Whistle Stop, AL #1

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

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Folksy and fresh, endearing and affecting, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe is a now-classic novel about two women: Evelyn, who is in the sad slump of middle age, and gray-headed Mrs. Threadgoode, who is telling her life story. Her tale includes two more women, the irrepressibly daredevilish tomboy Idgie and her friend Ruth who back in the thirties ran a little place in Whistle Stop, Alabama, offering good coffee, southern barbecue, and all kinds of love and laughter, even an occasional murder. And as the past unfolds, the present will never be quite the same again.

416 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,1987

This edition

Format
416 pages, Hardcover
Published
May 7, 2002 by Random House
ISBN
9780375508417
ASIN
0375508414
Language
English
Characters More characters

About the author

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Fannie Flagg began writing and producing television specials at age nineteen and went on to distinguish herself as an actress and writer in television, films, and the theater. She is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (which was produced by Universal Pictures as "Fried Green Tomatoes"), Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!, Standing in the Rainbow, and A Redbird Christmas.

Flagg's film script for "Fried Green Tomatoes" was nominated for both the Academy Award and the Writers Guild of America Award and won the highly regarded Scripters Award. She lives in California and Alabama.

Community Reviews

Rating(3.9 / 5.0, 98 votes)
5 stars
30(31%)
4 stars
27(28%)
3 stars
41(42%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
98 reviews All reviews
April 26,2025
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Empty nested, girth spreading, lonely and directionless middle-aged housewife Evelyn visits Ninny Threadgoode an elderly care home resident; Ninny shares stories of her life growing up in Whistle Stop, Alabama, stories centred around the hub of the very small community, The Whistle Stop Café, run by (although no one ever mentions it outright) lesbian couple - lifelong Tomboy Idgie and the beautiful in mind and body Ruth. A second narrator within the book is Weem's Weekly a weekly digest that is share in stand alone chapter throughout the book. Ninny's stories impact on Evelyn's life, and for us readers, give a vibrant and honest slice of life in Alabama across the early and middle Twentieth Century.

A book I recommend every reader comes into blind without foreknowledge, a book that looks at life in the South (a tad bit through rose tinted lenses), at family, at the Great Depression, at how race inequality impacts White people as well as Black people, about domestic abuse, about aging in women, and about small town communities. This was one of those books that I enjoyed whilst reading and half way through realised that I was reading something special. There's little chance of ever forgetting the Whistle Stop Café once you've visited it in print. Above everything else what this is, is a beautiful read. 8.5 out of 12.

2022 read
April 26,2025
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Una historia de esas tiernas y encantadoras, llenas de humor pero también de momentos muy tristes. En mi cabeza este libro es una mezcla entre 'La sociedad literaria y el pastel de piel de patata de Guernsey' y 'El color púrpura'.
O algo así xD
Habla de racismo y misoginia, trata el contexto histórico del Sur de los Estados Unidos desde los años 30 con la gran depresión hasta los 80, y tiene a unas protagonistas inolvidables siendo una historia tan coral, de ese pueblecito, esa familia tan maravillosa.
Es de lectura rápida y fácil, ligero pero como decía al principio que tiene ese tono triste y nostálgico en algunas ocasiones.
Disfruté más del principio que del final, pero sea como sea me encantó.
April 26,2025
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Pochi libri nella mia vita ho avuto il bisogno di rileggere, ma questo diventerà senza alcun dubbio uno di questi.

Con questo libro ho pianto, ma ho anche riso tantissimo, non mi capitava forse da anni, è stato un turbinio di emozioni infinito, e tutto ciò di cui ero sicura, sin dalla prima pagina, era che tutto ciò non finisse mai.

Man mano che mi avvicinavo alla fine mi sentivo sempre peggio al pensiero che queste pagine meravigliose prima o poi sarebbero terminate. Non avrei più mangiato le prelibatezze di Sipsey, o ascoltato le storielle inventate del Club dei cetrioli sottaceto, o bevuto fino a sbronzarmi con Idgie al Club della pesca.

Episodi del passato (dagli anni ‘20 agli anni ‘50) si intrecciano con il presente (anni ‘80) in un modo che apparentemente potrebbe risultare confusionario, ma è così semplice affezionarsi a ogni singolo personaggio e le sue vicende che di conseguenza diventa ancora più semplice seguire le dinamiche anche se non ordinate cronologicamente.

È stato anche molto interessante poter leggere uno stile di scrittura ormai in disuso, così strano ai tempi d’oggi, dove la parola negro è usata come solo a quei tempi facevano, dove certi episodi di razzismo che ora non esistono (fortunatamente più) sono raccontati come fossero quotidianità. Riesci a immergerti perfettamente in quel tempo e in quei luoghi, assai diversi da quelli che viviamo oggi. Alcune scene sono forti, e stenti a credere che potessero essere considerate la normalità allora, eppure riesci almeno a pensare in un’altra ottica, a riflettere su quanto certe cose siano cambiate, con molta fatica, ma che per fortuna lo abbiano fatto.

E di strada ancora ne abbiamo da fare..
April 26,2025
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3.5 Stars for Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (audiobook) by Fannie Flagg read by Lorna

It was interesting getting to hear these stories of small town life in the south in the 30’s.
April 26,2025
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This is a delightful novel, peopled with characters that leap off the page and stick with you after you have closed the cover of the book. I actually miss some of the characters from "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe", and that has only happened to me a few times in my reading life.
I am not going to get into the rehash that many of these reviews seem to focus on about this novel not being like the movie. For the record, I love the film, but it is a different creature than the novel, and yes, the novel is the superior work. Fannie Flagg also wrote the screenplay for the film, and she chose to make a different story for that medium, and that is fine. But don't read the novel expecting it to be the film, it isn't.
"Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" is really about the people and less about the plot, and I like this approach to the text very much. It is told as a series of vignettes that come in non linear order. The jumping around is purposeful, as it mimics how memory comes to us, and how we remember and reflect on our past and those that peopled it. These memory flashbacks are interspersed with the linear story of Evelyn Couch and her friendship with a retirement home bound women named Ninny. Flagg has captured small town southern living in the early and mid twentieth century wonderfully, and Whistle Stop is filled with very interesting characters. Too many for me to write about here. Some are good, and some bad, and Flagg refrains from judging any of them. She just presents them as they are, in their own elements, and lets the reader do the rest. To her immense credit, they are very real people. As three dimensional as they come.
There are times when I felt the text was a little hokey in that it is not a constantly well written book. However, those flaws are few and far between. To compensate there are many moments where Ms. Flagg's prose is wonderful in its colloquial simplicity, and raw human power.
I will return to Whistle Stop again. No higher praise for a novel. If you have never been, you should drop in for a visit.
April 26,2025
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ღმერთო რა კარგი იყო. წიგნი თანადგომაზე,სიყვარულზე,მეგობრობაზე,ერთუგლებაზე. რაღაცნაირი ჰაეროვანია,ნარნარებს.ძალიან ვისიამოვნე. მეც მომინდა ეველინის ადგილზე ყოფნა - მოხუცთა თავშესაფარში ნინნისნაირი ადამიანის გაცნობა და მსგავსი ისტორიის მოსმენა. და მაინც,საყვარელი პერსონაჟი (იჯის გარდა) სმოუკი ლონსამია. კიდევ,სიამოვნებით მეყოლებოდა დოტ უიმსისნაირი მეგობარი.მოკლედ,ფაქტია რომ ამ წიგნით უსაზღვროდ ვისიამოვნე.

პ.ს. ვის უნდა შემწვარი მწვანე პომიდვრები?

"ვისაც ყველაზე მეტად სტკივა,ყოველთვის ყველაზე ცოტას ლაპარაკობს"

"წლების წინ,აქ უისელ სტოპში ყველაზე ლამაზი ტბა იყო.ზაფხულობით მასში ვცურავდით,ვთევზაობდით.რომ იცოდე როგორ მენატრება ეგ ადგილი.
- რა მოუვიდა,დაშრა?
- არა,მაგაზე უარესი. ერთხელ ნოემბრის თვეში,იხვების დიდი გუნდი - დაახლოებით ორმოცნი ან მეტნი - ზუსტად ტბის შუაგულში დაფრინდა.შუადღისას,სანამ იქ ისხდნენ,დაუჯერებელი რამ მოხდა - ტემპერატურა ისე უეცრად დაეცა,რომ ტბა მთლიანად სამ წამში ქვასავით გაიყინა. ერთი,ორი,სამი და გაიყინა.
- სერიოზულად ამბობთ?
- კი.
- მაშინ,ვფიქრობ,იხვები დაიხოცებოდნენ.
- არა,სწორედაც რომ არა! ისინი უბრალოდ გაფრინდნენ და ტბაც თან წაიღეს.ეს ტბა ახლა სადღაც ჯორჯიაშია."
April 26,2025
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An endearing and heartfelt story that just makes you want to take a trip and visit the Whistle Stop Cafe. The movie has always been a favorite of mine, and now the book is too! Just loved it!
April 26,2025
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n  n
Galentine's Day is right around the corner...so why not curl up with a good book? Check out my latest n  n    BooktTube Video n  n - all about five fabulous books on female friendship!

n  The Written Reviewn

If you haven't read this yet - get it now.
n  It's funny, most people can be around someone and they gradually begin to love them and never know exactly when it happened; but Ruth knew the very second it happened to her.n
It's a love story, a friendship story and so much more. There's survival against the odds, murder, and absolute hilarity. In short - really, truly awesome.
n  Remember if people talk behind your back, it only means you are two steps aheadn
Mrs. Threadgoode is at the same nursing home as Evelyn's spiteful mother-in-law. During one such visit, Evelyn stops by Mrs. Threadgoode's room, and soon an everlasting friendship sparks.

Mrs. Threadgoode tells Evelyn stories from a not-so-distant past, when racism was rampart and certain home values were taken utterly seriously. She tells of larger-than-life Idgie, sweet and gentle Ruth, and of course a whole cast of truly unforgettable characters.
n  You never know what's in a person's heart until they're tested, do you?n
Her stories give Evelyn a new outlook on life - suddenly, she's not the mousy, dissatisfied middle-aged wife - she's got spunk. She's got character. And she'd be damned if she let one more person walk all over her.
n  Face it girls. I'm older and I have more insurance.n
Gah. It's one of those books that just sweeps you off your feet and holds a special place in your heart forever. It's fluffy, but the kind of fluff that has you squealing with happiness and chasing someone down to let them know how great this book is.

I buddy-read this one with my mother and we really, truly bonded over these words. We laughed and teared up at the same parts. This is one experience I will treasure.

n  This book belongs on every bookshelfn

Audiobook Comments
Read by Lorna Raver - and she just brought this story alive. Truly a stunning listen. She had all the right tones and inflections in all the right places. It felt like I was right there in the story.

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