Where The Heart Is (unabridged)

Rating:
Summary: Light, enjoyable read
Review: This is a light, enjoyable read where, for the most part, good things happen to good people and bad people get what they deserve. The story line is interesting, if somewhat predictable. I probably would not have read it if a friend hadn't given me a copy, but it was a good book to take to the gym. Despite the fact that it is an Oprah book, I do not believe it had enough meat in it to be a good book for discussion. Still, I liked the characters and was entertained by the story line.

Rating:
Summary: Very relative to todays society
Review: Where the heart is, is inspiring to the heart and cleansing for the soul. It has a realistic portrayal of life as a teen mother. It gives another angle to life that many teens miss or disregard. I am Novalees age and I really could relate to her and after reading the book I know why I want to wait to fall in love and get pregnant.

Rating:
Summary: I would give this book 10 stars if I could
Review: I can't believe some of the "one star" reviews of this book. Obviously, these bad reviews come from frustrated writers or nit pickers. I have been reading this book all day, and my eyes are about to give out on me, but I simply can't put the book down. In fact, I can only put it down long enough to write my review of the book. It is one of the most wonderful and life affirming stories I have ever read. I really care about these characters with all of their beautiful eccentricities and sweetness. The world needs more Novalees, Sister Thelma Husbands and Forneys. It's midnight where I am now, so I guess I'll be up into the wee hours of the morning so I can finish this wonderful story. Thanks Billy Letts for a great read!

Rating:
Summary: Uplifting.
Review: I must admit that after reading a few of Oprah's Bookclub selections and being very dissapointed I was prepared for the worst but I actually enjoyed this book. It was full of hope and strength and love, as well as some of the most wonderful characters you are likely to meet. The only problem I had with it is that it finished too soon.

Rating:
Summary: Very good book! Great read!
Review: Billie Letts has done a wonderful job in this book. The story grabbed me, and I couldn't put it down. another 1 week read. From Willy Jack, and Novalee to Forney,Moses, Sister Husband, and all the others. Walmart will never be the same!! Good Job Billie!!!

Rating:
Summary: We loved this book and were able to relate to the char.
Review: Our book club just finished reading this book and we found it to be one of the better ones we had read. It seemed that everyone was able to relate in one way or another to the characters in the book. Having a range of ages in our book club group it was interesting to hear what everyone had to share about the book and what it meant to them. We definitely recommend this book for anyone who likes a quick read but also a wonderfull story.

Rating:
Summary: Quick read - pretty cheery for an Oprah book
Review: I'm no fan of the Oprah selections, in general. I think they are not usually very well written, and they usually seem to be pushing some point of view of hers. This one, however, is easy to read (I read it in an evening) and simple in its premise of a young girl triumphing over adversity.

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful story
Review: I thought this novel was outstanding. It was heart-warming, page-turning, and simply incredible. The characters were so realistic and it's nice to know that there really are caring people in the world that can help when everything seems to go wrong. Novalee was such a strong and courageous young woman, and it was fun following the intriguing moments of her life. The novel showed what love really is. I recommend it to anyone looking for something great to read.

Rating:
Summary: novel about the love, life, and friendship a woman can find
Review: A non-stop novel that shows what the world can really be like and how someone as desperate as Novalee can be. Sneaking into a Wal-mart at night, meeting total life-long friendship strangers,giving birth in Wal-mart, finding a true love,and losing friends in the end, it shows how life is really based upon the love and support that one gets from a friend. A fine first novel which is followed by a great second book that Letts gets into just as well. Friendship is really one of the main essentials one needs to live in life.

Rating:
Summary: Love,intellience,& spirit overcome incredible odds.
Review: Sometimes we encounter characters who seem unlikely but who steal our hearts and triumph over unbelievable odds with love, creativity, and just plain spunk. Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts is just such a book. We follow Novalee Nation, child of foster homes and orphanges--and general bad luck--from her home in Kentucky on an oddessy across the US where she experiences betrayal and rejection by her worthless boyfriend, who leaves her in an Oklahoma Walmart, pregnant and nearly destitute in all but spirit. Remarkably, she overcomes imcredible odds--she has her baby in the very Walmart where she is living--to find a circle of warm, if eccentric, friends who help her almost as much as she helps them. Yes, this is another novel about lower class characters who struggle against life's complexities, but this time, the main character, Novalee, is a woman of optimism, creativity, and intelligence that lead her to overcome obstacles that most of us would consider impossible. She meets a fine man, the local librarian, who eventually plays a major part in her life. She finds a real home with Sister, a fundamentalist Christian whose simple love and help, teach her what a family really is, and she manages to get a college education along the way as she discovers that she is a natural in the world of photography. Where the Heart Is is a pretty fast read, not only because you can't put it down, but also because the reader becomes involved with the characters and simply must find out what happens next. In addition to an interesting, if somewhat predictable plot outcome, the book is full of genuine humor--I found myself laughing out loud more than once. Best of all, though, is that when you finish the book, you long to know what happens to the characters next!