Rating: 
Summary: A Classic
Review: I have given copies of this book to more people than I can count. To say that it is the story of a boy growing into manhood in a small town in Georgia at the beginning of the century doesn't do it justice and probably won't entice you to read it. Just believe me when I say that in a burst of real genius, Olive Ann Burns took the stories her father told her about his childhood and wove them into a fabulous tale peopled with quirky, unforgettable characters. Orginally published in 1984, the trade paperback is available everywhere and will be for a long, long time. I believe that this book is a true classic that will still be popular long after we've all read our last books
Rating:
Summary: This is one of my favorite novels.
Review: I really love this book. It is a coming-of-age story of a young boy down south at around the turn of the century. The story is told with humor, pathos, romance, and a sense of adventure. I really got the flavor of not only an adolescent boy's world view, but also what it must be like to live in a small town where everyone knows everyone and everyone's business. Ms. Burns's writing style is wonderful, a must for me in order to get past the first chapter
Rating:
Summary: A great novel for reluctant readers age 13 and up.
Review: As a high school teacher in rural Illinois, I am always on the look out for exciting new literature for my classroom. I stumbled upon COLD SASSY TREE while reading an article in ENGLISH JOURNAL, and decided to give it a try. I was touched by this book. It is lyric and not sappy, warm and not stuffy. To my great amazement, my freshman students consumed the thing whole. Some of the most reluctant readers in my class finished the entire novel in 48 hours.
Just about any platform is served by the storyline: gender issuses, death and dying, sexual abuse (non-graphic), love, coming-of-age, ageism, socio-economic issues,and family life. You name it, it's in there. I was concerned that some parents would be uptight about Love Simpson's history of abuse, and not one word was said. Some male students asked to read out in the hall, as they were teary-eyed at the end of the book.
Will Tweedy is a great character. He is an unreliable narrator who lies, listens in on private conversations, torments family members and falls for a girl from the other side of the tracks. My students all saw a little of themselves in him, good and bad.
COLD SASSY TREE is on the top shelf of my presonal library. I've owned two paperback copies of the sequel and my students have worn them both out. The school librarian finally bought aa couple of hard bound editions for the library.
A lovely novel all in all.
Rating:
Summary: A breath of fresh air in our smog filled lives.
Review: Is the hectic pace of life in the 90's getting you down? Is the hustle and bustle of your life about to take you over the edge? Here is a book that is a breath of fresh air! Imagine yourself sitting under the cool shade of a sassafras tree as Will Tweedy tells you the latest gossip from Cold Sassy. It almost feels like chatting with a good friend over the back fence, as Will fills you in on the shocking
deeds of his grandfather and his knew wife. There's nothing like this book when it comes
to taking the trials of the day away, so sit back with a cup of sassafras tea and enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: Lame, slow, boring, tedious...
Review: How can people write good reviews about this book? I had to read all 400+ pages of this for a summer reading project. Since I had to read it, I decided to give it a chance. By the end I had to will myself to read just a few more pages. It really is a miracle I finished the book at all. Plot? Nonexistent. In fact, I can barely remember what the book is about. Southern kind of books with annoying accents just aren't the best reading material. Do yourself a favor and never touch this excuse for a story, and if you already have it, chuck in the garbage where it belongs.
Rating: 
Summary: Cold Sassy Tree
Review: Cold Sassy Tree is the story of Will Tweedy and his life in Cold Sassy, Georgia, in 1906. Shortly after the death of his grandmother, Miss Mattie Lou, Will's grandpa Mr. Blakeslee got married to a Yankee woman named Love Simpson, who was young enough to be his daughter. Will's mother, his young Aunt Loma, and the entire town were all scandalized by his actions. The newly married couple claimed that Miss Love is only acting as a housekeeper for Mr. Blakeslee and that they had separate rooms. When their brothers and sisters at church shunned them, they held services in their own home and sang songs like 'Ta Ra-Ra Boom De-Ay.' Eventually, everyone got fed up with the Blakeslees. They were also angry that while the deceased Mrs. Blakeslee never had anything nice, Will's grandpa bought his new wife presents all the time. When Will's dad bought his mother a car to make her feel better, everyone was excited at the marvelous new automobile. Soon, however, the stingy Mr. Blakeslee bought Miss Love a new car as well. Sadly, Mr. Blakeslee developed pneumonia and died. Miss Love, who had become friends with Will, confided with him her secret: that she was going to have a baby.
This book relates to the question of what is the truth and how do you know. Almost everyone in the book thought badly of Mr. Blakeslee and his new wife because they thought it was scandalous to get married so soon after the death of a spouse. Many believed that the truth was that they had been planning this for a long time and were actually happy about the death of the Miss Mattie Lou. This proves that what is widely regarded as the truth can actually be false. Mr. Blakeslee did like Love before the death of his wife, but Miss Love knew nothing about it and had treated him only with respect. When Miss Mattie Lou died, Mr. Blakeslee was truly heartbroken because he had really loved her. After they got married, Miss Love actually was just a housekeeper, for a while. Will Tweedy believed this to be the truth because that was what they told him, and he trusted them. However, as the relationship between Miss Love and Mr. Blakeslee developed, this truth became a lie. This book shows that the only way you can know the real and complete truth is if you are part of it. Otherwise, the `truth' will become influenced by others' opinions and may change.
Rating:
Summary: What a treat!
Review: My dear friend lent me her well-worn copy, and I know now why it's so well worn. I just bought a couple copies to share along with the sequel.
I laughed aloud as I read this book - the characters are so endearing and if you've known many southerners they are so very real.
it's a wonderful romp.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful
Review: This is such an exquisite book - they just don't make them like this anymore. Olive Ann Burns' Southern dialogue never feels stilted and the writing just flows, capturing perfectly a bygone era. The reader wishes to live in the time of Will Tweedy and the Blakeslees, but the next best thing is reading this book. What a perfect read.
Rating:
Summary: Why Bother?
Review: Cold Sassy Tree is absolutely the most tedious and utterly obsolete book I have ever read, or heard of, or imagined. The caracters are unrelatable. I've read the other reviews for this book and wonder whether most of the writers were conscious when they worte them, or indeed read the book. I had to read this book as a requirement for school. I would have rather just dropped out. I wasted prime hours of my life on this literary abomination, and have emerged from it mentally scarred. I am convinced that reading this book has been detrimantal both to my health, and my grammar.
Rating:
Summary: Bodacious
Review: I had a hard time getting into this book the first time I picked it up but when I picked it up (quite a while) later I couldn't put it down. I found myself hungry for more when I was done. I liked Cold Sassy Tree so much I'm avoiding "Leaving Cold Sassy" (the author's last book before she died). I don't want to leave Cold Sassy! This is a warm, humorous, southern-charm story about growing up and sticking to your guns despite what the people of a small southern town might think, with interesting, unexpected twists among characters you become very fond of. An older man wanting to marry a young, beautiful woman three weeks after his wife dies is pretty scandalous for a small "proper" southern town. I entered the story with certain preconcieved notions about the characters and motives and was pleasantly entertained while the characters and plot developed into unexpected places. A good, quick, warm read.
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