Rating: 
Summary: Charlotte used to have a boring life
Review: Then she gets kidnapped by Jake, an inept bank robber with 200 $1 bills in his pocket from the robbery (inept in a way that only an Anne Tyler character could be), and off the two of them go to Florida to hunt up Jake's pregnant girlfriend. Charlotte is having the time of her life. She'd been about to leave her husband of forever-many years, and here she suddenly finds herself off on an adventure she never could have dreamed up in her wildest imaginings. Hard to believe a story that begins with a robbery and a kidnapping could end up as touching and poignant - but it does.
Rating: 
Summary: Horribly Bland and Depressing
Review: There's not much I can write that someone else hasn't already said. As well as being "quirky" the female protagonists are usually imperfect physically--middle aged, "hair that sticks out like birds wings", etc. I can identify with that. Enough of these beautiful perfect women.
But the main point I wanted to make is about the movie "based" on this story. The basic premise of the story, that of Charlotte's road trip with a young bank robber is the only thing that stays intact. The 2 main characters relationship with each other is very different and some of the things they do are things Charlotte would never do. It really spoils the whole idea of the story. If I've made you curious I apologise! The only way I reccomend watching it is the way I did, doing something else while watching it. Otherwise, it is a waste of your time.
Rating:
Summary: Good book, awful movie
Review: There's not much I can write that someone else hasn't already said. As well as being "quirky" the female protagonists are usually imperfect physically--middle aged, "hair that sticks out like birds wings", etc. I can identify with that. Enough of these beautiful perfect women.
But the main point I wanted to make is about the movie "based" on this story. The basic premise of the story, that of Charlotte's road trip with a young bank robber is the only thing that stays intact. The 2 main characters relationship with each other is very different and some of the things they do are things Charlotte would never do. It really spoils the whole idea of the story. If I've made you curious I apologise! The only way I reccomend watching it is the way I did, doing something else while watching it. Otherwise, it is a waste of your time.
Rating:
Summary: Generational Family Sorrow
Review: This book does not entirely succeed in its premise, but it is nevertheless a very good work from Anne Tyler. An obese, troubled mother passes her own emotional conflicts to her daughter, Charlotte, a woman who becomes psychologically disconnected from her own existence. Though she wishes to have a rich, happy life where she can stay at home, Charlotte feels, deep down, that she must leave everyone and everything to seek out a place without the pain her mother has caused. In order to do so, she convinces herself that she must lose all of the "earthly possessions" that are "weighing" her down. It is worth reading again.
Rating:
Summary: Generational Family Sorrow
Review: This book does not entirely succeed in its premise, but it is nevertheless a very good work from Anne Tyler. An obese, troubled mother passes her own emotional conflicts to her daughter, Charlotte, a woman who becomes psychologically disconnected from her own existence. Though she wishes to have a rich, happy life where she can stay at home, Charlotte feels, deep down, that she must leave everyone and everything to seek out a place without the pain her mother has caused. In order to do so, she convinces herself that she must lose all of the "earthly possessions" that are "weighing" her down. It is worth reading again.
Rating:
Summary: Recognizing love when you have it
Review: This book is about a woman who since childhood has felt dissatisfaction with her life and those around her. Other people's lives seem somehow better, and more exciting. In an attempt to leave her husband, she gets caught up in an adventure, which ends up appreciating the life she had. Tyler goes back in forth in time, but it is still very easy to read. Some very similar themes are found in Ladder of Years. This is a very good book, but not one of Tyler's best by any means. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant probably wins that prize.
Rating: 
Summary: Not her best, but still not bad....
Review: This is my fourth Anne Tyler novel, and although I liked it a bit better than The Tin Can Tree, it is still not on par with Breathing Lessons or The Accidental Tourist. I somewhat liked the character of Charlotte, but she wasn't as sympathetic to me as other Tyler heroines. I could, however, relate to her dissatisfaction with life - I just wished she'd do more, be more proactive, and not complain so much. That said, Tyler give a clear glimpse into her family life, which made it possible to comprehend how she'd become the person she was, even if I found her hard to put up with in long doses. I was interested in her marriage and family life. Wat I wasn't interested in was the subplot with Jake, the bank robber. This angle to the novel was so far fetched that it kept me from fully embracing the story. If Jake and his girlfriend were more well rounded characters, I might've cared more about that subplot. In general, I found that the book should've been longer. The fact that the book was so short made it difficult for Tyler to fully explore the differing points of view of the various characters, which she does to full effect in Breathing Lessons. In short, this is a good, not great book. If you've never read Tyler's work before, I wouldn't start with this book - I doubt you'll fully grasp the level of her talent. This book is more for hardcore Tyler fans who, like me, are determined to read all her books, just on principle.
Rating: 
Summary: always fresh
Review: This was the first Anne Tyler book I read, and I liked it so much I have gone on to read them all--some, several times.Tyler really only has one theme: Families--you can't live with them, and you can't escape them. This book has that theme, and it treats it humorously and sadly and beautifully. It starts with a bang--a failed bank robbery and hostage situation. This is an unusual scene for Tyler, but it quickly goes back to her usual territory: the maddening minutiae of everyday life. As always the characters are quirky and fun. The chapters alternate between the present and the past, so all the elements of the picture gradually come together. It isn't really a love story; but none of Tyler's books are love stories--unless you count, being in love with being. To anyone who hasn't tried Tyler, I would recommend this book. It avoids the schmaltziness of "Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant" and even "Accidental Tourist."
Rating:
Summary: OMG!! What a great book!!
Review: WOW! one of the best books ever written! I have read other anne tyler books and this one is totally my favorite! I would recommend it to anyone that likes a down-to-earth realistic book. It entails few but distinct characters and they all have their strong and weak points. It clearly shows tyler's ability to relate meaningful characters to real-life situations and turmoil!! READ THIS ONE!! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!
Rating:
Summary: OMG!! What a great book!!
Review: WOW! one of the best books ever written! I have read other anne tyler books and this one is totally my favorite! I would recommend it to anyone that likes a down-to-earth realistic book. It entails few but distinct characters and they all have their strong and weak points. It clearly shows tyler's ability to relate meaningful characters to real-life situations and turmoil!! READ THIS ONE!! YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!
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