The Goodreads.com 2018 Reading Challenge Continues. . .

Standing in the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg (2002)  Book #28/40 in the Goodreads.com 2018 Reading Challenge.  Will I make it to Book 40/40 before December 31st???
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 As I have mentioned in earlier blogs, I signed up for the 2018 Reading Challenge promoted by Goodreads.com.  I have recently finished  another Fannie Flagg novel titled Standing in the Rainbow.  This is Book #28.  I am still 2 books behind schedule as determined by Goodreads.com, but the good news is that Goodreads has stopped sending me emails reminding me that I am behind.  I guess they gave up.  That was driving me crazy.

I made some limiting rules for this challenge making my book selection easier and more balanced.  Each book chosen for this challenge must fall into one of the following categories:

     1. Authors recommended by other readers (author must be new to me)
     2. Any recommendations by my fellow readers of our online mystery reading group established in 1993 on Prodigy
    3. The next book in a series I have been reading
    4. The next book in a series I have abandoned (in an attempt to revive my interest)
    5. A book that references a historic event or period that is not in my lifetime
    6. A book that references any historic event or biographs a famous person who lived in my lifetime.
    7. New mystery author with setting in USA.
    8. New mystery author with setting in western Europe.  

Standing in the Rainbow follows category #3.

This book was either a fast read, or maybe I just love reading Fannie Flagg books.  This is the second book in her Elmwood Springs series about growing up in a small Missouri town and the relationship between big and small towns in the Midwest.  It is also the story of big and small relationships, big and small issues and big and small characters. Magically, there is a section of this novel that pertains to every age group and life cycle. Depending on the age of the reader, each will find themselves in this novel.  As I am in the retirement age group, I particularly found the description of the transition away from family life (kids at home) and work responsibilities (daily grind) interesting, insightful and true.

I read this book this past weekend while in Hot Springs, Virginia.  Not the Midwest but a small town where I lived for two years in the early 80's.   I was there this week to attend the funeral of one of my favorite people on this planet.  I met her the first day I lived in Hot Springs, and over the past 35 years, she has remained one of the most wonderful friends I could have ever had.  We kept in touch, visited at reasonable intervals and I will miss her.  As this novel proves, we "never get that time back". 

Standing in the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg (2002)

There is no doubt that I am a first class Fannie Flagg fan.  Thinking I had read all of her books with the exception of the Christmas novel, I was pleasantly surprised that I had not read  "Standing in the Rainbow".   Once I got into this book, I wished I had read this book before her most recent novel, "The Whole Town's Talking".  Standing in the Rainbow is about the living cycle of a lifetime in the small Missouri town of Elmwood Springs. Every age group is standing in its own rainbow--has its own colorful characters, its own events, its own adventures and at some point, its own fade.   "The Whole Town's Talking" focuses on how towns change and are affected as generations die.

There were a lot of action, a lot of adventures going on and a lot of characters included in this novel.  Most critical issues good and bad, encountered in a lifetime are demonstrated in this novel.  Once again, as a Fannie Flagg guarantees that the action never ends.   At times its a bit difficult to keep everyone straight and who likes who and who is at odds, when and why.  But all the characters are engaging and it is hard to resist reading to the end even if it is just to know how they all turn out.  This novel clearly illustrates the wins and losses of life, the passing of the years that seem so long at the time, and then in retrospect, went so fast, the softening of differences and the realization that no one ever gets the time back.  That is the way life is and the way this story is told.  It is hard to put this book down.

Fannie Flagg's usual humor is found less often in this novel than the others.  But as a Missourian myself, I have to praise Fannie Flagg for so perfectly  portraying life in the Midwest.  We are generous and kind.  We are accustomed to and really good at creating our own drama.  As kids, we grow up dreaming of getting out of the Midwest and living in places that we imagine are more exciting. but then we get there and find out its just different.   And like people everywhere, we intend to "get together" or "visit" our friends after moving on.  But so rarely is there follow-through,  and many times the outcome is "that it is too late".

Several years ago I left Missouri and moved to the East Coast.  It has been brought to my attention many times that I "am so Midwestern".  I am guilty, and I would never have it any other way.  Maybe that is my Rainbow.  I loved this book.