or snowy or beach) day read.

Supposedly this is Fannie Flagg's last novel, but she does leave some room to change her mind. This may be Fannie's strangest novel. It's sort of a cross between “Spoon River Anthology” and “The Lovely Bones”. In other words it's about dead people who don't sound dead.THE WHOLE TOWN'S TALKING starts when Lordor Nordstrom emigrates to America in the 1870's; he finds a beautiful little valley in Missouri that would be perfect for a dairy farm. Then he takes out an ad in the paper asking for other farmers to join him, and they do. When he hits his mid thirties, he realizes he needs a wife, so he takes out an ad in the newspaper looking for a mail order bride. Katrina Olsen, a maid in Chicago, is worried she'll be a maid for the rest of her life. She answers the ad. They get married but he doesn't talk to her. He tells her he's dumb; he only has a fifth grade education. She says it doesn't matter; from then on he talks her ears off. They have two kids, Teddy and Ingrid. He builds her a town and plots out a cemetery above the farm.Eventually people start to die; the first one finds another man already buried there who was scalped by an Indian in the 1850's. He knows this because the man tells him. As more people die, they realize that they like looking at the stars, experiencing the seasons and having their friends and relatives come talk to them. They see airplanes flying overhead. Eventually somebody dies and explains how they work. They hear about other changes and wonder what will come next.When you read this book, make sure you have a pencil and paper handy; there are so many characters, it's hard to remember who's related to whom. I'm still not sure how Aunt Elner is related to Lordor if she is at all.Eventually people start disappearing at the cemetery. The first one to go is the old cowboy who was scalped. The readers think this is just a way station; they have to wait until there's an opening in Heaven. Wrong-o. You won't believe it.There are also several other subplots. Lester Shingle, a peeping Tom, is murdered leaving the bowling alley. He thinks one of the four state championwomen's bowling team hit him in the head with a bowling ball. He bides his time, waiting for them to die.Lordor's son didn't want the farm, which had grown to a full blown dairy with three barns. He sells it to a neighbor boy at a loss, who loved the place as much as he did. The boy's daughter is born deaf, and that's another subplot. The man she marries is a conman. Lordor made the boy promise he'd never sell the farm out of the family. Hanna Marie lives up to the promise ,until something terrible happens.Fannie Flagg has always centered her novels on small town life. Some cynics would sneer at the plot line and claim places like this just don't exist. People aren't really this nice, and they don't care about each other as much or help each other out during the rough times. I suppose that's why there are a couple of creeps added to the list of characters with a couple of murders thrown in. But I was raised in a place like Elmwood Springs, Missouri, and I can tell you she's not that far off.

Fannie Flagg has written some of the best books I have ever read. Her characters are great. You will grow to love them and actually miss them when you are finished reading! You will not be disappointed with this purchase. Highly recommend this book and all of the other books she has written!

This book just bubbles with life, love and the joy of being. I loved it.

Il.miglior libro mai letto

Retrouvons avec grand plaisir Tante Elner, Sonny le chat, Macky et Norma, la " pauvre" tot.... Voici racontée la naissance d'Elmwood Springs, petite bourgade perdue au fin fonds du Missouri et de Still Meadows, le cimetière ou il fait bon "vivre" sa deuxième vie......A lire, relire , offrir, s'offrir, pour petits et grands, un délice de tendresse , de drolerie, de gentillesse.... Un texte superbe....Vraiment

I'm sorry I finished it already. I love every one of Fannie Flaggs books. Hope we don't have to wait as long for the next one. I can never put her books down. They are all great.

A little light raading but very entertaining. I enjoyed it.