Clyde Edgerton's ear for regional voices and his eye for life's small but significant details enable him to create characters who are charming and utterly convincing. Beginning with an engagement announcement and ending with the birth of a son, Raney is a snapshot of the first few years of a modern Southern marriage. Newly married, Raney is a Southern Baptist who has lived her whole life in her tiny home town. Her husband Charles is a newcomer, a liberal raised in Atlanta. Amidst family traditions, curious relatives, and bowls of macaroni salad, their search for common ground begins. As Raney tells us about Charles' beliefs and habits, and thus reveals her own, her honesty and gumption will capture your heart and tickle your funny bone. Narrator Ruth Ann Phimister's soft voice beautifully captures the emotional tides that rise and fall in Raney's life.
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"Edgerton is a hoot! He has the southern voice down pat, and I love his stuff. This book brings back memories of my childhood in east Texas, and my mother's friends who played bridge together every few weeks at someone's home. Their conversations used to sound like the conversations that Raney's family had around the dinner table, and my mom used to tell my dad about them when he came home after work. I never really realized how apart my parents felt until after I was older and their friendships changed to include the people they met traveling. But I remember hearing about Mrs. Holsomback's liver problems over the bridge table...." — Marilyn (5 out of 5 stars)
"Edgerton is a hoot! He has the southern voice down pat, and I love his stuff. This book brings back memories of my childhood in east Texas, and my mother's friends who played bridge together every few weeks at someone's home. Their conversations used to sound like the conversations that Raney's family had around the dinner table, and my mom used to tell my dad about them when he came home after work. I never really realized how apart my parents felt until after I was older and their friendships changed to include the people they met traveling. But I remember hearing about Mrs. Holsomback's liver problems over the bridge table...."
" I read this book four or five years ago, and I still remember it vividly. The characters seemed so real that I sometimes wonder what happened to them afterward. "
" This book is pretty much perfect. The narrator's voice is unwavering, innocent, and hilarious, and every character here is flawlessly created. LOVE this book!! "
" It's been years since I've read this charming book, but it remains on my "old favorites list." Edgerton nails the Southern psyche with humor and affection. "
" Anyone growing up in the bible-belt of the South can appreciate this one. It's a must read. "
" Quick and entertaining but not a show stopper. "
" Couldn't get past the extremely southern conservative characters so I didn't get too far into this one. "
" I was not amused. The language was horrible, the people stupid and intrusive, and the whole point of the story was to relate how people fight in a marriage. "
" Growing up in North Carolina, Edgerton speaks to all that I love and much that I hate, against the backdrop of the disappearing small towns and rural routes of my youth. "
" eh.... not great. But, it was about a southern god-fearing family in Bethel. If that's your thing... "
" Simple but enjoyable. "
" Salem College, Meroney Theatre play "
" If you are going to read a Clyde Edgerton novel read "The Floatplane Notebooks" first. Then read this one. It is very good, but I think more people could relate to "The Floatplane Notebooks" (making it a better introduction to Clyde Edgerton's work). "
" Delightful, funny, sweet. Highly recommended for the characters and sense of time and place. If you like Fannie Flagg, you'll like this first novel by Clyde Edgerton. "
" I've been trying to go with more solid fiction recommendations, and this was one of them. It's short, it's funny, and it's sweet too. A good read if you have a little time. But it's not my favorite book ever. I have previously tried "Lunch at the Picadelly" by Edgerton and I didn't get very far. "
" This is a humorous book about a newly married couple in SC in the mid 70's. You will laugh out loud a few times. I especially thought the last few pages were funny. It's nice to read a bit of "fluff" amid all the serious books that we tend to read, especially for book clubs. "
" I did not like this book at all. "
" Somewhat amusing, but nowhere near as good as another I'd read by him, _Walking Across Egypt_. "
" A good laugh at marriage and communication. "
" This story is about a young married man and woman who come from extremely different backgrounds and the ways they deal with their differences of opinion and life style. I wish I could remember why this book was so highly recommended by a friend. I found it to be distasteful, with unsettling results. "
" "Lord have mercy, it might have happened in the feed room." Hehe. Ignorant Raney from smalltown, Baptist North Caroline marries educated Charles from uptown Atlanta, and the laughs never end. Quick, easy and funny read. "
" A very annoying novel about family dynamics. Not much plot, a lot of Southern culture, and a really annoying protagonist. "
" Had a lot of funny parts, but also a lot of real-life, hard situations. Being from the South, it reminded me of people I know :) "
" The third book I have read by Edgerton. It is interesting but kind of strange. The clash of two cultures within the southern culture...very interesting.I like "The Bible Salesman" better. "
" "Southern literature" at its best and funniest! "
" Wonderful, classic southern book. (That reminded me a lot of who and where I came from.) "
" Really liked it, but I think you had to have spent some time in the south to truly appreciate it. "
" In the same vein as the Miss Julia books by Ann B Ross - small town personalities up close. "
" found Raney herself to not be very likable--too intolerant to be "funny" "
" My first Clyde Edgerton book - I laughed and laughed outloud and read passages outloud to whoever would listen - became a fan adn groupie of his and southern writers as a result of this book "
" A very light read that was a good break from what I've been reading this summer. "
" read both the book, and the playscript, and still think it has a charming humor that makes you chuckle outloud. "
" Somebody told me this was the best book they ever read. Won't take their advice again. "
" a lot of humor in Clyde Edgerton's books. Also check out "Walking Across Egypt" "
Clyde Edgerton is an American author and creative writing professor. He was born in Durham, North Carolina, and his books are known for endearing characters, small-town Southern dialogue, and realistic fire-and-brimstone religious sermons. His books are full of humor while still respecting the characters’ integrity.
Ruth Ann Phimister has appeared off Broadway and in numerous regional productions, including Life with Father with Robert Reed. She has also worked in television, film, and commercial voice-over.
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