The year is 1966, a time of innocence, possibility,and freedom. And for Atlanta, the country, and one woman making her way in a changing world, nothing will be the same ...
After an airless childhood in Savannah, Smoky O'Donnell arrives in Atlanta, dazzled and chastened by this hectic young city on the rise. Her new job as a writer with the city's Downtown magazine introduces her to many unforgettable people and propels her into the center of momentous events that will irrevocably alter her heart, her career, and her world.
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"pat conroy turned me on to the south east in some of my favorite novels, beach music and prince of tides. siddons writes in the same vein, if not as poetically, as conroy. i have read some of her books and enjoyed them, this book was by far the best one i've read so far. (granted, i am still searching for the house next door, which comes recommended as a great ghost story. . .two in one for me!!!!) if you have any interest in the trials of the late sixties in georgia, READ THIS BOOK." — Amy (4 out of 5 stars)
"pat conroy turned me on to the south east in some of my favorite novels, beach music and prince of tides. siddons writes in the same vein, if not as poetically, as conroy. i have read some of her books and enjoyed them, this book was by far the best one i've read so far. (granted, i am still searching for the house next door, which comes recommended as a great ghost story. . .two in one for me!!!!) if you have any interest in the trials of the late sixties in georgia, READ THIS BOOK."
“Siddons…has drawn on memory to create a satisfying historical romance spiced with wry humor.”
“A rewarding and bound-to-be-popular page-turner.”
“Siddons draws her ensemble cast with confidence and panache.”
" This book really gave me a sense of setting. It evoked the feelings of the 60's, so I felt in the moment, despite being born more than a decade later. "
" Couldn't really get into this book. Moved slow. Still trying. Finally finished and it got better later in the book. "
" A nice coming of age story set in the 1960's Atlanta. "
" Great descriptions, perhaps a little bit too much description. It brought back a time in my life (the 1960s) that was as chaotic as those in this book, so surprisingly, I didn't enjoy it as I should have. "
" This is a fairly good Siddons, apparently loosely based on her experiences with Atlanta magazine in the late '60s. It is somewhat sappy, though, and the ending is odd. If you're a fan, you should read it; otherwise, move on. "
" This was a tough read for me. An interesting view of the 60's I only read and heard about. Did like the characters, though. Not my favorite Ann Rivers Siddons book. "
" I love the descriptive Anne Rivers Siddons, but did not feel as incaptured in this book as I have with other works of her. I still enjoyed the story, especially since I am a transplant to Atlanta, it gave me some insight into that 1960s here. "
" Could hardly finish. Too much inaccuracies about the south in the 60's. "
" This was the first Anne Rivers Siddons book that I read. I have been hooked ever since! She is one of my all-time favorite authors. If you're into books set in the South, I highly recommend her. "
" LOVED IT!! Another Siddons' book that is based in Atlanta. This one centers around the civil rights movement of the 60s which is my era, giving the story even more plausibility for me. LOVED IT! "
" I have read almost all of Anne Rivers Siddons' books. "Downtown" is probably my favorite. "
" I enjoyed this book. Great characters and the story was from an interesting time that I didn't know much about. "
" First half more interesting and ending predictable "
" LOVE it! Smokey O'Donnell is awesome and I definitely wanted to be her in this book. It's a great peek at history around the time of the Civil Rights Movement and you get a real feel for what was happening during that time. This is my favorite of all of Anne Rivers Siddons books. "
" A surprisingly introspective read. "
" Got too slow near the end, finished it only because I typically like this authors endings, but this one just didnt do it for me. "
" I am almost finished with this book and will highly recommend it to my fellow readers! It is an absolute must read! "
" Coming of age in the 60s in the South is very real to me -- it was where I was at that time in my life. Siddons does a careful and realistic view of the South in a time when life sat every day on the edge of tension. "
" Even better the second time around! "
" Not one of my favorite Siddons books. Still love her writing. "
" I just couldn't get into this book. Set in Atlanta in the 1960's, it tries to portray the time. Guess it just differs from how I saw the 1960's. "
" I always like Siddons, some more than others, but I like the way she develops her characters, and her psychological insights into what molds and drives them. "
" When I first started reading Anne Rivers Siddons (a long time ago) this book stood out as my very favorite! The central character is wonderful! It is her "coming of age" story and I found it to be lovely and heartwarming. "
" Never finished this book. I don't like her writing style. "
" this book was really wordy. It did not need to be this long. The idea was good, but I spent too much time trying to break out what was unnecessary. "
" A fun description of atlanta in the 1960's. An easy read!! "
" One of Anne Rivers Siddons best in my opinion! "
" This book was very good. I came to Atlanta during the years she writes about. I could relate to most of it. "
" I really like this book. The characters are very likable and the story is interesting. It reminds one of the excitement of being young and it weaves in all of the excitement and changes of the sixties. "
" Recommended by Ida Uscher, a 90+year-old, sharp, astute, kind-hearted social worker. It was a quick and engaging read and a historical tour through the civil rights awakening of the 60s. I've never read Siddons before and was delightfully surprised. It's light but strong. "
" She is one of my favorite authors. This book started off a little slow, but it was a great book. "
" I am a fool for emotive, coming-of-age, stand-next-to-greatness type stories. This is one of the best. Just hearing the song Downtown makes me choke up after reading this book. This is old fashioned chick lit--more like, woman lit. "
Anne Rivers Siddons (1936–2019) wrote nineteen novels, including several New York Times bestsellers, as well as a work of nonficton and two movie scripts. Her novels received praise from Stephen King and Pat Conroy. Her debut novel, Heartbreak Hotel, was made into a major motion picture in 1989 titled Heart of Dixie. Her novel The House Next Door was made into a made-for-television movie that aired in 2006 on Lifetime Television.
Kate Burton, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, is best known for her work on Broadway in Hedda Gabler, The Elephant Man, The Constant Wife, and Spring Awakening, as well as on television in Grey’s Anatomy and Empire Falls. Her films include Big Trouble in Little China, The Ice Storm, Unfaithful, and Remember Me. She played the title role in Alice in Wonderland with her father, Richard Burton, on PBS.
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