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Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home Audiobook
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(3.00) - 18,142 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
A hilarious and moving memoir in the spirit of Anne Lamott and Nora Ephron about a woman who returns home to her Mennonite family after a personal crisis. The same week her husband of 15 years ditches her for a guy he met on Gay.com, a partially inebriated teenage driver smacks her VW Beetle head-on. Marriage over, body bruised, life upside-down, Rhoda does what any sensible 43-year-old would do: She goes home. But hers is not just any home. It’s a Mennonite home, the scene of her painfully uncool childhood and the bosom of her family: handsome but grouchy Dad, plain but cheerful Mom. Drinking, smoking, and slumber parties are nixed; potlucks, prune soup, and public prayer are embraced. Having long ago left the faith behind, Rhoda is surprised when the conservative community welcomes her back with open arms—and offbeat advice. She discovers that this safe, sheltered world is the perfect place to come to terms with her failed marriage and the choices that both freed and entrapped her.
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"A wonderful, meandering book about a woman whose husband left her and then was in a horrible car accident in the space of a week. This book covers her familial relationships (with her very Mennonite family) as well as her own personal growth. Fun, quick read. "
— Jessi (4 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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Selected for the November 2009 Indie Next List
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A New York Times bestseller
Mennonite in a Little Black Dress Listener Reviews
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" laugh out loud funny in parts. "
— Carrie, 1/22/2014 -
" If you have a background in the Mennonite community this book is HILARIOUS!!!!! "
— Ruth, 1/22/2014 -
" Having read several Amish books, I decided to read this. Rhoda Janzen moves back in with her Mennonite parents after an accident and a divorce. Though Rhoda has rejected the Mennonite faith, her parents welcome her home. Ms. Janzen gives us her views about her divorce and being raised a Mennonite. "
— Pam, 1/17/2014 -
" I didn't really know what to expect when I picked this book up at a used book sale, but the author is really funny and she has some pretty interesting insights. "
— RaiLynn, 1/2/2014 -
" This book rocked! I loved her sense of humor. "
— Jodie, 12/19/2013 -
" Enjoyed this one, but felt the ending left me hanging. Wondered what she did to resolve some of the issues she was still faced with. "
— Alison, 12/16/2013 -
" This book is terrible!! Can barely get through reading it! "
— Natasha, 12/15/2013 -
" at times a little on the slow read side of books "
— Katie, 12/11/2013 -
" It's really not at all about Mennonnites as it is about Ms. Janzen's journey into middle age. Easy read, amusing but no deep insights. "
— Robin, 12/6/2013 -
" A light read...witty, and at times "lol" hilarious. Interesting for a memoir. "
— Melinda, 11/26/2013 -
" Good funny read. "
— Dana, 11/25/2013 -
" Hilariously funny at the beginning. Then it kind of dwindled and the last third kind of dragged on. "
— Kat, 11/17/2013 -
" Hilarious. One of those books I couldn't wait to get to at the end of the day. Read it in about 3 days. "
— Helena, 11/15/2013 -
" I loved this book. I loved the honesty in which she wrote about her divorce and her family. No self-pity party. Funny and interesting. It was a fast read. "
— Franca, 8/8/2013 -
" Unexpectedly funny - think David Sedaris as an English professor with a religious family. "
— Carrie, 7/25/2013 -
" This had entertaining parts, but mostly it was disappointing. I thought it was supposed to be more about her marriage. Many of the stories seemed very random and misplaced. "
— Torrie, 7/21/2013 -
" More like a 3.5 but that rating isn't available. The first part was extremely funny but then the stories became less interesting. I persevered and found the last part of the book much more interesting. Not a "must read" but definitely worth reading. "
— Mary, 5/5/2013 -
" Wonderful memoir "
— Marilyn, 2/25/2013 -
" Funny, depressing and I loved the Russian/Ukranian references. "
— Elena, 11/8/2012 -
" Laugh out loud fun and some thought-provoking ideas. "
— Alison, 8/20/2012 -
" This book really annoyed me- it wAs funny for the first five pages and then I thought it was so boring. Ok your parents are religious and German and cheap who cares?!?? "
— Harmony, 8/2/2012 -
" This book was super ssssslllllooowww and I just couldn't get into it. I finished it b/c I'd already paid/downloaded it...wish I could get my money back :/ "
— Ann, 6/23/2012 -
" Ok book, but I learned more about Mennonites by googling them then I did reading this book. Sort of a sneaky way to sell a memoir. "
— Jo, 12/1/2011 -
" Read this book twice it's so good! "
— Jessica, 11/22/2011 -
" The contrast of a simple life of faith with that of the complex egocentric world of academia is painted in a humorous and exceptionally erudite manner. A charming memoir by a woman equally adept in both worlds. "
— Tope2u, 8/8/2011 -
" As a mennonite, I probably enjoyed this a little more than the average person. "
— John, 8/5/2011 -
" Not as depressing as a lot of memoirs. Lots of interesting info about Mennonites. Just as many loose ends. "
— Jane, 5/21/2011 -
" I laughed so hard I cried at this book. I really loved her voice. It felt really conversational. Looking forward to reading more from this author. "
— Relebe2001, 5/19/2011 -
" When you want to escape into different world, laugh out loud, and truly explore differences in our world, read this book! "
— Mary, 5/17/2011 -
" Pretty funny stuff! It wasn't quite what I was expecting, but it was a good read anyways. "
— Alexandria, 5/16/2011 -
" Kind of disappointed with the end. It just ended. Amusing stories about her childhood and life. Maybe that's the style of memoir? But no resolution to any of it. A ramble thru her memories. I know more about mennonites now I guess. "
— Malina, 5/12/2011 -
" An entertaining book, this really gave me a good background on Mennonite culture from the standpoint of a woman raised in it but no longer living in it. The story is told with humor and vigor, and it was a fun read. "
— Nicole, 5/12/2011 -
" Altough parts of this book were amusing, I did not feel that this memoir had much to offer. "
— Mary, 5/10/2011 -
" Much wittier than I anticipated. Strong voice. Learned a bit about Mennonites too :) "
— Maggie, 5/10/2011 -
" I enjoyed the fresh voice and cultural perspective a great deal in the beginning, but the book wore thin. How much mileage can you get out of "my husband left me for a guy named Bob he met on gay.com"? It was funny the first few times. "
— JoBeth, 5/9/2011 -
" I liked it. She reminds my of Chelsea Handler, but smarter and with a stronger moral fiber. "
— Adam, 5/9/2011 -
" didn't even finish it. "
— Lydia, 5/8/2011
About the Authors
Rhonda Janzen holds a PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she was the University of California Poet Laureate in 1994 and 1997. She is the author of Babel’s Stair, a collection of poems, and her poems have also appeared in Poetry, the Yale Review, the Gettysburg Review, and the Southern Review. She teaches English and creative writing at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.
About Hillary Huber
Hillary Huber, a Los Angeles–based voice talent with hundreds of commercials and promos under her belt, was bitten by the audiobook bug in 2005. She now records books on a regular basis and has been nominated for several Audie Awards and won numerous Earphones Awards.