Vivere nella luce

"È buffo come da bambini il tempo non passerà mai; poi, dal momento in cui si raggiungono i venti anni, passa svelto come il rapido per Memphis. Io credo succeda a tutti: la vita ti scivola addosso. Di sicuro è successo a me. Un giorno ero una bambina ed il giorno dopo ero una donna adulta, con il petto e i peli non dico dove."

"Non ti sembra che quel cane a tre zampe si stesse divertendo? Non ti sembrava felice d'esser vivo? Aveva l'aria di uno che si fa pena da solo? Da oggi non voglio più sentire parlare di quello che puoi e non puoi fare, d'accordo?"

"C'è una terra ogni giorno più bella e con la fede possiamo vederla...Il padre ci aspetta in fondo alla strada per prepararci una nuova casa...Ci ritroveremo tutti sulla spiaggia in quella dolce terra lontana..."

La vita va vissuta fino in fondo, senza serbare rancore o alimentare rimpianti per ciò che non si è fatto.
I ricordi diventano un ponte tra il fulgido passato e lo sbiadito presente; la necessità di raccontare passa per l'affabulazione fantastica, la quale impreziosisce normali storie di vita e diventa quasi linguaggio pacificatore per accettare se stessi di fronte all'inesorabile incedere del tempo.
Da qualche parte, chissà a che orari, ci dovrà pur essere un treno per arrivare a Whistle Stop...

Пам'ятаю, як вперше здивувалася назві цієї книжки, побачивши її в одному з вічних списків Must read, "Топ-20", "Якщо не прочитаєте, то прожили життя дарма" абощо. Це і не дивно, адже смажити помідори ми, українці, якось не дуже звикли. Але погодьтеся, таку назву наврядчи забудеш,тож потім вона потрапляла мені на очі на деяких літературних сайтах чи сторінках соціальних мереж. З тих пір пройшло кілька років. Але цьогоріч відбулося кілька речей, які майже напророкували,що я таки не зможу не взяти до рук цієї книжки: по-перше, моя колега принесла чудові мариновані зелені помідори з чилі,які чомусь надовго запали мені в душу, а по-друге, я просто побачила в "Книгарні "Є" український переклад в чудовій обкладинці)
Не часто зустрінеш історію,яка в такій легкій манері зачіпає дійсно важливі соціальні проблеми: расизм, ставлення до одностатевого кохання, інвалідність, бідність, фемінізм і до того ж здатна тебе розсмішити. Вчинки людини - ось що дійсно важливо, все інше - домисли, стереотипи, упередження.
Події розкидані мозаїкою по усій книзі, але це може спантеличити лише на початку. Потім ти розумієш логіку розповіді і тільки встигаєш поринати в історії життя різних людей в різні проміжки часу. Образи настільки яскраві та органічні, що мені дійсно хотілося б відвідати кафе Іджі та спробувати славнозвісні смажені зелені помідори від Сипсі. На щастя, в кінці книжки мене чекав список рецептів...) Смачного! (в усіх сенсах)

A true treasure of a story.

I am not sure if I am capable of expressing in words how beautiful this book is, but it has left a profound impact on me. When a story provokes you to laugh-out-loud and endure sobbing moments all in a matter of a few pages, it creates the perfect storm for a full-fledged exceptional book-reading experience.

And this isn’t the first time Fried Green Tomatoes has flipped my emotions into overdrive and caused these side effects. I come from the side of long lost individuals who saw the movie first, and I have this lovely memory of watching the movie alone about 13 years ago during my college Christmas holiday break after having my wisdom teeth removed. I sat there and cried and laughed all by myself. I could relate to each of the characters in some way or another, and I just felt deeply connected to the story. And to this day when I hear Thomas Newman’s movie soundtrack song of the Whistle Stop, it makes me tear up from pure nostalgia. I wasn’t reading books for enjoyment at the time because of college and I never even realized it was based on a book anyhow, or I may have neglected everything in my path to read it then! Anyways when I came back to the reading world, I learned about the sequel that released for Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café back in 2020 and just knew it would have the answers I would need to go on in life haha! I am so happy I finally got to read the original book from my never-ending TBR list before taking on the sequel and deliver my heartfelt review to Goodreads for sharing.

Fannie Flagg created a special and emotionally-stimulating story with living, breathing, wholesome, and realistic characters. They become your friends. You start to care about them and what happens to them. She delicately addresses tough times and topics with grace and doesn’t hold back in dusting the story with the perfect amount of Southern charm and simplicity.

Growing up in the South (even if I never did fit in) makes this book feel like sort of a bittersweet home. The sweltering heat, sweet tea, old country stores near abandoned railroads, home-cooked fried foods, pick-up trucks, farms, front porches, and BBQ. Every time I’ve drove through any old towns in Georgia/North Florida/South Carolina, I always think of the Whistle Stop Café.


THINGS I LOVED SO MUCH ABOUT THE BOOK:

• Smokey Lonesome’s backstory
《“The ones that hurt the most always say the least.”》

• The actual setup of the story: short chapters broken up with snippets of news such as the Weekly Bulletins and other stories that all tie in together

• All the Southern style recipes at the end! I think it’s finally time for me to try a fried green tomato!

• It actually meets the criteria for a wonderful winter holiday read!

• I love all the characters!

♡ Idgie Threadgoode: Her blatant disregard for societal norms astonishes me in such a good way. Everyone needs an Idgie in their life. Despite her rebelliousness, she also just has a natural way with people with her big heart, generosity, and bravery.

♡ Big George: He was the true hero in the story. His bravery knew no bounds. What he went through to protect those he loved was honorable and just makes my heart grow wings. I loved learning all about his family and backstory as this was not in the movie.

♡ Ruth Jamison: Is the closest thing to an angel. She was a true lady in every way and never stop loving and caring for everyone around her.
《“There are magnificent beings on this earth, son, that are walking around posing as humans.”》

♡ Onzell (Big George’s Wife): I can’t mention Ruth without thinking of Onzell. Onzell is another hero in this story in my opinion. Her caring nature results in an act of kindness I’ll never forget.
《“Miss Ruth is a lady and always knew when to leave a party, and this wasn’t going to be any exception as long as she was around.”》

♡ Ninny Threadgoode: A feisty woman loaded with wisdom. She’s just so adorable. Her natural ability to tell a story really keeps the heart of the entire book beating.

♡ Evelyn Couch: I love Evelyn! She has to be one of the most realistic and relatable characters ever to exist in a book. My heart just broke for her. Her fight with low self esteem, her dissatisfaction with life as a wife and a woman…she was walking through life unhappy and invisible while meeting and checking off all the requirements society has set and demand for everyone: getting married, having kids, taking care of your husband and children, putting yourself and your pleasure last…she did not even have the guts to stand up for herself. That anxiety/depression and overwhelming desire either for life to just end or for someone to step into your life and save you. Being able to relate to this invisible pain and suffering that everyone is expected to hide is the true reward of this character. I’ll never forget – TOWANDA!!!!!
《“She wondered why she had to live in a body that would get old and break down and feel pain?”》

Ultimately, I think the main reason why I love this book so very much and keep coming back to its creation is because Whistle Stop is a place of acceptance for all misfits. From taking in the homeless people like Smokey Lonesome who have had one too many drinks of alcohol in their lives, the heartwarming queer relationship between Idgie and Ruth, the acceptance and fair treatment of African Americans during a time where the KKK still roamed fiercely, the secret BBQ – Whistle Stop is a force to be reckoned with and knows how to protect its own.

n  “You know, a heart can be broken, but it still keeps a-beating just the same.”n

this was so good. sooooo good.

I saw that a friend was reading this book, loved the cover and blurb and immediately ordered it for my Kindle. When I first started reading it, I thought that it was “insane” but I soon realised what a gem of a book I’d discovered. This has to be the best book I’ve read for a long time and I have no doubt that I’ll continue to look at it many times in the future.

Now where to start with this multi-faceted book? I’ve read quite a few excellent reviews on it and mine may be nothing in comparison but I’ll try and see if I can get my own viewpoint across. It will be very difficult as there’s just so much that one can explore in this book.

What are its qualities? First of all, this is a very important social document of life in the south of the United States (Alabama), in the twentieth century. It is also inspirational, poignant, touching, funny, and has black humour: a body is in a coffin at Whistle Stop awaiting removal to another train. Two kids with a camera get involved here and there’s also a broken nose. On another occasion, there's a meal with unknown ingredients in it, and the sauce especially is thoroughly enjoyed by all. All I can say is that it would have been evidence. There’s even a gruesome murder thrown in with unexpected consequences.

In addition, there’s the excellent creative structure of the book. I find it quite remarkable how the author handled the time periods between the two main starting dates: the first commencing in 1929, during the Depression, in Whistle Stop, and the second in 1985 from a nursing home in Birmingham. The clever way in which the layers of all the emotions are broken down just never ceased to surprise me throughout.

The book concerns four women: Idgie Threadgoode and Ruth Jamison in the earlier period, and Evelyn Couch and Ninnie Threadgoode (the sister-in-law of Idgie) in the later period. It slowly unfurls in 1929 with the simple opening, “The Whistle Stop Cafe opened up last week, right next to me at the post office, and owners Idgie Threadgoode and Ruth Jamison said business has been good ever since.” This statement was made by Dot Weems from the post office in “The Weems Weekly, which is Whistle Stop’s weekly bulletin. She gives regular local news throughout most of the book via this bulletin.

My favourite character was Idgie (christened Imogen but this was changed by her much loved brother Buddy). One reviewer refers to her as Huck Finn and I agree with that. She is sparkling, feisty, gives wise advice, prefers to dress as a man; in fact decided at the age of eleven that she would never wear a dress again, much to the horror of her siblings. Her tall stories are incredible (a remarkable one about a pond that miraculously disappears), her remarkable loyalty to those she loves, such as her family, Ruth, employees, friends, regardless of whether they are black or white. She was criticized for feeding the “blacks” of the area in the cafe. Her self-effacing manner when she tries to explain to one of them that she would love to feed them in the cafe but there were people in Whistle Stop who would soon put her out of busines. Nevertheless, they could come to the back door.

Ruth was brilliantly portrayed and she gets married to Frank Bennett. I just cannot put any spoilers in here. There are two magical parts with the "bee charmer" and the ripped out section from the Book of Ruth (which is mailed) “…whither thou goest, I will go….”

Evelyn Couch feels her life is worthless but thanks to eighty-six year old Ninnie Threadgoode, who is living in a nursing home, she rediscovers herself in middle age, loses weight and in addition makes an important discovery through arriving at the wrong church, on a lot of misconceptions she had of the people living in Alabama.

When Evelyn goes to a cemetery to look at the Threadgoode family plot, she passes on to another grave and finds an envelope next to the jar of flowers, and inside was an Easter card which stated:

"For a special person as nice as you,
Who's kind and considerate in all you do,
The fairest, the squarest,
Most loving and true,
That all adds up to
Wonderful you"

and it was signed by the Bee Charmer.

I could go on and on. The book is brilliant and it even brought tears to my eyes (very unusual for me) on several occasions. I highly recommend this to everyone.

Avevo sperato di trovare una lettura adorabile (sì, proprio adovabile nel senso più scioccherellino del termine) e invece: il libro della Flagg è abbastanza piacevole ma solo molto furbetto e leggerino, in fin dei conti se si va a guardare sotto la crosta di furbizia con vecchiette arzille e personaggi eclettici, non è che resti un granché. I temi delle discriminazioni nei confronti di neri e donne sono affrontati in maniera quasi infantile, il che qualche volta può essere utile per semplificare e mettere ordine nelle cose apparentemente complicate; però quando la semplicità sfocia in eccesso di faciloneria, allora tutta la costruzione, per i miei gusti, si sgonfia come un soufflé mal riuscito. E se mi è permesso dirlo (nessuna intenzione di offendere i credenti), mi suona anche un tantino bigotto: applica alle faccende di religione la stessa facilità e leggerezza con cui affronta le faccende di discriminazione e razzismo. Nel passaggio dal romanzo al film è stato fatto un passo in direzione giusta (eliminare tutti i cammei e le figurine varie di contorno contribuisce a dare una miglior coesione ad una storia che nel libro risulta più dispersiva) ma anche passi in direzione errata (togliere il rapporto omosessuale tra Idgie e Ruth leva parecchio succo alla storia, e togliere la "conversione" di Evelyn finisce per semplificare ulteriormente una posizione che era già semplificata fino all'osso, lo stesso dicasi per l'eutanasia in occasione della malattia di Ruth). Anche il tema della Grande Depressione è dimolto alleggerito e semplificato: per come la si vede qui, Whistle Stop durante la Grande Depressione è un piccolo paradiso bucolicamente perduto (o perdutamente bucolico, fate voi), poi uno va a leggersi Steinbeck e non gli tornano i conti, per forza. Resta il fatto che con ogni probabilità l'intento era esattamente quello: non certo ricostruire un Sud che non c'è mai stato, bensì costruire e raccontare la favola di un piccolo paradiso perduto. Obiettivamente, se uno ha visto il film e deve ancora leggere il libro, sappia che non si sta perdendo niente.

Quindi, per tutti gli allibratori e scommettitori: due stelle e mezza che per la facciata, con un piccolo sforzo di buona volontà, si possono arrotondare a tre.

11/2025

TOMATES VERDES FRITOS

He quedado absolutamente prendada y rendida ante esta historia y la prosa de su autora. Pocas veces he encontrado una historia tan bien escrita, tan cautivadora y natural. Desprende naturalidad, buenrollismo a pesar de que lo que cuenta es poco amable en ocasiones, pero lo narra de una forma que no se te va la sonrisa de los labios aunque te esté narrando una muerte.
Es como el txirimiri: sales a la calle sin paraguas porque solo caen dos gotitas y, cuando llegas a casa, estás calado.
Este libro es esa lluvia.

Divertida e irónica a veces, combativa y crítica, todo cabe en esta historia y todo se le permite, porque marida perfectamente. Te enamoras de sus personajes (mis favoritos son Evelyn -Towanda, Dot y su marido, Eva, Idgie y Artis, pero es que te puedes enamorar de todos), del pueblo entero, de los golpes de humor escondidos, de la valentía para enarbolar temas espinosos en la época como la esclavitud, el racismo, la homosexualidad, la prostitución, el feminismo, la menopausia, los roles de género, la eutanasia...

Y lo hace todo de un modo tan bonito, tan elegante, que lo lees con una sonrisa, que se siente como una caricia en el corazón.
Que sí, que habrá quien aduzca argumentos en torno al maniqueísmo o la infantilización de los negros, pero mi impresión es que justamente busca mostrar eso: la evolución del racismo en el territorio. Esclavitud - segregación - Kukux Klan- cambios en la legislación - paternalismo ( que no es más que el reverso de la moneda del racismo...)

Yo quiero todo de esta mujer. Todo. Porque me ha cautivado. Porque escribe como los ángeles. Porque sí.

He llorado, reído, temido y vivido con cada uno de ellos, y la pena que he sentido al terminar el libro y tener que despedirme de ellos ha sido una sorpresa para mí. Hoy estoy de luto

I really love this movie, but as usual, the book is much better and vastly different. In 1985, two women, Ninny and Evelyn, meet and develop a strong friendship. They share treats and conversation while Ninny spins the story of Whistle Stop and its inhabitants, weaving relationships through generations in an enchanting tale of the Old South. The journey is equally important for both women, allowing Ninny to remember and embrace her past while helping Evelyn to accept her past and look forward to her future. Two significant differences exist between the book and the movie; Idgie and Ruth's relationship is blatently lesbian (in the movie they were just close friends), and the racial atmosphere of Alabama was a much more pronounced theme. Flagg's storytelling is bittersweet with many touching moments, and the cast of characters is wonderful. This is a heartwarming look at life, death, love, and friendship, and a great example of Southern Literature.

I know I should feel guilty for loving this book as much as I do. I mean, it only has one measly murder, no mad scientist, no bloodshed and it’s not about the end of the world as we know it... But sorry, not sorry: I just love it. “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café” is just too damn awesome for me to shelve it with my junk food books. Certainly, it is chick-lit: the little Alabama town is populated by people who are way too nice and quaint to be true (even the miscreants have hearts of gold!) and there is a theme of female empowerment that is just a little bit too obvious. But those flaws are easily forgotten by the touching (but never cheesy) tale of friendship between two women, and the poignant (but never clichéd) love story of two other women.

Evelyn Couch is having a mid-life crisis: her marriage is… well… duller than rain, she is hitting menopause and feels as if she has let her entire life pass her by. She meets Ninnie Threadgoode at the nursing home where her mother-in-law resides, and they become fast friends. Ninnie is one hell of a story teller, with a sharp wit and a twisted sense of humor. Every time Evelyn drops by the nursing home, Ninnie regales her with stories about her sister-in-law Idgie Threadgoode, who ran the titular Whistle Stop Café with her “friend” Ruth Jamison in the 1930’s. The two timelines are beautifully interweaved to draw the engaging story of these four women.

The characterisation is lovely, if flirting a little closely with some stereotypes: Idgie can be described as a female Huck Finn, Ruth is every bit the sweet and dutiful Southern Belle, Ninnie is the filter-less old lady and Evelyn is the sad housewife who turns her life around. But that is just their surface, and the book shows them growing and changing, through good times and bad times. What truly matters here is the bond between these women, how they care for and support each other no matter what, and how being in each other’s lives has made them better people. You become very emotionally invested in all four main characters, which makes the book a breeze to read, despite its relative bulkiness.

(Rant that contains some spoilers: I saw the movie before I read the book, and while the movie hints at the nature of Idgie and Ruth’s relationship, I had never really caught on to it until I read the book, which makes it completely unambiguous. I re-watched the movie after I finished the book and spent most of it smacking myself in the face for not having figured it out before. I think that Idgie and Ruth being a couple is actually relevant to Evelyn’s arc of the story: these women are an inspiration for her not because they were lesbians, but because they were not afraid of being themselves, and found a family in people not related to them by blood, which is how Evelyn eventually comes to see Ninnie – as family, not as a romantic interest. The fact that the people of Whistle Stop accepted their relationship might seem unrealistically optimistic, but I think that Flagg wanted to show that you can be accepted for being yourself no matter what that is. It is also my understanding that Flagg expressed confusion about her own sexual orientation after publishing “Fried Green Tomatoes”: the small town community embracing Ruth and Idgie regardless of their sexuality might also have been wishful thinking on her part because she yearned for the kind of support and acceptance the Whistle Stop folks and the Threadgoode family show her characters.)

Do not let the deceptively simple story fool you: this is a heartwarming book about love, grief, friendship, community and how the changing times affect our lives. Nothing in “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café” is really new under the sun, but that doesn’t make it any less of a refreshing and sweet read that makes me smile and cry. The movie is just as lovely, and I recommend both enthusiastically.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café is an engaging story about life in the US deep South. Set in Alabama, it described the relationship between the white and colored folks from the 1920s to the 1960s. Although segregation was the way of life in those days, what stood out was the solidarity between the white Threadgoode family who owned the Whistle Stop Café by the railroad yard and the black Peavey family members who did the cooking and cleaning.

The novel began with Ninny Threadgoode, an 87-year-old resident in a nursing home, fondly recalling her youthful days at the Whistle Stop Café that served the signature fried green tomatoes. Ninny found a willing listener in Mrs Evelyn Couch, an unhappy housewife who accompanied her husband to visit her mother-in-law once a week at Rose Terrace. Feeling unattractive, ineffectual, and depressed, Evelyn escaped the drudgery of her weekly visits by binging on candy in a quiet corner of the nursing home. She met Ninny who regaled her with stories of her youth spent at Whistle Stop with members of the Treadgoode family.

Chief among them were Idgie Treadgoode, the spunky tomboy of the family who set up the café with Ruth Jamison, the love of her life; Sipsey Peavey, a colored woman; her adopted son, Big George; daughter-in-law, Onzell; and her grand-children, Artis and Jasper. Idgie was a larger-than-life character who treated the blacks like family members and provided free food to the hobos.

The Whistle Stop Café offered good coffee and southern barbecue. The café was the nerve center of this small town where the delectable fare made glad every heart. Evelyn soon fell in love with members of the Whistle Stop Café who became her role models of generosity, loyalty, resilience, and courage.

The present day (1986) stories Ninny shared with Evelyn alternated with past (1929-1969) news reports from Weems Weekly (a Whistle Stop gossip column) and various other news bulletins from other parts of Alabama and cities where Whistle Stop residents made news. Dot Weems who wrote the Weems Weekly had a wonderful sense of humor. I looked forward to reading updates on ordinary life in Whistle Stop such as the opening of a new hair salon, a new Pig Club, an organ recital, wedding announcements, reminders from a neighbor not to feed her overweight cat, and funny anecdotes about Dot’s husband, Wilbur. Like Evelyn, I could not wait for Ninny to continue telling her story about Ruth’s marriage to Frank Bennett, Idgie’s heartbreak, Frank’s disappearance, and the court case in which Idgie and Big George were charged with murder.

Evelyn brought treats to share with Ninny who looked forward to her visits. Over time, a deep friendship developed. With Ninny’s encouragement, Evelyn began to grow in confidence and self-acceptance, and was able to re-invent her own life. Friendship is a key theme exemplified not just in the special bond between Evelyn and Ninny but also between the Threadgoode and Peavey family members.

I felt a pang of loss when the café closed in 1956 with the closing of the railroad yard. Weems Weekly posted their last issue when Dot and Wilbur moved to South Alabama in 1969. I can always tell a good book when I start missing the characters even before the final page is turned. This is one such book. One day I hope I get to sample a platter of fried green tomatoes and a southern barbecue.

Charming! This is the story of the type of small town in the first half of the 20th century that makes many people nostalgic. Whistle Stop, AL is populated by quirky, funny, broken, heroic people. As a lonely resident of a nursing home recounts stories from this time and place to a middle aged visitor sliding into depression and self-loathing, all find healing, hope and renewed confidence in the goodness of humans, including the reader.

Definito un vero e proprio capolavoro e caso editoriale, questo libro mi ha ispirano sin da sempre, soprattutto per la sua copertina che non passa inosservata, anzi è meravigliosa e merita tanto. Non avevo delle alte aspettative però la storia non mi ha coinvolto molto perché l’ho definita un mosaico di eventi quotidiani intrecciati tra loro. Infatti non è una storia vera e propria con una trama, bensì tante narrativi da diversi punti di vista. Un mosaico di luoghi, per personaggi e di eventi che creano questo romanzo super scorrevole, dovuto soprattutto al fatto che ogni capitolo risulta essere davvero molto molto breve.
Un libro che parla dell’amicizia, dell’amore, dell’essere madre e della forza d’animo, del coraggio e della passione nel svolgere il proprio lavoro. Adesso, dopo aver letto il romanzo, conto di recuperare il film.