3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Fantastic! This book gets better with every reading. These are characters that I don't like to say "goodbye" to. Wouldn't be giving this up, if I didn't have 2 copies.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book was one of the rare examples of a book which was eclipsed by the movie. It's fine, don't get me wrong, but I didn't fall in love with it the way I expected to, having enjoyed the movie. This one was easy to put down. I finished it and thought it was reasonably good, but it didn't stay with me. If asked if I would recommend it, I would have to say "It was okay."
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Flagg writes a story about a small town with a homey little cafe where everyone likes to hang out to eat some great tomatoes and barbeque. You could say it is a story about a place that artist Norman Rockwell might have painted - as American as apple pie. Or is it? Strange things are happening!
Loved the movie with Jessica Tandy and Kathy Bates. The book moves slower, but has a lush and rich narrative. It also has a recipe index for some good down home cooking.

Aimee M. (
AimeeM) wrote on 2/22/2008...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I did not like the book, yet I loved the movie.
(Spoiler Warning)
In the movie, you get the impression that "Idgie" and "Mrs. Threadgood" are the same person, in the book they are not. So you have this random old lady babbling on about a person that doesn't really have any relation to her.
In the movie, the Ruth and Idgie are good friends, in the book they are actually lesbian. And the reactions of the people around them (bearing in mind the times) are totally unrealistic.
In the movie, the events are easy to follow time-wise. In the book chapters jump back and forth so randomly that if I hadn't seen the movie I would've been frustrated at the randomness.
So in short, I really was disappointed, and honestly the book kinda ruined the movie for me, too.
Pity, I really liked it.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe" is a well written heart-warming book about a woman in a mid-life crisis who feels life has passed her by. Ms. Flagg has a gift of putting you right into the story. While reading it, I felt like I was right there, on the street corner watching a private life unfold before my eyes!