Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not as great as "Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man"
Review: I've read all of Fannie Flagg's books and this one was really good, although it didn't quite resonate with me the way "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" did or hold my attention the way that "Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man" did. Over all, though, its a book worth reading. You'll love the characters, except for Hamm Sparks.
Rating: 
Summary: Made me long for a simpler time
Review: I loved this book. I found it thoroughly enjoyable and pleasant to read. I was born in the 60's but this book made me wish I could have lived in this happy, safe, quiet town. It is a feel good book and it doesn't have any car chases or weird twists in the end - thank goodness! I highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Inconsistent
Review: I take passionate objection to this book. I have read all of Fannie Flagg's previous books and found them wonderful. I have a deep admiration for her writing skills. However, this book has no plot and the only thing connecting all of the people is the town in which they live. The part I found most interesting was Betty Raye's story, which disappoints because it turns into the Hamm Sparks story instead. On top of that the whole middle part of the book is all about Hamm Sparks and has nothing to do with Elmwood Springs. I re-read Welcome to the World Baby Girl before reading Standing in the Rainbow, to review all that I knew about Elmwood Springs and it's occupants. Welcome to the World's main character, Dena, moves to Elmwood Springs in 1979, gets married, has a baby and is thrilled to be 'home' again near her only living relatives Norma and Aunt Elner. After a hard life, with no family, Dena is happy to be around her Elmwood Spring's family that loves her so much. (So much that Norma can barely speak when Dena calls and says she's coming for a visit) In Standing in the Rainbow Dena is mentioned in one paragraph. Norma, Macky and Aunt Elner all pick up and move without a care in the world for leaving Dena behind. The inconsistencies of this book are as follows: 1. In Welcome, the Revitalize down town project takes place in 1976, which we know because Norma writes Dena a letter hoping for a contribution. In Rainbow it doesn't show up until the 80s and no mention of Dena. 2. Welcome says that Gerry buys the WDOT house for Dena in 1984, while Rainbow in the very beginning of the 80's section, has Bobby come home for a funeral and while walking past his old house, mentions that he and his sister sold it 'a few years ago' 3. In Rainbow, early 80's, when Bobby is walking downtown after the funeral he also notes that everything is shut down, the barber shop, the department store, the theater, everything. While in Welcome to the World in 1987 Elmwood Springs is voted one of the ten best places to live in the country, everything is up and operating and a junior college is established. 4. Welcome to the World says that Dorothy's first child is Anna Lee, Rainbow says its Michael. 5. In Welcome to the World Aunt Elner is 93 years old in 1973. In Standing in the Rainbow Aunt Elner moves to Florida with Macky and Norma sometime in the 90s, which puts her somewhere around 110 years old or more? 6. As other reviewers have mentioned, Bobby and Doc were standing under an Archway that wasn't to be built for another decade or so. Why even have Bobby's one line about 'sold it a few years ago'? It just makes loyal readers think about Dena again and wonder where she is. In Welcome to the World, there is a huge mystery about Dena's mother, Marion, wouldn't it have been great to feed the readers a juicy little morsel about a day in her life. Since Rainbow was made up of about 75 short stories, one more wouldn't have hurt. One sign of a good book is that the reader becomes absorbed in the story and goes to that place. In Welcome I floated between NYC and Elmwood Springs. So when I returned to Elmwood Springs in Rainbow I expected to see Dena and her mother in the earlier years and then again in the 70s. Where is she? This sort of inconsistency pulls the reader out of the story and back to the kids or the laundry or what ever thing they are trying to leave behind for a few hours.
Fannie, if you're reading this I want you to know that the only reason I'm so disappointed is because I know your true ability as a writer. You have an amazing gift that you've share with us all. I'm not sure what happened with Standing in the Rainbow, but it reminds me of the expression 'kill your darlings'. Hind sight is 20/20 I know, but had I been a reader for this book prior to its publishing I would have suggested that you change the character names of anyone who appeared in Welcome to the World, and change the name of the town. Then you would only have two problems (a radio show in two different books, and a weak plot) I believe that a writer has an obligation to the readers. If a writer is doing so only for themselves then fine, but not every book needs to be published. Like a good murder mystery the whodunit is not thrown in at the last minute cheating the reader out of the possibility of having solving the mystery on their own. This is not a book I would recommend, obviously.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful and warm
Review: Even though Fannie Flagg places this novel in Missouri, I recognized a lot of the places as being from AL where Flagg grew up. I grew up in the same area, and went to Cascade Plunge in the summer and shopped at Morgan Department store, etc. I also recognized some of the Missouri areas, also. It was fun to see how she blended the areas together. This book was a really good read for me. I loved the characters and how the lives of each of them developed. It left me with a real warm feeling and a sense of how fleeting the years are. It took me a few chapters to really get into the book, but then it grabbed me and I couldn't put it down until I finished it.
Rating:
Summary: Maybe you had to have been there.....
Review: Fannie Flagg recreates the experience of growing up in a small town in the 40's and 50's. The characters are real and beleivable to those of us who did the same. They're the people next door. The storytelling is from multiple perspectives--the mom, Dorothy, the dad, Doc, the children, Bobby and Anna Lee. The neighbors and relatives also have their stories to tell. The Oatman Family Gospel Singers provide a great deal of the comedy. Living in Birmingham, Alabama myself, I noticed that Fannie Flagg uses names of people and companies in the Birmingham area, although in different contexts-hilarious when you know the real people and places. Two things I loved about this book: 1)If you like going to class reunions and asking "what ever happened to...", you'll love this syle of writing; 2)It's a "feel good" book in terms of portraying people of good will, honesty, and integrity. If you like the darker styles of writing which are currently popular, stay away from this one. It's sunny all the way.
Rating:
Summary: Totally Enjoyable
Review: What a warm and inviting way to spend your reading hours. I loved the picture of small town life and everyday people. As an author myself, of NEW PSALMS FOR NEW MOMS: A KEEPSAKE JOURNAL (Judson Press), I appreciate the attention to small details and the emphasis on family, friends and faith. Thank you Fannie Flagg!
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't even finish this.
Review: I have enjoyed Fannie Flagg's previous books and was looking forward to this one, but once I got started, I couldn't force myself to finish it. The characters were a little too odd for my taste.
Rating:
Summary: Fannie Flagg heads for the Midwest
Review: Most of Fannie Flagg's other books are set in the south. With Standing in the Rainbow, she sets herself down in Elmwood Springs, Missouri. Beginning during the hopeful and prosperous post-war era of Harry Truman, the book moves leisurely forward through several decades, following the life, family, and easy-living times of Bobby Smith, an endearing scamp of a 10-year-old at the book's beginning.
Times change, people change, social values change - and all are chronicled with Flagg's wonderful wit, wisdom - and marvelous spates of dialogue.
Another Fannie Flagg winner.
Rating:
Summary: If she wrote it, count on it being GREAT
Review: NO ONE writes with the flair and wit of Fannie Flagg. She's one worth springing for the hardback version. Her ability to weave characters in and out of a story line never ceases to amaze me. This story takes place in the fictional Elmwood Springs, Mo., although, being from Mo. myself, I can tell you, it ain't all fiction! Characters from another Flagg great "Welcome to the World, Baby Girl" are reintroduced and we follow a great cast of characters for six generations. Looking back, I can't pick a favorite character. It is one of the few books that had me laughing out loud and sobbing like a baby all in one chapter. HIGHLY recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: "Rainbows and Cakes" are a great escape from War & Horrors!
Review: Well, here we are again in Elmwood Springs, Missouri ... the same place that welcomed Dena Nordstrom back with open arms in "Welcome to the World, Baby Girl" (another spectacular book!) ... but this time, as six decades are spanned, we learn about the lives of those who made up "the most middle town in America" (p. 446). The Neighbor Dorothy Show on WDOT is used as a storytelling device - her broadcasts and family life being the focal point from which all other story lines emanate. We trace the lives of her husband (Doc Smith, the pharmacist) and children (Bobby & Anna Lee) as well as all those who come in contact with them (Norma & Macky Warren, Beatrice the "little blind songbird", Jimmy, Betty Raye Oatman and the whole gospel-singing Oatman Clan, Hamm Sparks ...and of course, "Poor Tot" Whooten, etc.). It is the story of small town America with charmingly real and in some cases, quirky, characters who would happily welcome you for dinner. In her own way, even Neighbor Dorothy recommended this intoxicating tale when she said: "...I only like to recommend books that are happy and cheerful...I know there are sad things out in the world...but I just don't like to dwell on them. I guess I'm just like one of those ostriches; I just stick my head in the sand. I don't want to face the facts. All the scientists are determined to tell us what the moon is made of and what the stars are...and why there are rainbows...but I just don't want to know. When I wish on a star, I don't need to know what it's made out of - let the men figure it out - as for me, if a thing is beautiful, what does it matter why. I never get tired of looking at the moon. One night is small and round as a shiny, ice-cold, white marble and the next it's a big soft yellow moon. How can we get bored when nature gives us so many wonders to look at." (p.305) ...And Fannie Flagg seemed to follow this advice when she wrote "Standing in the Rainbow". Sure, there were some sad and poignant parts ...but that was just part of the town's life. Like Neighbor Dorothy, though, the author didn't dwell on the sadness for too long and even as the world changed, Fannie Flagg's story is infused with optimism and hope! ...And with the state of the world what it is today, this is a wonderful story to read if you need that regained sense of optimism! ...Oh, and if my opinion matters here, I have a great idea for Fannie Flagg's next novel. Wouldn't it be interesting to read a story about little Apple, Norma and Macky's granddaughter, who Linda adopted from China. I would love to find out about her future ...and even her past! If anyone can do it, it's Fannie Flagg!
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