Todd Johnson
review was written by Mary Dunn Siedow and posted by Lizzy Mottern
The voices of women tell this story of five womens relationships with family and friends.
Margaret and Bernice are residents of a nursing home where Lorraine is a nursing assistant, Margaret is an upper class white woman with a sharp mind, a quick wit and a decaying body, Lorraine, who is black, respects her patients and treats them with sassy tongued dignity, Margaret and Lorraine have an edgy relationship, each ordering the other around, Despite their verbal sparring, the two protect Bernice who is clearly suffering from dementia and whose constant companion, a stuffed monkey called Benny, is a surrogate for her son Benjamin Wade.
Rhonda, the ditzy hairdresser who comes in occasionally, doesnt tell anyone that she knew Benjamin Wade before his death in a car accident her shop is a safe haven for residents to share their secrets.
Lorraines daughter April doesnt quite approve of what she sees as her mothers servile role until she herself matures and understands the deep regard between Lorraine and the nursing home residents.
By telling the story through the voices of Margaret, Lorraine, Rhonda and April, North Carolina born author Todd Johnson tantalizes readers, revealing events in tiny glimpses into his characters and their feelings.
I found this gem of a book at the Good Will store the other night and while I barely glanced at the blurb, I just thought I'd heard about it somewhere and picked it up.
I read it in one and half days, It's that delicious. It's exactly the kind of read I need right now while my Dad is in the nursing home, It really is a gem,
You would think the premise of the book would be depressing because no one likes to talk about growing old and becoming dependent on others and no one wants to admit that either.
Death should not be a messy business, It should be quiet and peaceful and definitely to happen in the twilight years,
This book is about Lorraine, a LPN who takes care of the people in the nursing home, Then there's Margaret, a resident who lives there and her friend Bernice, who seems to be crazy, Then there's Rhonda, the local beautican who comes in once a week to do their hair, There's April, Lorraine's daughter who tells her side of the story as well, Their lives all entertwined through the days and while it is a bittersweet story, it really is about life affirming life and yes, death is part of the days, but the author presented it in a graceful way.
It happens. It is going to happen and this story is just delightful, How can a male author create such authentic female characters Of the five female voices that tell this story, four of them specifically stole my heart right from the beginning.
Bernice and Margaret have the most heartwarming relationship in a North Carolina nursing home where Lorraine works as a nurse's aide.
Rhonda, reluctantly at first, spends one day a week with the residents as their hairdresser, and comes to lose her heart to Bernice and Margaret.
I laughed out loud at the antics of the countrymusic loving Bernice who seems to not be quite with the real world and the proper Southern lady Margaret.
But know that there will be tears before you finish this wonderfully engaging novel, I unfalteringly love southern novels, but I think this one deserves my love, I have to admit that when I first started to read this book I was a bit confused as to the structure and what exactly was going on with the story.
After the first couple of chapters I realized that this was a version of good ol' Southern storytelling, There isn't really a plot, per se, . . but instead a glimpse into the lives of five women whose paths have crossed because of a nursing home, Two women work in the nursing home and two women live in the nursing home, Each woman gets the opportunity to tell their story in alternating chapters, I found the cadence of their speech to be pleasing and soothing, I couldn't help but compare their way of talking to my own Grandpa Bill Brown's, When he got into story mode about growing up in Kentucky, we would all stop, drop, and listen, What I really took away from this book is that no matter your age or situation in life, you still have something to contribute.
I learned this lesson firsthand when I worked in a nursing home during my teen years, I worked as fast as I could so that I could get down to the "smoking room" to visit with two of my favorite residents.
Their stories were great and gave me a glimpse as to who they were as young adults, Directions for reading: grab a comfortable rocker on the front porch, pour a glass of lemonade, put up a do not disturb sign and immerse yourself in the sweet goodness of southern writing.
This book was such a pleasant surprise, I had no idea the story takes place in a retirement home, not that it diminishes the enjoyment, I simply haven't read books with that background before even though I'm well familiar with such a place.
My favorite character, really witty and hilarious Margaret made this book a real pleasure to read, I simply couldn't wait to get back into it, to see what she would reveal to me as her days pass by.
Living in a place where holidays are depressing she befriends Bernice and watches over her friend while trying to deal with her own aging body and mind.
The ladies get into all sorts of innocent trouble but all under a watchful eye of a nurse who has a heart of gold.
When a hair dresser gets hired to help out with the overall feeling of happiness in the place, unusual bonds and friendships start up with people she thought she had very little in common with.
Bernice and Margaret's youth is revisited in stories and they realize that their future is shaped by their past.
People whose parents are in the home remember meeting them when they were just kids and suddenly remember the old days gone by, sweet and little sorrowful the novel is heartwarming and actually really funny in parts, that just proves that good humor and wonderful story telling doesn't stop with books about your people, everyone has a story to tell and time only adds more flavor.
The various characters were interesting and their "voices" seemed authentic despite the fact they were all female and the author is a guy.
I found it terribly depressing even though the ending was attempting to be upbeat and nonsectarian, religionwise, Im just too close in age to the ladies who live in the retirement home in this book, It was too easy to picture myself a resident, too, I only hope there really are employees that are as kind, and selfless as the aide, hairdresser and doctor in this book.
Sadly, I have a much different and negative stereotype in my head regarding homes for the aged,
It was well written and Id recommend it if you can get past the probability that you might end up in a very different type of community when you get to that age.
This is a touching story about friendship and growing old, It is set in North Carolina and centers around a nursing home, Over the course of many years, it tells the story of five women connected with the nursing home two residents of the home, a nurse working there, her daughter, and a hairdresser working there.
The story is narrated by each of the main characters in alternating chapters, which allows you to get to know and understand each character more deeply.
A lovely story, filled with wisdom and celebrating friendship and following your own path in life, Simply put, it's just okay, It was an easy, good enough read, but a week has gone by since I finished it and I really had to think to remember what the story was about.
The voices of the women were well done, and the book has its moments, but I was just temporarily entertained.
So many memories of my grandmother and mother towards the end of their lives,
A story that says all lives are important and to be cherished,
I loved all these women in the story and admire their courage and steadfastness,
Oh, and that a man would write this with such emotion,
Highly recommended!.
The voices of women tell this story of five womens relationships with family and friends.
Margaret and Bernice are residents of a nursing home where Lorraine is a nursing assistant, Margaret is an upper class white woman with a sharp mind, a quick wit and a decaying body, Lorraine, who is black, respects her patients and treats them with sassy tongued dignity, Margaret and Lorraine have an edgy relationship, each ordering the other around, Despite their verbal sparring, the two protect Bernice who is clearly suffering from dementia and whose constant companion, a stuffed monkey called Benny, is a surrogate for her son Benjamin Wade.
Rhonda, the ditzy hairdresser who comes in occasionally, doesnt tell anyone that she knew Benjamin Wade before his death in a car accident her shop is a safe haven for residents to share their secrets.
Lorraines daughter April doesnt quite approve of what she sees as her mothers servile role until she herself matures and understands the deep regard between Lorraine and the nursing home residents.
By telling the story through the voices of Margaret, Lorraine, Rhonda and April, North Carolina born author Todd Johnson tantalizes readers, revealing events in tiny glimpses into his characters and their feelings.
I found this gem of a book at the Good Will store the other night and while I barely glanced at the blurb, I just thought I'd heard about it somewhere and picked it up.
I read it in one and half days, It's that delicious. It's exactly the kind of read I need right now while my Dad is in the nursing home, It really is a gem,
You would think the premise of the book would be depressing because no one likes to talk about growing old and becoming dependent on others and no one wants to admit that either.
Death should not be a messy business, It should be quiet and peaceful and definitely to happen in the twilight years,
This book is about Lorraine, a LPN who takes care of the people in the nursing home, Then there's Margaret, a resident who lives there and her friend Bernice, who seems to be crazy, Then there's Rhonda, the local beautican who comes in once a week to do their hair, There's April, Lorraine's daughter who tells her side of the story as well, Their lives all entertwined through the days and while it is a bittersweet story, it really is about life affirming life and yes, death is part of the days, but the author presented it in a graceful way.
It happens. It is going to happen and this story is just delightful, How can a male author create such authentic female characters Of the five female voices that tell this story, four of them specifically stole my heart right from the beginning.
Bernice and Margaret have the most heartwarming relationship in a North Carolina nursing home where Lorraine works as a nurse's aide.
Rhonda, reluctantly at first, spends one day a week with the residents as their hairdresser, and comes to lose her heart to Bernice and Margaret.
I laughed out loud at the antics of the countrymusic loving Bernice who seems to not be quite with the real world and the proper Southern lady Margaret.
But know that there will be tears before you finish this wonderfully engaging novel, I unfalteringly love southern novels, but I think this one deserves my love, I have to admit that when I first started to read this book I was a bit confused as to the structure and what exactly was going on with the story.
After the first couple of chapters I realized that this was a version of good ol' Southern storytelling, There isn't really a plot, per se, . . but instead a glimpse into the lives of five women whose paths have crossed because of a nursing home, Two women work in the nursing home and two women live in the nursing home, Each woman gets the opportunity to tell their story in alternating chapters, I found the cadence of their speech to be pleasing and soothing, I couldn't help but compare their way of talking to my own Grandpa Bill Brown's, When he got into story mode about growing up in Kentucky, we would all stop, drop, and listen, What I really took away from this book is that no matter your age or situation in life, you still have something to contribute.
I learned this lesson firsthand when I worked in a nursing home during my teen years, I worked as fast as I could so that I could get down to the "smoking room" to visit with two of my favorite residents.
Their stories were great and gave me a glimpse as to who they were as young adults, Directions for reading: grab a comfortable rocker on the front porch, pour a glass of lemonade, put up a do not disturb sign and immerse yourself in the sweet goodness of southern writing.
This book was such a pleasant surprise, I had no idea the story takes place in a retirement home, not that it diminishes the enjoyment, I simply haven't read books with that background before even though I'm well familiar with such a place.
My favorite character, really witty and hilarious Margaret made this book a real pleasure to read, I simply couldn't wait to get back into it, to see what she would reveal to me as her days pass by.
Living in a place where holidays are depressing she befriends Bernice and watches over her friend while trying to deal with her own aging body and mind.
The ladies get into all sorts of innocent trouble but all under a watchful eye of a nurse who has a heart of gold.
When a hair dresser gets hired to help out with the overall feeling of happiness in the place, unusual bonds and friendships start up with people she thought she had very little in common with.
Bernice and Margaret's youth is revisited in stories and they realize that their future is shaped by their past.
People whose parents are in the home remember meeting them when they were just kids and suddenly remember the old days gone by, sweet and little sorrowful the novel is heartwarming and actually really funny in parts, that just proves that good humor and wonderful story telling doesn't stop with books about your people, everyone has a story to tell and time only adds more flavor.
The various characters were interesting and their "voices" seemed authentic despite the fact they were all female and the author is a guy.
I found it terribly depressing even though the ending was attempting to be upbeat and nonsectarian, religionwise, Im just too close in age to the ladies who live in the retirement home in this book, It was too easy to picture myself a resident, too, I only hope there really are employees that are as kind, and selfless as the aide, hairdresser and doctor in this book.
Sadly, I have a much different and negative stereotype in my head regarding homes for the aged,
It was well written and Id recommend it if you can get past the probability that you might end up in a very different type of community when you get to that age.
This is a touching story about friendship and growing old, It is set in North Carolina and centers around a nursing home, Over the course of many years, it tells the story of five women connected with the nursing home two residents of the home, a nurse working there, her daughter, and a hairdresser working there.
The story is narrated by each of the main characters in alternating chapters, which allows you to get to know and understand each character more deeply.
A lovely story, filled with wisdom and celebrating friendship and following your own path in life, Simply put, it's just okay, It was an easy, good enough read, but a week has gone by since I finished it and I really had to think to remember what the story was about.
The voices of the women were well done, and the book has its moments, but I was just temporarily entertained.
Meet five North Carolina women who are about to change the way you think about friendship, For Rhonda, a gritty, funloving hairdresser in tight jeans, the sights and smells of Ridgecrest Nursing Center are depressing, But before she can change her mind about working there, two residents glue themselves to her: Margaret, droll and
whipsmart, with a will of iron that never fails her even when her body does, and Bernice, an avid country music fan who is rarely lucid.
Together with Lorraine, their churchgoing, Godquestioning nurse, and her daughter, April, bright and ambitious, they lock arms in courage and humor for a journey that speaks to us allof how we live and die, of how we love and forgive.
So many memories of my grandmother and mother towards the end of their lives,
A story that says all lives are important and to be cherished,
I loved all these women in the story and admire their courage and steadfastness,
Oh, and that a man would write this with such emotion,
Highly recommended!.