Quite a Year for Plums

More literary than I expected, more serious. Yes, it's a bunch of portraits about endearing eccentrics, but it's much more than that. I felt reminded a bit of Kingsolver, a bit of Steel Magnolias, and a bit of Shakespeare... some big human themes are encapsulated in these little stories, linked into this engaging small book. Also plenty of grace and humor.

Learning about thrips, Eula says "Well, damn their little souls."

The passionate typographer declaims that "If 'reason' is a rut, then she is the rising sun. If 'reason' is a rat, then she is a white rhinocerous." Read the book to find out to whom he refers.

An odd collection of odd people without any cohesive story line. Taken individually, the people were interesting. There was Della, painter of birds who captures Roger's interest with the notes she leaves on things she throws away at the Dumpster. Roger, a serious peanut pathologist who inexplicably seems to be the love interest of half the women in town. Louise, Roger's ex-mother-in-law who takes up with a typographer in an attempt to attract outer-space travelers through letters and numbers. But there was no story. You enter chapters into the middle of conversations which are going nowhere. All in all, I was glad to say goodbye to this group.

I nearly gave up on this book but I am so glad I didn't. You have to be in the right mood for its quirky, back woodsy-ness. It took 50 pages to hook me into it, but after that every page was treasured for the sheer joy of its wonderful off-beat characters. This is a book that leaves you feeling good about the world.

In this novel,we meet several characters that are very well developed by the author. You feel that they could be the men or women living down the road. But - they don't ever really DO anything. The whole book seems to be developing the characters - there is no plot. I spent a week reading their conversations with each other, waiting for something to happen - and it never did!

Quite a good book too. Refreshingly plain, everyday and realistic. No outlandishly wealthy people worrying about their prescription anti-depressants and what to wear to the next party. Just folks doing what folks do..mostly talking, planning, and perceiving the world around them.

Not really a funny book, but it does have moments of realism, such as the moment when you look up from reading a particular passage, groan through an embarrassed smile and say;

" Oh gods...I know someone just like that!"

On a personal note, as an enthusiast on the history and use of embroidery I found Hilma's bag to be rather amusing. Not to mention a good, if somewhat bizarre idea!

Her first novel. And good. This is writing about eccentric, lovable characters, but without a drop of sentimentalism, and with no happy endings and no conclusions. I want to know more about Della (the artist). Actually, I want to know more about all of them.

I just finished reading this novel to a group of seniors at a local nursing home, and they LOVED it. Great story of small-town life. Bailey White has a terrific sense of humor, and she has finely drawn, interesting characters. --JJM, 10/20/05