'Mater Biscuit: A Homegrown Novel (Paperback)

by Julie Cannon (Author) "Imogene Lavender never imagined her mother would be coming back..." (more)
Key Phrases: old warthog, sugar foot, hickory switch, Mama Jewell, Dewy Rose, Garden Club (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Imogene Lavender thinks she's a tomato. With her senile mother on one side and her precocious grandson on the other, Imo is sandwiched between two needy generations like a " 'mater in a biscuit." Add to the household one horridly headstrong teenage daughter and a helpful but moody teenage niece, subtract any husbands or other family assistance, and it all adds up to a cantankerous caregiving catastrophe. When Mama Jewell is expelled from the nursing home, Imo is saddled with more than her mother's suitcases. She's been carrying around a trunkful of emotional baggage of her own for years, the result of physical and psychological abuse she once suffered at her mother's hands. Putting the past behind her to find peace in the here-and-now is Imo's greatest challenge, one she faces with the help of a dear friend and a productive garden. In this touching sequel to Truelove & Homegrown Tomatoes (2001), Cannon again draws a sweetly unassuming portrait of a strong southern woman sustained by faith, friendship, and family. Carol Haggas
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Description

From the author of Truelove & Homegrown Tomatoes comes a heartwarming story of three generations of Southern women working to mend the rifts of the past and set paths for the future.

It is summer in Euharlee, Georgia, and Imogene Lavender's garden is bursting with snap beans, okra, and tomatoes. The household -- made up of Imo; her daughter Jeanette and her new baby; and Lou, Imo's niece -- is about to grow as well. Imo's estranged mother, Mama Jewell, has begun to show signs of senility, and Imo has decided that it is her duty to take her mother in. Mama Jewell brings with her some secrets from the past, including the story of Lou's mother, a revelation that sends Lou in search of her ne'er-do-well father. For Imo, who is feeling the squeeze of being in the middle of the generations, Mama Jewell's temperamental nature stirs up long-buried memories of a difficult childhood. And much to everyone's surprise, wild Jeanette is so determined to find a husband that she joins the church choir to be closer to the handsome and enigmatic young reverend.

'Mater Biscuit is a wonderful evocation of small-town life in the South, a world where hard work and prayers unite the community. Life isn't always easy for Imo and her girls, but they have only to look as far as Imo's beloved garden to be reminded that all things change with the seasons.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone (March 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743246063
• ISBN-13: 978-0743246064
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #303,975 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sign of the times, April 9, 2004

By	Karin Gillespie (Georgia) - See all my reviews

Julie Cannon has accurately depicted the "sandwich generation" in her novel. Her portrayal of a daughter caring for a difficult and often hurtful mother is sharply drawn. Many baby boomers will recognize themselves in this realistic and descriptive work.

3.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre Southern Novel, April 24, 2009

By	A.S.I (Maryland, USA & Lagos, Nigeria) - See all my reviews

I have had read quite a few novels based in the South and they have always given me the pleasure of bringing the the people, culture, language, food and beauty of the South to life ( To Kill A Mockingbird, The Book of Bright Ideas, Gods In Alabama etc ).

This book falls short of other novels in that genre. It tried to be southern novel. It tried to be a contemporary christian novel. It tried to be a coming of age story. It tried to be a book about child abuse. It tried to be a book about Alzheimer's disease. It tried to be a book about friendship. It tried to be a book about death. It tried to be a book about love. It tried to be a lot of things at once and fell short of being any of the above.

Either, a better skilled writer could have woven all these themes seamlessly together or the author was rushed into publishing and not given a chance to tie in all these themes together so its ends up as an unsatisfactory read. The author chases too many things and catches none. I would only recommend this book if you have nothing else to read because while the characters are developed and are worth knowing and liking, the plot in which she sets them in does them inadequate justice. Instead it confines them, giving them no space in which to breathe. I really wish she had done more with her story. I get the sense this could have been a much better novel than the mediocrity it is.

5.0 out of 5 stars 'Mater Biscuits, May 6, 2007

By	Mary J. Pichette - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Unusual and intriguing title. Thoroly enjoyed this. A fun read and couldn't wait to find out why the title was named 'Mater Biscuits.