| Title | : | A Redbird Christmas |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0345480260 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780345480262 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 193 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2004 |
A Redbird Christmas Reviews
-
This book is a christmas story, but I would called it a story about a town and a redbird that saves people that were lost. I cannot tell you how much a loved this story. This is the second book written by Fannie Flagg that I read, and I have loved both so much. I cannot wait to read more books by Fannie.
-
A short, sweet book about life in small town America where good things happen to good people and bad things to bad people. A place where everyone eventually meets the love of their life and lives happily ever after. In other words suspend belief all ye who enter here but just settle back and enjoy it for what it is. Not every book you read has to be a literary masterpiece!
-
I enjoyed this heartwarming story about a lonely man that moves to a very small town for what he believes will be his last Christmas. I enjoyed the humor with which the author weaves this tale, the characters are rich and believable, and the relationship between the man and the Redbird (Jack) is touching and sweet. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the Fannie Flagg that I knew as a comedian was also an accomplished author. This is an easy Christmas tale that I would recommend to readers of all ages.
-
3.5 rounded up - What a heart-warming & touching story of many lives touched & changed by one of God's creatures. Starts slow & then it all comes together so, so beautifully...
-
Прочитала за вечір ❤️
Дуууже хороша, під кінець мені було аж занадто трохи)) але якщо хоче��ься чогось 100% доброго - вам сюди. Той самий «комфорт рідінг» 🫶🏻 -
та що казати - таака мила історія! хай наївна, хай надто солодка, але часом саме таких історій про збіги та дива не вистачає ❤️
до сезону дуже рекомендую!
але якщо ви хоча би трохи маєте цинічний настрій, не певна, що вона підійде вам) краще зачекати кращий часів -
Fannie Flagg writes inspirational novels and creates characters imbued with humor, goodness and moral integrity. She is creating her own world, her own society within these settings, of perhaps how the world should be. ..not how it is. The doing of good deeds is important and characters usually end with the achievement of self-actualization in some form or another. This community is usually symbolized in the small town, where neighbors support each other. The intertwining of these themes brings about a feeling of not just comfort, but of healing.
-
***SPOILER ALERT***
Predictable. Dripping with cliche. Gaggably sappy.
Dying man is cured. Crippled orphan girl is healed and gets a mommy and a daddy. Broken-hearted bachelor finally gets to marry the true love of his youth. Spinster finds true love. Dead bird that everyone loved comes back (sort of) as a Christmas miracle. Do I need to go on?
The rest of my book club LOVED it. What does that say about me? About my book club? Not sure. -
A very sweet, endearing book! What I loved about this book was the sense of community and caring among the residences of Lost River. They welcomed two strangers in their midst - Oswald Campbell, a 52 year old who was told by his doctor that he needed to get out of the winter cold ; and Patsy, a 6 yr old neglected child. It’s not a true story of course, but isn’t it nice imagining that strangers could be so caring and giving.
Perfect time to read this one as Christmas is approaching. And really, who doesn’t appreciate a Christmas miracle. !!!
Fannie Flagg read her own book and she did a marvellous job.
“Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
Roald Dahl -
What a cute story of a red bird, a little girl, and a group of men and women who band together to make life better for her.
-
I audio-ed this and for anyone who has read Flagg and is familiar with her friendly style of storytelling, I cannot recommend listening to her read her own books enough. I grew up in West Virginia so Flagg’s accent reminds me of any number of my relatives. She sounds so sweet and forgiving even when describing someone on a drinking binge. You know what I mean, like when someone talks about how dumb or ugly someone is, but throws a “bless their heart” in every once in a while to take away the sting.
Like all of her other novels, this is set in small-town, Lost River here, and Lost River is as much a character as any of the people. We begin our story with an older man, Oswald, living in Chicago who is told he must move to the southern climate if he hopes to survive more than six months. Through a series of coincidences and misunderstandings, Oswald is able to rent a room for very little money in Lost River and packs up and migrates south.
The majority of the story is about Oswald learning to care about the others in this small community and especially how to allow them to care for him in return. In addition to the new adults he meets, Oswald’s heart is stolen by an abandoned little girl, Patsy. Not only is Patsy alone and poor, but she has a physical deformity (caused by an untreated injury) that makes her drag her foot behind her. Not only Oswald, but the entire town take it upon themselves to care for and raise this little girl. She is a lifeline for Oswald and the love Flagg shows through the story is heartwarming without being sappy.
I think Flagg’s main talent is to temper her sweet stories with truth. Real people do bad things, even the very, very good people. Flagg’s characters are no different. People fight, drink, and carry on, but their reasons allow you to love them. Flagg’s characters accept each other for what and who they are, not what and who they want each other to be. Too bad we aren't all like that. -
Description: Oswald T. Campbell, aged fifty-two, down-and-out in a Chicago winter, is given only months to live unless he moves South... He finds himself in the small town of Lost River, Alabama, where the residents are friendly if feud-prone and eccentric to a fault. One of them, Roy, keeps a red cardinal, a once wounded bird called Jack. Patsy, a sad, sweet little kid with a crippled leg, from the trailer park up in the woods, takes to dropping by the store - and falls in love with Jack.
Flagg takes us on an emotional roller-coaster ride through the lives and hearts of an engaging crew of misfits, fixers and ordinary good-hearted folk, set against the vivid natural backdrop of a mellow Alabama winter, along the riverside where birds and fish abound. Her enchanting story culminates at Christmastide with surprises and a magical 'redbird' moment.
Opening: The Windy City: It was only November sixth but Chicago had just been hit with its second big blizzard of the season, and Mr Oswald T Campbell guessed he had stepped in every ice-cold ankle-deep puddle of dirty white slush it was possible to step in, trying to get to his appointment.
Somewhat twee, yet not as saccharine as some. Surely the term is Cajun not Creole, if my cult-yar classes steered me right. -
це дивна, але приємна книжка. мені б, до речі, не подобалося їсти подзьобані помідори.
-
Redbird Christmas is absolutely one of my holiday favorites! Right up there with It's a Wonderful Life, and Elf, I'm so glad to listen to Fannie Flagg narrate this book.
The characters are dear and their struggles are the kind one imagines would be experienced by a neighborhood right smack dab on a river in Alabama. There is a death sentence, a duel with a Creole family, a postal worker who wants to write, elderly mothers who go nuts, a robust community group called the Polka Dots, a tragedy, crowd-sourcing, go-funding and restored love. Best of all there is Jack - that darling red bird with a sassy outlook on his birdness and the many ways he embraces it make for great pages of reading. Not to forget Patsy, the neglected girl, and our main character, Oswald T. Campbell named for a tomato soup can. . . .well, seriously, every introduction sears the character in your brain and on the shelf of characters you'd most likely want to meet! I do get tired of every fat person being wicked, lazy or stupid. . . .but FF isn't the only author who has lurched lemming-like over this particular cliff, and I'm willing to overlook it in exchange for all the other treasures this book offers.
If you've never redbirded, now's the time. It's a great read, but with Fannie narrating, it's an even better listen.
5 stars. Snow-covered, redbirded stars. -
3.5/5
Почнімо з очевидного: червоний кардинал — це така червона пташка (англійською також називається redbird), а не справжній кардинал в червоній мантії чи з кривавою репутацією.
Вибачте, якщо когось розчарувала.
Уже немолодому Освальду лікар повідомляє невтішні новини: жити йому лишилося недовго. Є вихід — поїхати кудись в теплі краї, що трохи продовжить йому життя. Освальду нічого втрачати, він сирота, розлучений, в місті його нічого не тримає. Так його заносить до Лост-Ривера — невеликого містечка з вічно теплою погодою і добродушними людьми. Там він знаходить друзів, сім'ю та своє покликання. І покращує здоров'я, звісно.
Я не читала раніше Флеґґ, але чула, що книжки в неї ва��ільні, і правда в тому є. Мені перед Новим роком і хотілося прочитати чогось такого доброго, щоб трапилося диво і в героя потепліло на душі, тож "Різдво з червоним кардиналом" стало непоганим варіантом.
Зізнаюся, після зав'язки з "жити залишилося недовго" я очікувала більше драми в цьому напрямку, однак це не було метою цієї книжки. Текст знайомить нас з історіями інших людей цього містечка, залучаючи в них певним чином і Освальда. Зокрема, дуже мила історія маленької дівчинки з фізичною вадою, яку жителі Лост-Ривера фактично вдочеряють.
Цікаво, що в тексті справді немає великих конфліктів, які б збурювали серце і змушували гризти нігті від нетерпіння дізнатися, чи зможуть герої їх вирішити. Моментами здається, що проблеми — і то доволі екзистенційні — вирішуються досить легко, проте, можливо, в цьому і суть. Освальд приїжджає в Лост-Ривер померти на самоті, але поступово дозволяє собі жити й відкриватися іншим людям, а також відкривати самого себе. І цей перехід доволі безконфліктний. Жителі раді долучити його до своєї громади, вони щиро дбають одне про одного — і готові так само готові дбати про нього. Не дивно, що Освальд сильно їм і не опирається :)
Два моменти, які мені найбільше сподобались: те, що Освальд став художником, і дружба дівчинки з червоним кардиналом.
Загальне враження: книжка без гостроти, але солодкаво-приємна, така, яку читають в моменти, коли хочеться, щоб у всіх все скінчилося добре і щоб героя не били, а обіймали. -
I read this book more than seven years ago, but barely remembered it. I was in the mood for a comfort, Christmas read, and this was perfect. This story touched my heart, as pretty much all Fannie Flagg books do. Yes, they often are a bit predictable and a bit like a “Hallmark” movie, but sometimes that’s what we need. Reading them makes me wish that I lived in that world – full of southern charm, where people are genuinely hospitable, caring, and compassionate.
-
I listened to this as an audiobook, read by Fannie Flagg. She gives the perfect nuance to the quintessential southern charm she embodies in her novels. Filled with loveable, eccentric characters that touched my heart, making me feel a part of their community. Humourous, sometimes tragic and brimming with love and hope, a wonderful story of a Christmas miracle.
-
Absolutely the best Christmas book ever! It's sweet, funny and touching. I've read it 4 times and given copies to friends. Fannie Flagg herself reads the audio version and I hear she's working on a movie version. I vote for William H. Macy for the lead.
-
Книгата си е чисти 2 звезди, пълна е с клишета от първа до последна страница. Но в момента явно имам нужда точно от купчинка уютни клишета, така че слагам розовите читателски очила и давам 3 звезди с кеф :)
-
A sweet and heartwarming story. Loved the red bird element and the small-town environment.
-
’It was only November sixth but Chicago had just been hit with its second big blizzard of the season, and Mr. Oswald T. Campbell guessed he had stepped in every ice-cold ankle-deep puddle of dirty white slush it was possible to step in, trying to get to his appointment. When he finally arrived, he had used up every cussword in his rather large vocabulary of cusswords, owed in part to his short stint in the army. He was greeted by the receptionist and handed a clipboard.’
He’s handed a clipboard to fill out with the usual information, name, address, age, sex, hair, eyes, weight, marital status, children - next to which he writes, No, thank God” - closest living relative, and next to “Please list your complaints below:” he writes ’The Cubs need a new second basemen.’ Ignoring the remaining questions, he signs his name and hands it back.
When he finally sees the doctor, the news isn’t good.
’Mr. Campbell, I’m going to tell it to you straight. In your present condition you won’t live through another Chicago winter. You need to get out of her to a milder climate as soon as possible, because if you don’t—well, frankly, I’m not sure I would give you until Christmas.’
Waiting for a bus, still replaying what this doctor had shared, he realized that this may just be his last Christmas, and with this on his mind, once he is able to get on the next bus, he pulls out the brochure his doctor had given him. He contemplates it for a while before deciding the best thing he can do for both himself and his ex-wife is to go away, at least for a while. And so he leaves the Windy City and heads to Lost River in Alabama.
What happens once he arrives is an experience he’s not really prepared for, the people are all more friendly than he’s used to, but he slowly begins to respond in return. As in most of Flagg’s books, there is a charm that is liberally sprinkled with a variety of characters, some quirky, some charming, a few crotchety ones thrown in for good measure, as well as a wounded redbird named Jack, and a young girl whose wounds are both physical and emotional.
A magical story of healing through love. -
A feel good story, perfect for the holidays, about a curmudgeonly man who receives bad news about his health, and so travels to a small southern town for warmer weather and less stress, to live out his final days. There he befriends many of the town’s residents who bring him back to life, in more ways than he can imagine.
-
фух, нарешті дочитала! це як їсти десерт, який на початку тобі дуже смакує, а потім ледве його доїдаєш
загалом книжка чарівна, для підняття настрою (навіть не різвяно��о) підійде відмінно
але все ж вона написана досить примітивно( другий раз перечитувати не хочеться -
Updated December 2019 - second read - VERY Nice
Loved this just as much the second time!
-------------------------------------
I have madly loved every one of Fannie Flagg's books. They are adorable, wonderful, feel-good fantasies of small town life in the south. This one takes place in Lost River Arkansas, with the usual collection of kind-hearted eccentrics living in the kind of community everyone secretly dreams of finding.
Oswald Campbell, is a very sick, lonely man. At the stern recommendation of his doctor, he needs to escape the bitter Chicago winter for warmer climes. He has little money, so the doctor helps him find and rent a room from one of the Lost River residents. Oswald thinks he has gone there to die, but ends up getting a whole new lease on life. The red bird of the title is an orphaned cardinal named Jack who has a profound influence on all the residents of Lost River.
It's not really a Christmas story, it can be enjoyed at any time of the year. Just read it, and have kleenex handy at the end. -
Мила, наївна історія про живописне ідеалістичне містечко в Алабамі, де хороші речі обов'язково трапляються з хорошими людьми, якщо в це щиро повірити і захотіти.
По сюжету все досить передбачувано — кульмінація у вигляді маленького дива трапляється на Різдво і це диво, певним чином, рятує всіх героїв. Спеціально читати я б її не рекомендувала, але якщо хочеться щось таке ненав'язливе на кілька вечорів — саме той варіант. -
Ця коротка історія саме така, якою я собі уявляю мають бути різдвяні книжки — добра, затишна, захоплива, а вкінці ще й рецепти є. Події розгортаються у маленькому містечку, де усі усіх знають, персонажі стикаються з проблемами і труднощами, які до кінця книжки вирішуються, і найпрекрасніше, тут є місце диву. Роман залишає приємний післясмак віри в те, що все буде добре, і цим ідеально виконує свою місію різдвяного чтива.
-
This is a lovely story that I would recommend to everyone. It's a Fannie Flagg, so you know it's going to be fun reading. I believe she never disappoints!
-
Можливо іншого часу я б могла придертися до занадто неправдоподібних моментів, але зараз хотілося дива і добра, і я його отримала у повній міри💫
Як казав головний герой книги "Якщо сильно чогось захотіти, і якщо цьому судилося, то так і буде"🙌 -
I'm starting to just Love Fannie Flagg books. Did I tell you I picked up 3 at the Thrift Store, one of which was Signed!
This is my third book by her. I love her characters, her writing, her themes, and just being able to relax and read a good, sometimes funny, always thoughtful, book. Her theme is subtle, but you can find it.
The Only criticism I have is that the ending seemed rushed. Sort of, okay, long enough, let's just tie up loose ends in this chapter. But I won't say that was a negative for me.
In all of her books, I would love to meet the characters again. If anyone knows of some of her books that do that, please let me know. Definitely will be reading at least one or two in 2021.
Highly recommended. -
Better than warm chocolate chip cookies and a fire in the fireplace, Fannie Flagg always makes me feel good about the world and people in general. A Redbird Christmas tells a very touching story about a man on the brink of death in Chicago who is advised to move South to a more temperate climate or risk dying from pneumonia. With only a medical pension, he cannot afford Florida, but he can afford to rent a room on the Lost River in Alabama where, for the first time in his life, he finds a home and all the dreams he never knew he had come true. This story is about the way people ought to live, full of love, generosity, and compassion.
