Rating: 
Summary: Nostalgia Supplants Humor
Review: A fan of Daisy Fay and Fried Green Tomatoes, I have to admit I was disappointed by Flagg's latest effort. While the plot and the character of Dena Nordstrom kept me turning the pages, the overly nostalgic conclusion and the sentimentality throughout made me long for the irreverant humor of Flagg's earlier novels. The story has a lot of potential -- particularly the skewering of broadcast media's obsession with the lurid and any other sort of scandal -- but is the answer to the media's lack of ethics to get married, live in a small town, and broadcast out of your backyard? Dena Nordstrom is a lovable, alcoholic screw-up in need of therapy if anyone is, yet this novel (like the novels of Wally Lamb) exhibits an idealized view of the therapist/client relationship, sometimes at the expense of real character development. Welcome to the World is certainly entertaining, but ultimately falls short of its author's potential.
Rating: 
Summary: What a disappointment!
Review: Found all the characters somewhat unbelievable, and by the end of the book I really didn't care what happened to Dena. Have re-named my book "Welcome to My Re-cycling Bin, Fannie Flagg!"
Rating: 
Summary: Satisfactorily-woven tapestry of nuance and colors.
Review: This is a book to be enjoyed on many levels -- the story, the characters, the exploration of culture and community, the snapshots in time, the wonderful layers of writing, the spellbinding voice of an American classic writer who deserves more attention and homage. Suspense is built in a mounting, impelling manner, and the depths are shaded with satisfying ombres and lights to feed the questions that keep you turning quickly through each page to the end.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging, But Not Her Best
Review: Flagg has left the country and tried for, at least partially, a big-city story with this tale of a high-powered anchor women. She is only partially successful, and although she is a compulsively readable author "Baby Girl" is Flagg's weakest novel.The novel is at its strongest when Flagg does what she does best, traveling back to small town southern life. Her flashbacks to Neighbor Dorothy and her corny, homespun radio show are priceless. Modern day Elmwood Springs and its inhabitants are also enjoyable. Unfortunately. the novel sags with its main character, the unlovable Dena. I never warmed up to this cold fish, and the too-pat wrap-up was simply sappy. That said, I'd still grab Flagg's next effort and hope some of the magic of her earlier novels returns.
Rating:
Summary: A Real Page Turner
Review: Fannie Flagg is a wonderful storyteller. WELCOME TO THE WORLD, BABY GIRL is a real page turner that leaves you with lots to think about. Flagg takes on the fascinating issue of gossip...from small town keeping up with each other to the big blistering business of tabloids. There's nothing more interesting than people because we're all looking for where we fit in. The main character is Dena Nordstrom who has money and fame and an uneasyness about her roots. She often wonder if she really likes people. Who hasn't been there? If you like the books of Mary Higgins Clark or Jan Karon you'll like WELCOME TO THE WORLD, BABY GIRL.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, but the big secret is a big let-down
Review: Though a bit put off by the trite and sappy portrait of the Missouri town, I found this book engaging, and I could sympathize a bit with Dena Nordstrom and her struggles. However, perhaps this is a good sign for my generation and how times have changed: I just could *not* relate to the significance of her mother's big "secret". I thought it was ridiculous that her mother was on the run for 15 years, abandonned her daughter, and always looking over her shoulder, for the reason given. I was imagining all kinds of horrible things, then I got to the big suprise, and I said out loud "That's it?" I was also disappointed in the canned, predictable characters in the book - Sookie, and her mother, the spoiled Southern women, the Cronkite-type newsman, the half-deaf aunt who canned preserves all day, the sympathetic psychiatrist in a wheelchair - Ms. Flagg is a talented writer, and these characters are beneath her. This is an entertaining book, with some very funny lines in it, but readers should not expect the kind of depth and storytelling magic we saw in "Fried Green Tomatoes".
Rating: 
Summary: It's Not Fried Greens Tomatoes...but a good read
Review: I took Welcome To The World with me on an long plane trip. I was anticipating the Fannie Flagg of Fried Green Tomatoes. It is completely different. But I instantly loved reading about the characters...in olden days and current. I definitely could not put it down...until the very last page. I thought the conclusion was completely startling and unexpected. Great vacation reading!
Rating:
Summary: A pretty good read
Review: This is the first book I have read by Fannie Flagg, and although it was not one of the best books I had ever read, it was pretty enjoyable. I liked the character of Dena, but I have to say that I found most of the other characters very annoying--especially Sookie,Gerry, and in general the whole population of Elmwood Springs.Sometimes I found myself wanting to skip the chapters that brought you back in time and just talked about life in a small town. Still, I looked forward to reading it each day.
Rating:
Summary: Another winner from a fantastic writer!
Review: I purchased this book when Fannie Flagg visited this area, and when I picked it up to read it, I just could not put it down! Being from the Midwest, I had to laugh at the depiction of the small-town Midwesteners--the conversations at their tables are closer to home than most Missourians would care to admit! During the booksigning, Fannie read several excerpts from the book, so now I have ordered the audio version -- she puts life into the pages. I highly recommend Welcome to the World, Baby Girl to everyone!
Rating:
Summary: What in the world ever happened to Baby Girl?
Review: The denouement of Welcome Home, Baby Girl! left me feeling at loose ends. Fannie Flagg has stepped outside her genre here and into uncharted waters. Somehow she does not bring all the parts of the novel into a smooth cohesiveness that one desires. She has delved into some issues, that she resolves in a soap opera kind of way. When Fannie returns to her roots the novel shines and one would like to go back in time. Naturally there are laughs aplenty, pure Flagg. I found myself laughing aloud Dena Nordstrom is a troubled girl. Fanny's grasp of the pain and see saw of emotions that beset Dena, are where she really lets us see what a terrific writer she is. Would I recommend this book? Certainly, but true Flagg aficianados, might be a tad disappointed. But never with Neighbor Dorothy, Doc, and the gang.
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