The Lemon Jelly Cake (Prairie State Books) [Paperback]

Madeline Smith (Author)

Book Description

Series: Prairie State Books | Publication Date: November 1, 1997

A surefire guarantee for the headaches and stomach upsets of the late twentieth century, The Lemon Jelly Cake carries readers back to kinder, gentler times in a small town at the turn of the century. Evoking a forgotten America of lush lawns, bountiful summer picnics, and shady front porches, the tale is set when the day's toughest decision might have been what to serve for dinner or which suit or dress to wear.

In this new Prairie State Books edition, an introduction by longtime Millikin University faculty member and Findlay resident Dan Guillory situates the book and its charming tale firmly in the Central Illinois of 1900.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0252061632
• ISBN-13: 978-0252061639
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #519,668 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Slice of Lemon Jelly Cake is a Slice of Small Town Life~, March 24, 2002

By 

Sandra Mitchell "Sandra Mitchell" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lemon Jelly Cake (Prairie State Books) (Paperback)

The Lemon Jelly Cake is a delightful story of small town life in the fictional town of Tory, in central Illinois. The story is told through little Helene, the young and only daughter of the town doctor. Between Helene & her best friend Gracie, the minister's daughter, many funny antics of town scandal & gossip are experienced. Madeline Babcock Smith does an excellent job of painting an adorable recount of life in a small town, where everyone knows everyone's business and the latest scandal consists of who will win the next canned pickle contest. Living life in Tory is compared to the layers of a lemon jelly cake & as the novel unfolds so will some meaningful lessons in life.

The Lemon Jelly Cake was Madeline Babcock Smith's first novel, published when she was 65. When the novel was first released, it was received with high acclaim and excerpts were printed in severel popular magazines & newspapers. Popularity of the novel rose, until sadly, the author unexpectedly died of cancer, just four short months after the books publication. However, Madeline Babcock Smith has left behind a shimmering treasure, letting us into the layers of the lemon jelly cake and sharing the jewels that small town life brings. This is a fun, entertaining read & a great book of comfort.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Rare Literary Treat -- Fresh As Lemonade on a Summer Day, June 28, 2002

By 

R. Tiedemann "Sunnye" (Bellevue, NE USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lemon Jelly Cake (Prairie State Books) (Paperback)

Helene and her best friend, Gracie, enjoy the delights of growing up in a small town in Illinois in the early 1900s. Helene's Mother is known throughout the community for her Lemon Jelly Cake, which she regularly makes for church socials and whenever special company comes. When a certain lawyer from another town begins to come to dinner fairly often and the Lemon Jelly Cake becomes his favorite, Helene observes events through the innocent eyes of a carefree child.

This is an enchanting -- and sometimes hilarious -- story of small town life in a quieter, gentler age. At the same time the reader is reminded of the ever-so-human urge for excitement and passion in each person's life.

Skillfully written, sympathetically observed, the story progresses with an almost fearful inevitability.

It's a terrible shame that Madeline Babcock Smith didn't live long enough to write more books like this. Her skills at portraying delightful, enchanting and realistic characters and at executing one story while writing another are awesome.

THE LEMON JELLY CAKE is reminiscent of Jan Karon's Mitford series or Clarence Day's LIFE WITH FATHER/MOTHER books.

Sunnye Tiedemann (aka Ruth F. Tiedemann)

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Soothing book layer by layer..., February 28, 2003

By 

Dianna Johnston "Compulsive Reader" (Joplin, MO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Lemon Jelly Cake (Prairie State Books) (Paperback)

There is something special about The Lemon Jelly Cake! Reminiscient of Jan Karon's fictional town of Mitford, Babcock Smith's story takes place in sleepy Tory, Illinois at the turn of the century. Tory is the kind of town where your neighbors know your business and the only crime is getting beat by your rival at the pickle competition.

Told through the eyes of 11-year-old Helene Bradford, The Lemon Jelly Cake chronicles the first summer of the new century and all the happenings it brings. The cake itself plays a double role in this story: Helene's mother, Kate's, own specialty dessert that is eaten at all funerals, weddings or social functions, as well as representing life and it's many layers. When a rich lawyer from Chicago comes to town, Kate interprets his level of sophistication and adventure as what life would be like outside the Tory layer.

This novel, written in 1952, has a wonderful appeal to it -- it brings readers back to a simpler time. There isn't any dramatic action in this book, but for those looking for an old-fashioned story, quirky characters, and small-town charm, this book is for you.