| Title | : | Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! (Elmwood Springs, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 044900578X |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780449005781 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 480 |
| Publication | : | First published September 22, 1998 |
Once again, Flagg's humor and respect and affection for her characters shine forth. Many inhabit small-town or suburban America. But this time, her heroine is urban: a brainy, beautiful, and ambitious rising star of 1970s television. Dena Nordstrom, pride of the network, is a woman whose future is full of promise, her present rich with complications, and her past marked by mystery.
Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! (Elmwood Springs, #1) Reviews
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Fannie Flagg books -the one you read when you feel that you are at your lowest point, when you feel that the world cannot get any worse, when you feel so over burdened that you are ready to go to pieces...if you can stop for a moment and pick up book, read anything written by Fannie Flagg and I PROMISE you that you will feel better...you will laugh and you will cry...you will do both at the same time...she is by far one of the best fiction/humor writers since Damon Runyon walked into Mindy's and asked if they made more cheese cake than strudel. It is unfair to say that Fannie Flagg is strictly a Southern writer as it unfair to say that Runyon was a great New York writer...they both share an uncanny ear for the way people speak and are able to write it...you cannot read a Fannie Flagg novel and just walk away..her characters just stay with you and they're honest, even when they're doing something they shouldn't they remain true to themselves...
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When I first began reading this book, I didn't think much of it. I kept wondering to myself: Where is this going? How is everything connected? I started to worry that maybe I was wasting my time, but then all the pieces started to fit together and I started to really enjoy reading it. There were many pieces of the puzzle that, at first, were so disjointed and didn't really go anywhere, but then they all came together and made a beautiful picture, which is what I look for in the end of a great story such as this!
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Sometimes I think I might be too generous with my fives. Found myself liking this better and better until I did not want it to end. She made me laugh and she made me cry.
Again I have to say that the number of stars represent how much I enjoy a book and not what great literature I believe it to be. -
For years my mother has been suggesting that I read Fannie Flagg's writing and I just never got around to it. Then one day I was watching some old episodes of "Match Game" on the Game Show Network and I realized there she was - Fannie Flagg herself. I remembered watching her on that show as a child in the 1970s but I never connected her with the renowned author of today. So this is when I decided to pick up the copy of "Welcome to the World, Baby Girl" that my mom had lent me several years ago. ...And Mom was right, I LOVED IT!
This is the story of Dena Nordstrom ("Baby Girl"), a young and upcoming 1970s TV interviewer whose failing health leads her to seek answers about her mysterious family history. In her search for the past, Dena learned many important life lessons. ...the value of loyalty, privacy, family and love...the importance of slowing down to enjoy life.
Fannie Flagg certainly does create entertainingly real characters and paints a charming portrait of life in small-town USA (in this case Elmwood Springs, Missouri) ...as well as in other parts of the world (San Francisco, Vienna, New York, etc.). But in the context of light-hearted prose, Ms. Flagg also makes important and powerful social commentary about subjects such as racism, media and fame as a whole.
I am looking forward to reading Ms. Flagg's other novels. -
I didn't know that
The Whole Town's Talking was part of this series or actually, sort of part of this series.
I don't know if it is better to read "The Whole Town Is Talking" first or to read it at the end of the series -I had JUST re-re-read it so I don't know what to tell you...but when I finish the three books before "The Whole Town is Talking" I'll be sure to let you know!!!
Oops -I actually forgot to really review THIS book...I will say that it was a little surprising since this book was a bit depressing and a little frustrating to read. The heroine was not the most sympathetic of characters. But never fear, it all works out at the end and what an ending...I was surprised off of my butt when I found out what was really happening. -
This book really surprised me. It was a truly heartwarming and enjoyable story.
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Libro non perfetto, anzi, ma assolutamente godibile.
Norma e zia Elner personaggi prefe della vita. La protagonista invece l’ho odiata per 3/4 del tempo.
È uno di quei libri che si prestano bene alla lettura quando si ha bisogno di qualcosa di sciallo e leggero da leggere.
[sorvoliamo sulla traduzione e scelta del titolo in italiano. Perché facciamo queste porcherie? Perché?] -
I have to say that I was a bit disappointed with this one. The whole mysetery of the book turned out to be shallow and really disturbed me. I would've been happier if Dena's mom was actually a Nazi. It would've made the book a lot more interesting to find out that she was actually a bad guy. Not just a black person. And not even- someone who once-upon-a-time had one black relative!! What is the big deal? Not enough to warrent all the running around and stuff that made Dena's childhood was so upheaveled. (a word?) The real mystery made all that secrecy absurd. And her accidental suicide at the end was just ridiculous. She never meant to commit suicide, but she cut herself -on her wrists!!- and was bleeding in the bathtub?!?! What??
Also, the ending was just way too pat for me. That Dena ends up married to her previous psychologist who had an undying love for her and would put up with everything and anything and living in her "hometown" was just boring.
I did actually like the structure of the book- the play between the radio show, the present and the past. And I did really enjoy the chapters on the radio show. They really helped to give the feel of a small town. But I would've rather seen Flagg take it somewhere. Make it relevant to the story itself, not just a device. (Not enough that Dena lived in the house where the show used to be broadcast from- in fact that's a little lame too!) -
Yuck. I hated everything about this book. I made the mistake of taking this as my only reading material on a 12 hour flight to Japan and regretted it! I should have known that Fannie Flagg's writing style would not jibe well with me. It contains characters that are unappealing and a predictable romantic element. Yawn. I've learned my lesson. No more Fannie Flagg! I'm marking this as "read" even though I couldn't force myself to finish it. I even skipped to the end because I was marginally curious about the outcome and it was every bit as boring as the beginning. Not recommended!
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Another great book by Fannie Flagg. My dad actually suggested I read this since he had enjoyed it and one of the main characters is involved in the broadcasting industry...but really, that's only a small part of what it's all about! A good read for those who like fiction about small town America set earlier in the 20th century. If you enjoy this book, don't miss Fannie Flagg's Standing in the Rainbow, which is set in the same town and gives a lot of background on some of the characters.
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This book was even more than I expected, although I love Fannie Flagg's books. Her writing is superb and I am in awe of her mastery of the craft.
Although the story is a heart-wrenching one, somehow Fannie manages to make the reader smile now and then. The time periods go back and forth, but she also manages not to make that disruptive. Other books I have read were ruined by the time changes, but not this one. I did not guess the ending at all--completely surprised.
I read Standing in the Rainbow first and didn't even know that was the beginning of the series. It helped though, because the place and some of the characters were familiar.
Would give 6 or 7 stars if I could. Hope to read the rest of the series soon. -
Мені здається, що лише Фенні Флегг може так описувати важливі та сумні події, що не дивлячись на сльози, які підкочують до горла, ти починаєш посміхатись, від того, що всередині тебе розливається якесь приємне тепло. Ці емоції неповторні і такі цінні!
⠀
Я знову потрапила до полюбившогося, з іншої авторки, містечка Елмвуд-Спрінгс. Було неймовірно приємно побачити таких знайомих і милих серцю героїв. Пройтися вже відомими тобі вуличками, завітати в гості до таких рідних будиночків та магазинів.
⠀
( Мені здається, що більшість людей недооцінюють книги і їх атмосферу. Для мене хороша література прирівнюється до фізичної подорожі. )
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І десь серед цієї милої круговерті з'являється Дена. Популярна ведуча, що живе в Нью-Йорку, не хоче ні сім'ї, ні дітей, ні відносин. Не любить нічого і нікого, крім своєї роботи. І зовсім не хоче ні з ким зближатися та змін��вати щось у своєму житті.
⠀
Спочатку я зовсім не розуміла, звідки ж вона в книзі Фенні Флегг взялася. І, взагалі, для чого. Я ж хотіла чогось доброго, легкого, сімейного і такого типового для авторки. А головна героїня здається якоюсь злою, колючою і самозакоханою.
⠀
Але сторінка за сторінкою, Дена давала зрозуміти, що за холодною маскою байдужості, ховається маленька скривджена дівчинка. Вона може любити, піклуватися про когось, співчувати, потрібно лише її вислухати. Без поспіху, дозволяючи паузи та незрозумілі навіть їй вчинки. Вона як та дика кішечка, яку потрібно приручити, огорнувши теплом і турботою.
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Перегорнувши останню сторінку, я залишилася в повному захваті. Не очікувала того, що розповість і як закрутить історію авторка на останніх ста сторінках.
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Ця книга для мене дещо відрізняється від двох, прочитаних раніше. Але Фенні Флегг вкотре доводить, що не дарма є однією з моїх улюблених авторок. І я неймовірно тішуся, що маю ще вдосталь непрочитаного в неї. Бо ж неодмінно ще повернуся в її чарівливий і дивовижний світ. -
Fannie Flagg is the most shamelessly sentimental writer in America. She's also the most entertaining.
You'd have to be a stone to read "Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!" without laughing and crying. The clichs in this novel are deep-fat fried: not particularly nutritious, but entirely delicious.
Wandering back and forth through 40 years of history as though it were backyard gossip, Flagg tells the life story of Dena Nordstrom, America's most popular female newscaster.
Though she tries hard to forget it, Dena's roots are deeply planted in the small town of Elmwood Springs, Mo. Her mysterious mother took her away when she was only 4, but the good folks of Elmwood still follow her stellar career with complete devotion. No one holds the banner higher than her distant cousins, Macky and Norma Warren, and great-aunt Elner, who spends her quiet days firing at cats with a water pistol.
When Dena calls one night in a drunken stupor and announces she's coming home, Norma launches into panicked preparations - cleaning the rugs, painting the house, assembling back-up pastry choices, and checking the toilets for proper flushing action.
Of course, they're crushed when Dena calls later to cancel with a lie about flying to Russia. Unfortunately, Dena's gotten used to lying about her personal life. It seems life at the top isn't as fulfilling as she thought it would be. Though she hosts the highest-rated morning show on TV, she has no close friends, she's careening toward alcoholism, and she's downright unhappy. In the presence of Fannie Flagg, we know what this girl needs is a big dose of small-town America.
But for the moment, she's stuck in big bad New York City, where the forces of corrupt TV journalism are stalking. Her proverbial bottom-line producer, Ira Wallace, dismisses her journalistic principles with a cynical snort. As far as he's concerned, she can either dig up some celebrity dirt or get out of town.
Flagg's sustained attack on invasive, yellow journalism makes up in comedy what it lacks in subtlety. Dena seeks wise council from a Walter Cronkite character who editorializes about the destructive direction of TV news. The villain, Sidney Capello, a slimy investigative reporter, makes millions by inventing a trashy tabloid-news show, but ends up in the sewer - literally.
Dena wants to behave decently, but that's not easy in an industry that lives and dies by the rating numbers. She clawed her way to the top by believing in herself, but now that she's made it, she's not entirely sure who she is.
Worn down by her breakneck career, Dena finally visits a psychiatrist who helps her realize how much she's neglected her private life in the rush to construct a public life. The central aspect of her therapy - and the book's joy-ride plot - involves uncovering her mother's identity and learning how to love again.
The last thing Dena thinks she needs is the undying affection of Gerry O'Malley, a desperate romantic who's convinced she's The One. He's even willing to start watching television so they'll have something to talk about. When that's not sufficient, he rents out Carnegie Hall and puts on a private jazz concert for her.
It's not giving too much away to say Dena eventually realizes how she wants to spend her life. The implications for American journalism are dark, but Flagg's romantic portrayal of the small town is characteristically captivating. This is a comic novel to welcome home with open arms.
http://www.csmonitor.com/1998/1008/10... -
I really enjoyed this introductory book of the Elmwood Springs trilogy. It introduces all the characters that will populate the series - Norma and Macky Warren, Aunt Elnor, Neighbor Dorothy, Poor Tott, etc. Since I've listened to the 2nd and 3rd book of this series which mainly take place in Elmwood Springs, Missouri, a fictional town near Kansas City. I was, therefor, surprised that the focus of this book was a famous television personality in 1970's New York. Dena Nordstrom, a morning TV news reporter known for her hard-hitting interviews, is a likable character in spite of herself. She can learn much from her interview subjects, but is cut off from herself, her feelings and the mysteries of her past. There are many story lines in this book, as it shuttles back and forth between the 1940's and the 1970's. I was swept up in the saga of Dena's and her family's life as well as the changes that were taking place in society during the 70's. I was rooting for her all the way to learn about herself and be at peace with who she is.
I would give this 5 stars except for the last part of the book (disc 12 of 12), which too neatly explains and resolves are the various story lines. It was nice to know how everything turned out, but it felt like Flagg was marching through all the open topics, closing them off one at a time. It's a minor quibble, though. The narrator, Kate Reading, was outstanding. I felt like I was sitting on the porch with her, rocking away, as she told this very engaging story to me. -
(1997)
RATING: 3 STARS
A great Fannie Flagg book about a small town and it's quirky townspeople.
(2020)
RATING: 3.5
Once I saw the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes I knew I had to read the book. Since then I have been a fan of Fannie Flagg's novels. I love the quirky characters and the humour mixed with drama. I remember this one being one of my least favourite books by Flagg. At the time I wasn't interested in the 1970s storyline with Dena and the press. Reading this 23 years later, I did enjoy it a bit more. I was more intrigued with the mystery this time, of what happened to Dena's mother. Also, knowing more of American History made it a bit more fun to read. I feel like we didn't get to know some of the other characters well enough. We kind of got more of a superficial look. Knowing this time that it is a series, and we will get to see more of Elmwood, explained why we got a peek at these characters. Overall, this is a great book when you need a lighter read with some heft to it. -
Lettura piacevole e coinvolgente; buoni sentimenti, senza esagerare, ed un messaggio, quantomai attuale, che invita a ritagliarsi uno spazio personale all’interno della vita stressante che rischia di travolgerci.
Ho apprezzato lo stile narrativo di Fannie Flagg e la caratterizzazione dei vari personaggi, ritrovandone qualcuno che già avevo conosciuto in altri romanzi (come dimenticare zia Elner). Anche i vari flashback sono ben strutturati, portandoci, senza sforzo, alla scoperta della verità sul passato della protagonista.
Mi sono emozionato durante la lettura, tra un sorriso ed una lacrima, ma ho anche apprezzato le tematiche delle discriminazioni razziali e di genere, mai ingombranti, ma narrate con la voce ferma di chi le ha vissute.
Per non parlare poi di un certo giornalismo, purtroppo anch’esso sempre attuale, che utilizza la macchina del fango come irresponsabile strumento capace di distruggere invece di documentare o denunciare. -
Wow - what a story!
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This is my first Fannie Flagg novel but won't be the last. Fascinating characters and small town charm.
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I liked this much better than Fried Green Tomatoes.
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Not the Best of Fannie Flagg's books. It really doesn't have much to do with Elmwood Springs until a brief bit in the middle and at the very end. However, this book did have a fantastic mystery -just who was Baby Girls mother, and what did the carousel dream mean? Will the man ever get the girl? Will the girl ever confide in her shrink?
It kept me reading even though I was frustrated with the subject matter. The secondary story was even better than the main plot- were we, as a nation, better off before we allowed tabloid reporting as legitimate news?
This was a good book that gave me some interesting dinner conversation with my husband. -
Just as you should never judge a book by its cover, so you should never make assumptions about an author from their name. Fannie Flagg. Now that to me does not sound like a serious literary author. To me that conjures up someone who is writing fairly lightweight fiction, perhaps a comic writer, someone who perhaps writes romance or gentle tales of simple folk.
And up to a point that’s exactly what Fannie Flagg does. Her books are certainly gentle, her characters are sometimes simple folk, and there is often an old-time whimsy to her writing. But she is a far more incisive and penetrating writer than that and this book shows Flagg at her best. I’ve read some of her other novels, and I expect some of you have as well. Many of you will also have seen the film adaptation of her most well-known book Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café. Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! certainly starts off as a cosy tale of ordinary people, but it gets progressively darker as the narrative progresses.
The “baby girl” of the title is Dena Nordstrom, a rising star of 1970s television and a TV anchor-woman. Ambitious and driven, she has thrown of her Elmwood roots to pursue her career in New York. The narrative shifts back and forth in time and place between the 1940s and the 1970s, and gradually Flagg reveals Dena’s background. The frenetic and stressful life Dena leads in New York begins to take its toll and when illness leaves her nowhere to go but back to Elmwood, she is forced to confront her past, to learn exactly who she is, to question everything she thought she knew and to reassess what really matters to her.
This is not a demanding read, but nor is it a light one, as it confronts some very dark issues. It’s a story that puts the decency and genuine feeling of small towns up against the ruthlessness of big city life, and shows that loyalty and acceptance are always more important than material success. There are some truly memorable characters here, even if some of the media bosses occasionally verge on caricature. But overall it is a compelling and moving novel, full of love and kindness, often funny, sometimes serious, and very much a book I recommend. -
I don't know if I have ever disliked a protagonist as much as I disliked Dena. But I am kind of your anti-careerism/workaholic person so I'm sure that was the reason. I found the big secret of Dena's past really anti-climactic. Maybe because I didn't grow up during that time period? Just really a dull book and not right for me.
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I joined a bookclub at my place of work in order to force myself to read books outside of my favorite genres. I typically find myself with my nose in horror and crime stories published in the 40's to early 80's and the usual array of "classics" from Twain to Kerouac, so joining the club would force me to get my eyeballs focused on something new...to me at least.
After reading this book, I realized I'm much better suited sitting with a beer and a collection of Richard Matheson's short stories than poking about in this sort of soapy (as in opera) novel.
I must admit I was surprised how much I wanted to find out what would happen to the successful, but troubled Dena Nordstrom. I also appreciated the (sometimes heavy-handed) commentary on tabloid-TV, gender and race, but the ending (let's just say it had a Hollywood ending) was so gawd-awful and sugary I was nearly hyperglycemic when I closed the cover.
Despite my disgust with the ending, Flagg has flare for believable (and sometimes very funny) dialogue.
I will continue on with my attempts at reading things outside of my dark and stormy box. -
This book is so heartwarming, so eye opening, so cozy, so wonderful.
I laughed and I cried.
Dena Nordstrom is a famous television newscaster in the 1970's. She appears to have it all... looks, money, and a great career. Yet, something is clearly missing. That something is her mother and answers to many questions that have plagued Dena since she was 15 years old.
I did not expect the answers to the questions about her mother's past to be what they were (that's all I can say without giving the story away). Yet, I was so deeply moved by the story of Dena's mother that my eyes were actually opened to subjects that though am certainly aware of, I didn't really understand the depth and complexity of.
I also learned a lot about the transition that the news media was undergoing in the 1970's from an institution that merely reported the news to an institution that destroyed lives by the vicious, immoral and unethical reporting of people's personal lives whether the information was correct or not.
Anyway, I can't wait to read the next two books in the Elmwood Springs series! -
"Baby Girl" is Dena Nordstrom, who left her small town roots to become a respected TV star. The business is cutthroat and to rise, she learns to blindside the people she interviews, doing whatever it takes to get the story. But she never learns to like it, and comes to a point where she just can't bring herself to destroy a good person, just for a story. She is haunted by her childhood, when her mother mysteriously left her, and decides it's time to learn what happened.
I read Fried Green Tomatoes years ago and remember loving it, so was really looking forward to reading another Fannie Flagg book. I had a hard time with this one. Some of the characters felt like caricatures and the first half felt disjointed to me, not sure where the story was going, or even at times whose story it was. Second half was better but toward the end, there are some flashbacks in the POV that didn't work for me.
