Can't Wait to Get to Heaven

Fannie Flagg is one of my favorite "feel good" authors. Her characters are always so down-to-earth funny and often remind me of my relatives on my mother’s side of the family (the non-Italians). Here we have the elderly auntie Elner, whose age is undetermined because her sister destroyed the family bible and no one knows exactly when she was born. Suffice it to say, Elner is old. She is also fond of making fig jam, and climbing ladders to pick the fresh figs, thus ignoring any advise from her niece Norma about behaving herself as proper ladies should. Norma isn't so much worried that Aunt Elner will hurt herself as she is about what the neighbors will think.


So of course Elner falls from the tree after being stung by wasps and goes to show more heaven where she meets one of her heroines--“Neighbor Dorothy” of the famous Midwest radio show of the mid 1900s. Elner also meets God (aka Raymond), visits with Thomas Edison, and then, much to her regret, gets sent back to earth to tell people to enjoy life and stop worrying so much.

Needless to say, no one believes her, and the interactions and reactions of the townspeople when they find out that Elner isn’t dead after all are priceless. The scene where Elner sits up in the emergency room after five hours of 'flat line' is worth the price of the whole book! This is a laugh-out-loud funny book with enough message to get it past the fluff stage. A definite curl up for an afternoon and enjoy the hot chocolate book. Alternately, if you're into audio, this is another great one to keep you going while you're exercising. show less

This is part of a trilogy about the citizens of Elmwood Springs, Missouri. I've unabashedly adored all three of them, and I'm sad that I don't live there and know these people.

My love is not blind. Can't Wait to Get to Heaven was about as silly a book as you'll ever come across, but I don't care. Elner Shinfissle (a name that would enrage me in a book that I didn't like) is a sweet, elderly midwestern lady who has basically touched the lives of everyone she's ever met. She appreciates all the beauty and kindness in the world and makes others see it, too. With no children of her own, she is the beloved Aunt Elner to the whole of Elmwood Springs, for whom she is a friend, teacher, baker, advisor, volunteer, depending on what each person show more or group needs.

Aunt Elner steadfastly refuses to move from her farm closer to town, which worries everyone as she is really too old to be out there by herself. This same stubbornness explains why she falls out of a fig tree one day, is rushed to the hospital, and declared dead.

The reaction of the whole wonderful cast of characters to the news of Elner's untimely death is both touching and funny. Meanwhile, Elner is wandering around in heaven, marveling at the decor and making the acquaintance of all kinds of people she's always wanted to meet, including God and Thomas Edison (she is a huge fan of his invention, electricity.)

If you read this plot summary and roll your eyes and yawn, I get it. But if you are ever in the mood for a lovely, feel-good break from real life, I encourage you to give this (or one of the other two in the series) a chance.

Edited to add: I forgot to mention, if you can possibly get your hands on the audio book, and have Fannie Flagg read this to you with her lovely southern-belle drawl, it makes it that much better. show less

First of all, for anyone who has not yet read Fannie Flagg, just what are you waiting for?! She is one of my favorite authors - I was hooked after reading Redbird Christmas also written by her, a couple of years ago. Since then, I have yet to be disappointed with any of Fannie Flagg's books and Can't Wait to Get to Heaven is no exception.

Can't Wait to Get to Heaven focuses on elderly Mrs. Elner Shimfissle. Though her true age is not known, her niece, Norma, guesses her to be eighty-nine. Elner is a delightful and uproariously fun character. Full of spunk and fire, no one is a stranger to Elner. When she is not busy chatting up someone, she is trying to puzzle out such mysteries as what came first - the chicken or the egg?

One fateful show more morning, Elner decides to climb her ladder to pick a few figs from her fig tree. Little does she know that wasps have taken over the tree and are very unhappy to find someone butting in on their home. Next thing, Elner falls to the ground and soon finds herself riding a zig zag elevator and climbing crystal stairs with her long dead sister. Elner soon discovers that she is in heaven and is having a hay day, complete with the honor of meeting her idol Thomas Edison.

Meanwhile, back on earth, news of Elner's death spreads like wildfire. Grieving and heartbreak overcome everyone who was touched by Elner in some way. Flowers are ordered for her funeral and even her obit is written up. How amazing the influence and importance one fiery woman had on so many.

It is not long, however, that Elner is sent back to earth. She makes her presence known while having a final visit from her niece, Norma, Norma's husband Macky and great-niece Linda. Not to mention a nurse who is standing by, when Elner suddenly sits straight up in bed and begins to talk to everyone around her. Needless to say, the nurse runs from the room screaming and keeps right on going for a good two miles from the hospital. Imagine, a woman proclaimed dead five hours prior, suddenly wide awake and full of health.

Events that follow are both heartwarming and laugh out loud funny, as is the entire book. I greatly enjoy the way Fannie Flagg combines a wonderful and warming story with such great humor. Once I started reading, I found myself racing through until the end, enjoying each and every page. Can't Wait to Get to Heaven is a marvelous book and one that gets my highest recommendations! show less

At the start of this book, I thought, "OK this is cute, it's sort of like Fredrik Backman but in Missouri". Having finished it, my thoughts are "Maybe a little too cute, and sort of like Fredrik Backman but without the genuine emotion".

Audiobook via Audible. Normally I'm not a fan of Cassandra Campbell's narration, but she did really well with this one.

Elderly but very spritely Elner Shimfissle is trying to pick some figs when she disturbs a wasps nest and takes a nasty fall. She is taken to hosital in critical condition, but suddenly finds herself enjoying the adventure of a lifetime, seeing all sorts of wonderful sights and meeting all kinds of amazing people. Meantime, her family and friends in the small community where she lives in Elmwood Springs, Missouri, reflect on the influence that Elner has had on them, and how she has touched all of their lives.

This is the first Fannie Flagg book I’ve ever read, and I did really enjoy it. It is populated with quirky and slightly eccentric characters, not least Elner herself, but it paints a picture of a loving and close community who show more all pull together when one of their own needs them. There was a lot of subtle humour in the book, which made me giggle, rather than obvious jokes. It also made me think about the difference that one person can make in the lives of others, without even properly realising it.

All of the characters are well drawn, and as the book progresses, I did feel that I got to know them all very well, and for the most part they were easy to like. Elner was a wonderful main character – despite the fact that she is very elderly, she has refused to give up on life, and is definitely young at heart, getting up to all sorts of antics which cause great concern for her over anxious niece Norma.

I can imagine that for some people, this book might be a bit too ‘twee’ and cosy, and it’s not the kind of book I would want to read all the time. But for curling up with on a lazy afternoon when you want a feel-good read, it’s just about perfect. I would mention that there were a couple of editing mistakes – one character refers to something about which it is earlier stated that she knows nothing, and a couple of times a character will hear a snippet of news and then pass it immediately to another character, but embellished with facts which they weren’t originally made aware of. However, this did not detract from the enjoyment of the book.

Overall, a very enjoyable read, and it definitely made me want to read more by this author. show less

This book was a confusing one. One minute it's some quaint character piece, the next we're reading a lot about how lawyers try to deceive people.
I wouldn't call it boring, but I'd call it simple. It's not a page turner, but it's not a slog to get through either. It swings from delightful, to funny, to annoying, and back. The story had some good messages, but I found them muddled by slow pacing, uncomfortable conversation, and excessive quirkiness. It's overall a 'feel good' story and I don't regret reading it, but I'm not able to recommend it, and I won't be reading the other books in this series.
I do love how easy Fannie Flagg's books are to read. Everything flows so well, and you can really hear the characters in your head.
The show more pro-rich, anti-union sentiments and free use of the r word, however... yikes. show less

Can't Wait To Get To Heaven, by Fannie Flagg
★★★★★ and a ♥

Synopsis: Life is the strangest thing. One minute, Mrs. Elner Shimfissle is up a tree, picking figs to make jam, and the next thing she knows, she is off on a strange adventure, running into people she never expected to see again, in the unlikeliest of places. Meanwhile, Elner's highly strung niece Norma takes to her bed, before embarking on a brand new career; Elner's neighbour Verbena turns to the Bible; her truck-driver friend, Luther Griggs, runs his eighteen-wheeler into a ditch; a dark secret emerges from the past--and the entire town is left wondering 'what's life all about anyway?'.
In A Sentence: A sweet, feel-good story that remains a favorite of mine.
What I show more Loved: I loved this entire story in general! I loved all the characters, especially Elner, and I loved how you got to see how her kindness and overall good cheer affected just about everyone she met, even if she only met them once. Her life is a great example to live by, and because of it this book shines.
What Others Might Not Like: This story does move pretty slowly, which some readers might not like. I personally loved the leisurely pace of the story; it sort of amplified Elner's character.
Overall: I first read this story some years back, and it made a huge impact on my outlook on life. Reading it again, my views on this book and the effect it has on me has not changed. It is a great story and I highly recommend it to anyone who's feeling a little down. show less