The Whole Towns Talking, Fannie Flagg
The Whole Towns Talking, Fannie Flagg
33 Rating(s)
List: $22.50 | Sale: $15.75
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The Whole Town's Talking

Bestseller

Author: Fannie Flagg

Narrator: Kimberly Farr

Unabridged: 12 hr 7 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/29/2016

Categories: Fiction, Humorous, Sagas, Women

Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The bestselling author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe is at her superb best in this fun-loving, moving novel about what it means to be truly alive.

WINNER OF THE SOUTHERN BOOK PRIZE 

Elmwood Springs, Missouri, is a small town like any other, but something strange is happening at the cemetery. Still Meadows, as it’s called, is anything but still. Original, profound, The Whole Town’s Talking, a novel in the tradition of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town and Flagg’s own Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven, tells the story of Lordor Nordstrom, his Swedish mail-order bride, Katrina, and their neighbors and descendants as they live, love, die, and carry on in mysterious and surprising ways.

Lordor Nordstrom created, in his wisdom, not only a lively town and a prosperous legacy for himself but also a beautiful final resting place for his family, friends, and neighbors yet to come. “Resting place” turns out to be a bit of a misnomer, however. Odd things begin to happen, and it starts the whole town talking.

With her wild imagination, great storytelling, and deep understanding of folly and the human heart, the beloved Fannie Flagg tells an unforgettable story of life, afterlife, and the remarkable goings-on of ordinary people. In The Whole Town’s Talking, she reminds us that community is vital, life is a gift, and love never dies.

Praise for The Whole Town’s Talking

“A witty multigenerational saga . . . [Fannie] Flagg’s down-home wisdom, her affable humor and her long view of life offer a pleasant respite in nerve-jangling times.”—People
 
“Fannie Flagg at her best.”—The Florida Times-Union
 
“If there’s one thing Fannie Flagg can do better than anybody else, it’s tell a story, and she outdoes herself in The Whole Town’s Talking. . . . Brilliant . . . equally on the level as her famous Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.”—The Newport Plain Talk
 
“Delightful.”—The Washington Post
 
“A ringing affirmation of love, community and life itself.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch

About Fannie Flagg

For anyone who is a bit older, the name Fannie Flagg is quite a familiar one. It was common to see her on various television shows in the 70's and 80's. Her crowning glory however, was her novel, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. What a very unique, unforgettable story line carried out by colorful characters. It was so well done that it was adapted into the 1991 motion picture, Fried Green Tomatoes. It gave her an Academy Award nomination for her screenplay adaptation.

Flagg was born, Patricia Neal, but when she was applying for membership in the Screen Actor's Guild, she found out that her name was already registered by the famous actress, Patricia Neal. Flagg was born in Birmingham, Alabama where she spent most of her growing up days. As she had the encouragement of her father, Flagg became interested in writing and performing at a young age. She wrote her first play at the age of 10. When she was a teen, she entered the Miss Alabama Pageant, and won a scholarship to a local acting school for one year. After school, Flagg began hosting a local morning show on TV in Birmingham. Then, came her move to New York, when she was denied a pay raise by the local station.

Flagg distinguished herself as an actor and writer in television, films, and theater. She wrote the NY Times bestsellers.......Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!, and Standing in the Rainbow. She was nominated for the Academy and Writer's Guild of America Awards, and won the Scripter's Award. Flagg lives in California and Alabama.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Barbara on June 22, 2023

"The Whole Town's Talking" is the story of a Missouri farm town and its quirky, loving, loyal, sometimes shiftless - or even greedy and amoral - inhabitants. The book spans the years from 1889 to 2021, during which the world changes dramatically. I'll provide some vignettes, to give you a feel for t......more

Goodreads review by Joyb on October 22, 2016

I do enjoy Fannie Flagg stories and thought this one was just about perfect until the focus of the action changes from the little town in Missouri to its cemetery! I wanted to spend much longer with the original Scandinavian settlers and their immediate family, but by the time the next generation cam......more

Goodreads review by Carrie on October 30, 2016

The Whole Town's Talking begins in 1889 in a little town that will soon be known as Elmwood Springs, Missouri with it's founding member Lordor Nordstrom. Lordor and his neighbors will build and make Elmwood Springs into a thriving city throughout the years but in the beginning these neighbors all le......more

Quotes

“[A] witty multigenerational saga . . . [Fannie] Flagg’s down-home wisdom, her affable humor and her long view of life offer a pleasant respite in nerve-jangling times.”—People

“The Whole Town’s Talking [is] Fannie Flagg at her best.”—Florida Times Union

“If there’s one thing Fannie Flagg can do better than anybody else, it’s tell a story, and she outdoes herself in The Whole Town’s Talking. . . . Another brilliant novel—equally on the level as her famous Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.”—The Newport Plain Talk

“Told with warmth, humor and remarkable characters, this touching novel is a tribute to the indomitable spirit of love.”—The Columbus Dispatch

“Delightful.”—The Washington Post

“I could not put this book down and didn’t want the tale to end. Fannie Flagg does it again; a great read you won’t want to miss.”—The Missourian 

“It’s a sweeping, cinematic approach. . . . Flagg’s gentle storytelling makes the novel an easy, comfortable read that will leave a reader thinking about life, love and loss”—Minneapolis Star Tribune

“[Fannie Flagg] creates a world familiar in its reality and its hopes, and she displays her storytelling skills, ones that are enhanced by her humanity, her optimism and her big heart. . . .The Whole Town’s Talking [is] a story of life’s peaks, valleys and ordinary days—and a ringing affirmation of love, community and life itself.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch

“The Whole Town’s Talking is warm and inviting. Flagg’s Elmwood Springs novels are comfort reads of the best kind, warm and engaging without flash or fuss.”—Miami Herald

“Flagg’s humor shines through as she chronicles their successes, disappointments, and even a mysterious murder or two. . . . The interwoven lives of these completely engaging characters twist and turn in unexpected ways, making this chronicle of a close-knit community a pleasure to read.”—BookPage

“[A] charming tale.”—Booklist

Praise for Fannie Flagg
 
“A born storyteller.”—The New York Times Book Review

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