Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!

This was a fun and fast read, in spite of the fact it's a big fat book. Flagg writes in short chapters and punchy prose. The author does a great job of pealing the onion of the story. It starts with normal people in small town America and a cousin - Dena, the "Baby Girl" of the title - who is a hotshot reporter in New York. Flagg bounces back and forth in time slowly unfolding Dena's murky history as we realize the investigative reporter has never examined the mysteries in her own life: her father, dead in WWII before she was born; her mother's furtive life moving them from place to place and finally disappearing. The ending is surprising and satisfying. Flagg also delivers a blistering critique of network news and her usual paean to show more small town living. Highly recommend this one. show less

This book is one of the best ones I've read in a very long time. It tells the story of Dena Nordstrom, America's blonde haired, blue eyed #1 female newsperson in the 1970's. The book jumps back and forth between the 1940's and how Dena's parents met and her childhood, to 1978 New York City. It could easily get confusing, but Fannie Flagg writes it so flawlessly it isn't hard to follow at all.

It mainly centers around Dena and how her life is out of control - she drinks too much, goes out too often and cannot handle any type of relationship. And on top of all that, now she has a bleeding ulcer. What's a girl to do? Go see a psychiatrist. Only problem there is, the second she walks in his office, he falls in love with her. So he refers her show more to another doctor, aptly named Dr. Diggers, who keeps asking her questions about her childhood and her mother in particular.

What can Dena tell her? Her mother was a very private person and Dena did not know her well at all. During Christmas break one year, Dena flys to her mother's apartment in Chicago, only to find that her mother has disappeared off the face of the earth. Why? Where did she disappear to? What secrets was she keeping? Was her mother a Nazi spy? A sleazy reporter thinks so, and he would like nothing better than to destroy Dena and her reputation. Dena has to put the past to rest and the only way to do that is by solving the mystery of her mother's past and what exactly happened to her.

Along the way in this book, you meet some interesting characters, mainly in the town of Elmwood Springs, Missouri - Dena's hometown and the place where she finally becomes whole again.

4 stars out of 5 show less

This novel meanders back and forth through history in Flagg's familiar style to tell the story of rising TV star Dena Nordstrom. Dena leads the glamorous life of the celebrity in New York City, but she is completely miserable. She drinks too much, takes too many uppers, downers, and painkillers, and does her best to ignore her stomach ulcers as well as most of the human race. But when Dena's health takes a turn for the worst, Dena must puzzle together the secret surrounding her mother's past in order to save her health, her psyche and her career.

This novel is very different from Flagg's Fried Green Tomatoes. The first two parts of the book focus mainly on Dena's success in the TV news business and the events that led to it. And as Dena show more is a miserable character with no sense of belonging, identity or desire, I found her to be fairly dull to read about until more was said about her past and her connection to small town Elmwood Springs.

I couldn't get into the first half of the book at all, but I very much enjoyed the second half. Parts III and IV explore the secret surrounding her mother's side of the family and involve more scenes in Elmwood Springs.

Given how charming Flagg's portrayal of small-town life and her deft interweaving of so many different characters was in FGT, I was hoping for more of the same. But little is said about Elmwood Springs except at the beginning and end, and the scenes about other characters (like Sookie) always seem to revolve around Dena without giving much of a glance at anyone else. I wanted to hear more from/about Gene Howard, the Hamiltons, Sookie...

Instead I got a novel that seemed two-dimensional and ended up being little more than a diatribe against the decline in the quality and humanity of the media until the very end. show less

Dena Nordstrom is on the verge of making it big as a female newscaster in 1970s New York, but she’s not dealing well with the stress of the job and some unresolved issues from her past.

This was enjoyable enough. My favorite parts featured the extended family living in Elmwood Springs, Missouri. I kept reading Aunt Elner’s speeches out loud to my husband. She just cracked me up! And I loved the little chapters that featured “Neighbor Dorothy’s” radio show. They sound so homey, cheerful and nice. If you find yourself reading this and enjoying these parts the best, pick up [b:Standing in the Rainbow|31493|Standing in the Rainbow (Ballantine Reader's Circle)|Fannie show more Flagg|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1168277029s/31493.jpg|31735]. That book is more about Neighbor Dorothy’s family.

There were whole chunks of this book that could have been included in an essay entitled, “What’s Wrong with the News Industry Today.” I agreed with them, but they got preachy and old.

The book sort of settled into stereotypes. The big city people were mean and money- and power-hungry. The small town people were friendly, neighborly, gossipy, and not all that bright. The one Southern lady didn’t seem to realize that the Civil War was over and could tell you your family’s history and Civil War genealogy based on your last name alone.

The big secret felt a bit anti-climactic at first. Luckily, the author switched the point of view and showed exactly why the big secret was so terrible and so secret. So I did eventually understand. I can’t believe I missed how significant it was in the first place, to be perfectly honest. But I was definitely surprised when I found out what it was.

The times, places, and points-of-view did shift pretty frequently, but everything was clearly labeled at the beginning of each chapter, so it was easy to keep up with.

There were some huge, romantic gestures sprinkled throughout. My husband, who is mostly a romantic at heart, did play along at first when I asked, “Would you do this?” based on something from the book. After a couple of times he finally looked at me and asked, “What kind of fairy tale are you reading?!?” So don’t get your hopes too high as you read this, ladies. :-)

Overall, [b:Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe A Novel|9375|Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe A Novel|Fannie Flagg|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165961740s/9375.jpg|2129359] is still my favorite Fannie Flagg book. But this was still pretty good and fans of Flagg should enjoy it. show less

I just re-read this for a book group discussion this coming week. Fannie Flagg is such a fabulous writer. I like to believe she truly captures the heart of Americana and human nature. Dena, the main character of the book is on the verge of success as a television celebrity, but for some reason she finds herself undergoing dramatic change. As we learn more about Dena, we learn she has more to hide, but even she does not know why. The characters are all quirky, yet likable (although Norma Warren is a little annoying!)and Dena discovers the truth about her past and what really matters most in life.

I really like this book; it is just a feel-good sweet and easy read.

This was an engaging novel - cheerfully humorous (thanks to the small town charm), insightfully moving and sad.

The story follows TV presenter, Dena, as she tries to keep up with a demanding career that has both its virtues and pitfalls for her. Slowly, we also get to see that Dena tussles with a perplexing childhood.
Some have described this novel as a mystery, and partly it is, but it's written with soul too.

The chapters go back and forth in time - some of these chapters are essential to the mystery.
There are times when you wonder if Dena will find the answers to the questions she ponders most about - but the author has her special ways. Much about the mystery comes together eventually (more so for the readers), but it is a relief to show more see that Dena finally finds the emotional comfort she needed.

Fannie Flagg is a storyteller of note. She writes so smooth and cozy. Then there are words of wisdom and sayings that strike a chord.
Welcome To The World, Baby Girl! was my second novel by Flagg. The first I read was Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man.
I enjoyed both and I am glad to have been introduced to them as well as having first watched the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, which was based on Flagg's novel of the same title and whose screenplay she also wrote. show less

Flannery O'Connor is still my favorite southern female writer, but Fannie Flagg certainly deserves a spot in the premier league. I've read Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café and this, with Standing in the Rainbow on my To Read list.

I even perceive a bit of overlap between Tomatoes and Baby Girl, in the characters of Dot Weems and Neighbor Dorothy. In Tomatoes, Dot Weems was the publisher of the local newspaper, really a full-length Page Six. In Baby Girl, Neighbor Dorothy runs a small radio show out of her front bedroom, "and the news is mostly good."