There are two ways to live your life.

One is as though nothing is a miracle.

The other is as though everything is a miracle.

- Albert Einstein

This is a sweet and quirky contemplation on the meaning of life. It presents various situations and conversations that offer insights into the human experience.

For example, there's the story of Dwayne Jr. and his request for Christmas from his partner. She asks for a vasectomy and even offers to pay for it, but he spends the money on an off-road vehicle instead. This shows the different priorities and choices people make.

Norma's actions are also interesting. When Linda Warren adopts a little Chinese girl, Norma shows her support by wearing a sweatshirt with the girl's picture on it and a caption that says "Someone Wonderful Calls Me Grandma." She seems to be a caring and involved person.

The conversations between the characters also add to the charm of the piece. The exchange between the paralegal and the person asking if she's a candy striper is humorous. And the discussion about the cat that lived to be twenty-five years old leads to some interesting speculation about the afterlife.

However, there are also some negative aspects. The way the doctor refers to his female patients as "bitches" is inappropriate and shows a lack of respect. This irritates the nurse, who believes that a good nurse should not notice gender and should treat all patients with kindness and respect.

Overall, this article offers a mix of lighthearted and serious moments that make us think about life, relationships, and the way we treat others.

Bueno... me ha gustado.

However, considering that I came with the expectations of having read and reread "Fried Green Tomatoes", it has seemed a bit short to me.

It is a sweet and meaningful novel (perhaps with too much meaning), entertaining to read, but that has left me a bit indifferent at the end.

Maybe it's because my expectations were too high, or maybe it's because the story didn't fully engage me.

Nonetheless, it has its merits. The writing is smooth and the characters are well-developed.

The message it conveys about friendship and the importance of living life to the fullest is a valuable one.

Overall, it's a decent read, but not one that will stay with me for a long time.

This is a cozy book.

It's one of those books that wraps you up like a hug.

The crazy characters, in which you can see yourself - I'm exactly like Norma, with the same levels of absurd anxiety and reading about her I realize how crazy I am too

I have a deep affection for Fannie Flagg. Her works always manage to captivate me with their engaging characters, compelling storylines, and the overall wonderful feel they offer while reading. This particular book is no exception. It is truly a typical example of her brilliant writing style.

What makes this book even more appealing is that it is the third in a series. However, I have not had the opportunity to read the first two installments, and yet, I found that it didn't matter at all. I was able to fully immerse myself in the story and understand the characters without any prior knowledge of the other books. This is definitely a plus for the book, as it allows new readers like me to jump right in and enjoy the narrative without feeling lost or confused.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good read. Whether you are a fan of Fannie Flagg or not, this book is sure to delight and entertain you. So, don't hesitate to pick it up and embark on this literary journey.

I had a smile on my face for the entire 365 pages of this charming book.

It is indeed funny, yet not the kind that makes you laugh out loud (LOL). Instead, it has a more serious undertone that delves into questioning the meaning of life.

Mrs. Elner Shimfissle is a highly intelligent elderly woman. Her views on life and the world might seem a bit eccentric at times, but one thing is for sure - Elner is deeply curious about the age-old question: “Why are we here?”

This book, which was written in 2006, turned out (for me) to be a completely ‘feel good’ story in 2020.

Apart from the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes”, this is my first Fannie Flagg book, and I couldn't be more pleased. I'll definitely be reading more from her very soon.

For those foodies out there, there are some delicious-sounding recipes at the end of the book. To name a few, there's Mrs. McWilliams’ Corn Bread, Irene Goodnights’s Green Bean Funeral Casserole, and Aunt Elner’s Pecan Pie.

Enjoy!

I have a new heroine, and she is the elderly protagonist Elner in this book.

She appeared in the 2 previous Elmwood Springs books, and I already adored her character. However, in this book, we get to know her so much better.

Her spirit, her commonsense wisdom, and her zest for life were truly an inspiration to me.

Although she may have been in her later years, she stayed young at heart.

She loved and influenced countless people with her goodwill and her true "love thy neighbor" personality.

She is a precious lady, and I am extremely glad that I got to know her.

Fannie Flagg is indeed a master storyteller.

This book is highly recommended for anyone who loves a heartwarming and inspiring story.

It will touch your soul and make you believe in the power of love and kindness.

So, don't miss out on this wonderful book and get to know Elner, the amazing heroine.

I bought this book on impulse at Borders, before it closed (boo hoo). It was very cheap, and I loved "Fried Green Tomatoes" and Candid Camera, so I was eager to enjoy this novel by Fannie Flagg.

However, I made a couple of false starts when I began to read. My busy life was somewhat distracting, and the featured small town quirkiness didn't initially grab my attention.

Then, my dear friend Lillian passed away at age 90. For years, I spent most Saturday lunches with her. Suddenly, that privilege was gone. I picked up this novel, hoping to occupy my restless brain for a while.

Little did I know that Aunt Elner Shimfissle would capture my heart and help me through the initial stages of grief with her zest for life and humorous outlook. The only similarities between Aunt Elner and my friend Lillian might have been the number of people they touched and their habit of taking people at face value.

Aunt Elner saw the best in everyone she encountered and didn't fuss over the petty details that so often drag us down. She had questions about everything but didn't worry about whether the answers fit with her own view of reality. She helped people without thought of personal gain or gratitude. She accepted everyone, flaws and all.

Fannie Flagg has written a book of comfort for those of us who wonder and worry about the meaning of it all. Her characters are ordinary people who share my own dismay at the state of the world and its occupants. She addresses the horror and confusion of a country that suddenly realizes its self-perception may not be shared by the rest of the world.

Aunt Elner's quiet, simple life, or more significantly, her passing, is an engaging illustration of the butterfly effect. The quickening winds sweep the lucky reader up on a delightful journey.

I didn't realize when I picked this up that it is the third (and last) of a series.

However, it certainly stands on its own.

Aunt Elner Shimthistle is extremely confident. Despite being in her 80s, she firmly believes that she can still do everything she has always done.

For example, she loves climbing her fig tree to pick the fruit.

Her niece and nephew-in-law have taken on the role of her guardian angels.

The niece, Norma, is not as patient with her aunt as her husband.

Her husband stops in for coffee with Aunt Elner every day before going to work.

The story is full of interesting characters and brings many chuckles.

It is a pleasant listen.

Nonetheless, I felt that the loose ends of the story were tied up through an odd epilogue.

Overall, it was an enjoyable experience, but that epilogue left a bit of a strange taste in my mouth.

Despite this, I would still recommend it to others who enjoy light-hearted and character-driven stories.

Fannie Flagg creates addiction, did you know? Probably I'm not telling you anything new, but for those (like myself) who were so thick-skinned as to discover her with a significant delay in the normal schedule, believe me, reading her novels (even after a long time) is like coming home, relaxing in an armchair with a nice cup of steaming coffee and a freshly baked cake.

The story features a stubborn, irreverent and crusty old woman who, with her not so precisely determined years behind her, continues undeterred to live her life with some hardships, a smile always stamped on her lips and that vital sense of independence that has never abandoned her, not even for a moment (with due respect to the anxious niece Norma).

Elner Shimfissle is that protective mother, that patient confessor, that stinging word spat in the face, that long-awaited embrace for every single inhabitant of the smiling and chatty town of Elmwood Springs. And yet, everything seems to precipitate on a normal summer morning when the news of the sudden departure of the beloved Elner begins to spread like wildfire, house after house, shop after shop, life after life. If it weren't that Elner is not exactly dead, dead, dead. Yes, she would be practically, but not completely. And what if you were given a second chance? If your encounter with the Creator were not a one-way trip, but a fleeting last-minute touch and go? Fannie Flagg manages once again not to take anything for granted, to play with a cheeky irony and to put on the table thoughts and emotions that are anything but frivolous and superficial.

Helped, in this case, by a protagonist frankly irresistible because Elner is not only the voice of a fresh and linear narration, but she accompanies us on a journey that warms the heart, that puts everything else in the background telling how life is one, simple and immediate, and as such must be lived. I think I have never laughed so much with pleasure in my life. I found myself in Paradise with tears in my eyes, not being able to understand if it was really so surreal or surprisingly plausible. Then to find myself thrown back to Earth with all its consequences and those palpable and true emotions that arise from the memories of friends, neighbours, acquaintances of the much lamented Elner.

Each of them makes us understand how her simple presence had been decisive, how many small signs she had managed to leave in the life of so many, different people. Isn't that what, in the end, we hope for? To leave a sign, however small, in the life of those we have met or even just crossed paths with, in the people we have loved and also of those that, with difficulty, we have endured. And Elner teaches us that kindness of heart never goes out of fashion, that the gentleness of a spontaneous smile or an unexpected caress left at the right moment can make the difference, change our little corner of the world and make it suddenly better.

It's a light book, that makes you sleep peacefully.
Fannie Flagg, in this novel, imagines and transports us to her Paradise.
It's sweet, her vision, just like a slice of caramel cake.

Flagg, in this novel, ventures answers to the Questions, those whose answer can be neither right nor wrong, like "What is the meaning of life?" and I bring you here the answer:
“...life is like a ride on a roller coaster, all jerks, curves and swerves, a up and down from start to finish (...) and all you have to do is sit back and enjoy it”.
So the answers we are given, put us in a good mood.
Maybe at times they can be too optimistic and mellow, but come on, not always do we want to deal with the harsh reality.
So I recommend it, if the effect we want to have by reading this book, is that of a cup of hot drink, drunk on the sofa in front of a warm fire.

3.5 stars

This is essentially a charming fairytale designed for adults. It centers around an elderly woman who served as a pillar of strength and support for numerous individuals in the town. One fateful day, she passed away. However, through a rather peculiar incident, she sort of came back to life. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that she was wrongly declared dead - the choice is yours to make. In any case, she also had a glimpse of the afterlife and returned to share with her amusing and somewhat oblivious neighbors and family members the profound message that life is not about outward appearances but rather about finding true happiness within oneself.

At first glance, it might seem like a religious narrative, but it isn't. It is simply steeped in a sense of empathy and sweetness. In fact, it even attempts to challenge some typical religious views, albeit in a very limited and comfortable manner. Which leads me to my next point.

The story is undeniably sweet and has a feel-good factor, but at times it can come across as simplistic. Moreover, it is incredibly, incredibly white and American. I don't just mean in terms of the cast (although that is clearly the case), but also in terms of the perspectives and worldviews presented. You'll understand what I mean if you take the time to read it. Many of the ideas and attitudes are mostly harmless and quaint, but they can also seem a little dated and extremely white, to the extent that it can be quite humorous and even a bit eye-rolling at times. There are numerous such elements throughout the story, and this is precisely why I deducted a star. Otherwise, it was a very sweet and enjoyable book. There were many aspects that could be described as very "white baby boomer" in nature - even the notion that life is about being happy is somewhat of a super white and privileged American concept. You wouldn't dream of saying that to someone from the poorer regions of the world where people are struggling with starvation and suffering. But in such books, these so-called "truths" are always supposed to be universal, and heaven is always depicted as being American.

As I mentioned earlier, it is very white. But it is also mostly harmless! And it is quite cheering and upbeat. It was definitely an enjoyable read, and it can be finished in a very short amount of time.

Triggers: The old lady [sort of] dies, someone experiences the loss of a cat, there is an attempted rape (although it is not described in detail), and there is also a gay and trans side character mentioned, both of whom are portrayed in a rather negative light - not because of their orientation, but simply because they "happen" to be written as bad people.

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Another hilarious and endearing novel by Fanie Flagg has emerged.

She has a remarkable talent for keeping the story simple, yet bright and engaging.

The narrative flows smoothly, drawing the reader in from the very beginning.

It is a true pleasure to read this novel from start to finish.

The characters are well-developed and their antics are both entertaining and heartwarming.

Fanie Flagg has once again proven herself to be a master storyteller.

So, pick up this book, sit back, relax, and enjoy the wonderful world that Fanie Flagg has created.

You won't be disappointed.

Fannie Flagg doesn't develop a very complex story line in "Can't Wait To Get To Heaven". However, this doesn't really matter.

Her heroine, the charming Elener Shimfizzle, is a truly kind and eccentric old lady. She has gathered a group of characters who are worthy of several novels.

The development of these characters, each one remarkable in their ordinariness, makes for an interesting read.

From her nervous and OCD niece, Norma, to the arrogant lawyer, Winston Sprague, all are influenced by Elener's kindness.

Elener's presence seems to bring out the best in everyone around her, even in those who initially seem unlikely to be affected.

The relationships that develop between the characters add depth and richness to the story, making it a truly engaging and enjoyable read.

Despite the lack of a traditional story line, Flagg's ability to create such vivid and memorable characters more than makes up for it.