Customer Reviews

In the Land of Dreamy Dreams

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The final story in this book is the best short story I have ever read anywhere. Hands down.

Gilchrist is a writer of rare grace and absolutely flawless ear for the language and foibles of upper-class women from the Delta, viz, Mississippi, Southeast Louisiana, Memphis, and, on occasion, Fayetteville. Most of them have lived in Uptown New Orleans at least some of their lives.

All are spirited, overindulged, bright, lonely, and infinitely memorable. Gilchrist writes of them with compassion and verve, and absolute pinpoint accuracy, right down to the stuffed crab they buy at Langenstein's deli. Most fall prey to substance abuse for part of their lives, and all are have big powerful men in their lives who just don't listen or pay attention.

But Gilchrist's characters are not whining closeted feminists. They do claim their own power and space. And they make the reader love them.

Whenever I read Gilchrist's books, I find myself wondering if she ever gets invited to lunch in New Orleans anymore. She is just too too acurate and skewers too well the pretentions and aspirations of Uptown matrons too accurately for her to have any friends left in the Crescent City.

If you're an outsider and plan to visit deep Delta Dixie, read this book first unless you only want to see the superficial.

The unexpected and sharply tragic ending of this book's final short story will grab you by the throat, and never let go.

This is a must for any Gilchrist fan. It's her first collection of short stories everyone will be delighted to read about the beginning of Nora Jane, Rhoda and other fabulous characters. All the stories are wonderful, but my favorite is the short wistful piece, "1944." It's not really a story so much as a beautiful fragment of memory.

In these short stories, the normal edges over into the bizarre. Sometimes there is an added twist of torment and despair as well. The stories seem to solidify the reality of human angst. Of note in this collection are the following stories:

* Rich

* The President of the Louisiana Live Oak Society

* In the Land of Dreamy Dreams

* Suicides

* Traveler

As a lover of good short stories, I found this collection very satisfying.

What a wonderful escape! I enjoyed the dreamlike stories, even though some are a little dark. This is one book I will keep!

I first read this book in the mid-1980's. I lost my copy and purchased this one. What a great read by a fine Southern author. Her brush paints a poignant picture of the Delta and New Orleans that has lingered with me for decades. I am going to re-read her work in order to get a full dose of this great writer. Who doesn't love Rhoda Manning and all those great Southern women?

This little book of short stories
got better and better, the more I read.
The characters were as real as any people
I've known in real life, with the same
capacity to surprise and shock me.
My favorite was "Traveler".