Tags
beach read, books, Fannie Flagg, literature, reading, southern, summer, summer read, The Help
Recently a good friend of mine asked for some good summer reads, so I thought I would share with everyone my list(s). I’m starting out with my Southern Reading list, most of which are oldies but goodies IMO anyway. Here we go…
- The Help – I read the book, before I watched the movie and I loved it! As usual the book provides you with more background info on the different characters that you just can’t fit into a two hour movie and sadly something’s must be cut for the sake of the movie. The relationship between Minny and Celia is much more fleshed out in the book and very comical and reading about Minny’s “Terrible Awful” is just so much better in the book and yes you will laugh out loud, so be careful where you read this part of the book unless of course you don’t mind people looking at you like you’re crazy.
You also see the dynamics and relationships of the maids and the babies they raised because the mothers were either too busy planning parties or just plain out rejected their own child. And whenever I feel sick I think to myself “Aibileen, please add my name to your list.” If you haven’t read The Help, you definitely need to add it to your summer reading list! Believe me it won’t take you very long to finish.
- Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg – I was introduced to Fannie Flagg after reading Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café (yes 9 times out of 10 if a movie is based on a book I’ma read the book) both of these books deserve a spot on your SRL, but if one were to make it first it should by Daisy Fay. This was the first book that ever made me truly LOL while reading. When the story begins Daisy is an 11 year old who lives in Jackson, MI with her mom and dad and there’s a story between her, her mom and an alligator that makes me laugh every time I think about it. Want to find out what happens? Add it to your list! The book then moves forward 5 years and Daisy Fay’s mom has finally had enough of her drunken husband and leaves a now 16 year old Daisy Fay with him and heads to her sister’s in Virginia. This is the south after all so of course there must be drama, but trust me, I wouldn’t steer you wrong it’s a great summer read with plenty of laughs.
That’s all I have for my Southern Reading list, that I would consider “beach read” worthy now if you’re feeling melancholy anytime during the summer then pick up any of Nicholas Sparks books, my faves are Dear John (waaaaay better than the movie, sorry Channing, but it’s true) and The Choice. On a side note, have you watched Silver Linings Playbook yet? The main character, played by Bradley Cooper, starts to read the books that his estranged wife recommends to her class, but when he gets to a plot twist or the end of the book and it’s a WTF moment he gets so frustrated/mad with the story and/or author that he throws the book. I can relate! Especially with Nicholas Sparks books, so just a bit of a warning there, you may not want to be around windows or make sure your e-reader is well protected in case you let it fly.
Its so cold in here and my office mate has her fan on. I’ve been wearing my Rachel Zoe faux fur jacket, my fleece blanket I keep in my Jeep and my emergency socks! Thank goodness I found you sweet, little heater. Please don’t die! ♥ a frozen Sweetpea
