The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg

What They Say.....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.

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 trademark humor, 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.


What I Say......This is the first Fannie Flagg book that I've read and I have to say that I found it as relaxing as putting on an old pair of sweatpants.  The book starts out in the late 1800's, as the town of Elmwood Springs is settled and Lordor is looking for a wife.  The story follows the townspeople as they die, and are buried in the town cemetery, where they find a second life, able to watch and comment on their descendants lives.

I know that it sounds weird, but it actually worked.  It was strangely comforting to read.  The years went by so fast, and you got to see the progress and evolution of time on the people and the town.  

I love reading about ordinary people's lives, and that's all this was.  The chances they took, the heartache they faced, the happiness they found, and the loss they experienced.  I will definitely be looking for more of her books, this one just made me happy.