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Summary: Fantastic Book!
Review: This book was wonderful. The characters were unique and appealing. I have reread it several times already. I love Jac Mac and his mother. The writing was a pleasure to read. This book was fantastic!!
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Summary: Daughter of Big Stone Gap native loved it
Review: I got this book - actually it was a gift from my cousin, but I was planning on reading it anyway - since my father grew up in Big Stone Gap. I loved the book - the characters were enticing and I would have enjoyed it even without the ancestral setting. I liked the fact that the mountain folk weren't all made out to be dumb hillbillies. My dad, who also read the book, says the regional references are pretty accurate, but now I want to ask him more about those places and revisit them!The story is about Ave Maria Mulligan, 35 year old pharmacist, who is at a turning point in her life. She considers herself the town "spinster" and through some events that happen after her mother's death, she decides her life needs some changes. She feels she doesn't fit in to the natives of Big Stone Gap, even though she was born there, mostly because her mother was an Italian immigrant and she's Catholic. The changes don't exactly turn out to be the ones she plans, but oh what a fun ride along the way!
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Summary: Gender, Generations, and Grace in the Gap
Review: Any woman who remembers what it was like to be single in a small Southern town in the 70s will find Adriana Trigiani's Big Stone Gap both hilarious and deeply moving. Indeed, the novel is more universal than that. Her journey toward self-discovery and acceptance, her connection with the past, and her capacity to learn from the wisdom of her peers make this a fine book for all. Most important, this is a story about plain truth and good deeds--the kind of fundamental goodness that many of us attach, correctly or incorrectly, to the small towns of our youth but find so rarely in the Information Age. I truly hope the author will write a sequel to continue the story of Ave Maria, Jack Mac, the Italian family members, and the good, good people of the Gap.
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Summary: Spend Some Time in Big Stone Gap
Review: People reviewing this book seem to love it or hate it. My advice to those of you who are considering this novel is to go for it. Spend some time with the folks from Big Stone Gap. This novel is recreational reading at its best - just relax and enjoy the read. No one is claiming this to be the great American novel. To the critics who say Ms. Trigiani has romanticized this small town and its people - so what? This IS fiction and this book provides a pleasant way to spend a weekend. I would love to read more about Ave Maria and her friends in Big Stone Gap.
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Summary: Elizabeth Taylor REALLY DID choke on a chicken bone!
Review: I really enjoyed this book because it allowed one to view the people indiginous to this region as more than toothless illiterates. (I live in a fairly "cultural" town an hour from Big Stone Gap.) It took me over 25 years to get over the Appalachian stereotypes (hey, I'm a suburban Detroit girl but I lived isolated in the mountains for 17 years.) Frankly, Adriana Trigiani glamorizes these folks - my experiences were MUCH different than hers. However, this book pleased me because her affection for these people is most touching and it's how I've come to feel. People are more than their "twangy" accents or improper grammar. I loved the book - it was such a good escape. But I think WIN'S review is one of the most accurate. I would have given the book 3 stars according to literary achievement. But my heart gave it 5 stars because it touched those deep chords of familiarity within. And truly, the Elizabeth Taylor choking incident did occur but it was a rather ho-hum daytime event - again Trigiani's attempt to "gussy up" reality. One of my best friends was a reporter at the time and saw the whole sorry thing: Ms. Taylor - an always gracious woman - was quite a bit more rotund at the time and she was literally inhaling the chicken behind the scenes. It was one of Big Stone Gap's biggest happenings. But that's the way we like it in Appalachia: Keep the "happenings" to a minimum and just enjoy the beauty of the environment and the genuineness of the people. And yeah, we still wave at each other when we pass in our cars - whether BMW's or old pickup trucks.
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Summary: lovely read
Review: It has been a while since I have read a good book, but Bigstone Gap had me hooked by the second chapter. It's characters are wonderful! If you are looking for a fun read, this book is for you!
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Summary: wonderful read
Review: BIG STONE GAP is a trip to a unique place, peopled with charming(if sometimes corny)characters. instantly stole my heart. read this and take a trip to wonderful place.
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Summary: Small town made famous
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I usually don't spend a lot of my time reading, but I wanted to see what all the talk was about this novel. Being from Big Stone Gap, the characters really revealed what living in small town U.S.A was really like. The book absorbs you and keeps you reading more and more. I stayed up 2 nights to finish this book. I didn't want to put it down. After finishing the story stays with you, like an old folklore. Big Stone Gap is worth reading.
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Summary: sweet, simple, and a bit too long
Review: Ever read a book where you love the characters and the story and when you put it down you wish it would keep going? Trigiani obviously knows this feeling because she tries, unsuccessfully to round out her happy ending. Blah blah blah - has she ever heard of a succint conclusion? The entire last section of the book could have been eliminated. Don't get me wrong though - I enjoyed the book! My mother's family is from near Big Stone Gap and the characters and dialogue were great and very on the money for that region. I will say that Trigiani's ear for conversation is as good as it gets - it flows naturally and the words coming out of her characters' mouths actually sound like things real people would say! As a fictional portrait of a town and its people this book more than satisfies. The characters could be any of our friends with their share of quirks and neuroses. The plot, unfortunately, could use a little help as far as predictability and climax. The book reached its peak and then spent far too long lingering on unnecessary details of the happy ending. All in all this book was amusing to read - I laughed out loud and wanted to hang out with the characters, but wasn't heartbroken when I turned the last page and could put the book down! Bottom line - read this book if you don't feel like thinking too hard (ie on the beach).
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Summary: Big Stone Gap really exists!
Review: This book is not trite or just a great "chick" book. I have grown up in East Tennessee and I know people who are just like the people in this book. The characters are finely crafted and very little exaggerated. If you have ever lived in a small town where everyone knows everybody's business (and most people are related to each other in some way) you will love this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to recommend it to my students and friends.
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