27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing, April 8, 2004
It is hard to believe that Anne Tyler wrote this book, her first, when she was only 22 years old. To have such perception, such vision, such maturity, and such knowledge of the intricacies of family life is something I would expect of a writer twice that age.
This is also, I believe, her only novel set in the south, where Tyler was brought up. In a rare interview, she has said that she considers herself a Southerner. She certainly paints a good picture of a typical extended southern family! And this family has all the quirks and curious behaviors that have become Tyler's hallmark over the years.
Poor BenJoe...he is so confused, having taken the path of least resistance by going to law school in New York City, a totally foreign element to this small-town boy. He uses the slightest excuse to rush back home where he gets into everyone's business in a few short days, even though the houseful of women (mother, grandmother, five sisters, and a niece) clearly was doing just fine without him. Tyler makes us like him. She writes from his point of view and gets it letter-perfect.
This book is about much more than a small-town extended southern family - it is about birth and death, living and dying, and the unbreakable bonds of family.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
strangely affecting book, May 25, 2004
I don't know why I picked up this book; I suppose it was because it's set in the past and most of my selections are present day. Almost in spite of myself, I found myself becoming engrossed in the lives of the Hawkes family, of Ben Joe and his sisters, his looney-tunes Grandma, and his reserved but strong-willed mother. It paints an exquisite picture of small-town Southern America in the early 60's. There's a lot more going on in Ben Joe's head than ever really happens in the book. It's a lot about what people let you see and what people try to hide. I enjoyed it. It makes me want to read more Tyler.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent book!, February 17, 1999
By A Customer
It is a really great book! The novel is a fairly quick read if you are looking for an interesting story about family life and relationships. It is written by a woman author, telling the stories of eight women in one household through the perspective of a male. I would recommend reading it!
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