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Feb 22, 2009

Cindy rated it:

This book hooked me from the first page. I had to keep reading to make sure everything turned out well for the two orphaned kids! The brother and sister, Lutie (15) and Fate (11), have seen their fair share of misery in their short lives. The book begins when their caretaker, who is the ex-girlfriend of their father, dies in WalMart of a heart attack and the children take her car rather than be put into foster care. First problem, Lutie is only 15, doesn't have her driver's license, and real More...

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Sep 16, 2008

Karen rated it:

When I really like a book, I tend to read everything by that author, with mixed results. (John Irving, usually great. Augusten Burroughs, not so much so.) I loved The Honk and Holler Opening Soon, and liked Where the Heart Is. But Made in the USA was a disappointment, with an extremely unlikeable main character and an implausible (given the characters' previous behaviors) and rushed ending. More...

1 comment like (8 people liked it)

Mar 21, 2011

Erin rated it:

Fifteen-year-old Lutie McFee and her eleven-year-old brother Fate have been raised by their father's 300-pound ex-girlfriend, Floy, ever since they were abandoned by him. In a split second, however, this changes when Floy drops dead in the local Wal-Mart. When presented with the option of ending up with social services, Lutie and Fate pack up and escape in Floy's truck in search of their father. Their destination: Las Vegas.

Once in Vegas, Lutie and Fate struggle to make ends meet an More...

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Jan 30, 2011

Lennie rated it:

After their “caretaker” dies, 15-year old Lutie and her younger brother, Fate, become fearful that they will be sent to live in a foster home so they leave Oklahoma and take off to Las Vegas in search of their father who had abandoned them. But Las Vegas can be a cruel and unforgiving place for two kids living on the streets and they soon find this out when some shady characters take advantage of their situation. In order to survive, Lutie gets a job appearing in a porn film and then starts us More...

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Jul 11, 2010

Joshua rated it:

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Jul 10, 2010

Alice rated it:

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May 26, 2010

Bill rated it:

Among the levels in this multi-level novel are a cautionary tale and a level of love and redemption. Lutie, 15, and her brother, Fate, 11 are cast off children. Fate is a particularly brilliant child who loves facts, books and school. Their mother is dead and their drunken father has abandoned them. Floy, his obese girlfriend is taking care of them but dies in a Wal-Mart checkout line. To avoid foster homes and possibly being split up Lutie and Fate flee in Floy's old Pontiac, Ultimately More...

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Dec 27, 2009

Anye rated it:

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Sep 20, 2009

Brittany rated it:

How I Came To Read This Book: One of my best friends' favourite books is 'Where The Heart Is'. I bought this book for her for Christmas last year, and finally got around to reading it for myself.

The Plot: Billie Letts' opens her story in her favourite setting: Wal-Mart, where fifteen-year-old firecracker Lutie and her introverted cerebral brother Fate are sort of enjoying an afternoon out with their pseudo-stepmom Floy. When Floy drops dead at the checkout stand, Lutie and Fate hit t More...

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Jul 10, 2009

Terry rated it:

Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts is a truly unforgettable tale of children that slip through the cracks in our society. I could actually see this happening to those children that come from broken homes and families of abusive parents. This is a very emotional tale and will certainly touch you.

Lutie Mcfee is a fifteen year old girl that has to grow up way to fast. Having lost her mum some years past and her drunken father abandoning her and her brother leaving them with one of his o More...

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Jun 24, 2009

Michele rated it:

I've only read one other book by Letts and it was Where the Heart Is. Unfortunately, the two are extremely similar. It was a quick, enjoyable read for the summer. It only took me two days to finish it. It was one of those stories where the main character keeps acting the way you don't want them to. Sometimes it's hard to root for this character when time and again they fail. I guess without these flaws there wouldn't be a story-line. However, I wish the viewpoint of the book was written b More...

1 comment like (3 people liked it)

Jun 16, 2009

Amy rated it:

Win a copy of Made in the USA on my blog: http://fibrofoggy.blogspot.com/2009/06/b...

Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts kept me up past my bedtime, which is a good indication for me of how good a book is. Lutie and her brother Fale pulled at my heartstrings with their tragic story of loss, sacrifice, and truly tough times. 11 year old Fale was my favorite character in this book. His quirky love of learning facts about everything under the sun made me laugh. Even though he is younger t More...

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Jun 13, 2009

Hilarie rated it:

There are times I read a book and it makes me profoundly grateful for the relatively blessed life that I experienced during my journey to adulthood. This is certainly one of those books!

Made in the USA is the harrowing, but stirring story of Lutie and Fate: a 15 year old girl and her 11 year brother, who find themselves unexpectedly orphaned and homeless. Fear of the foster care system sends the siblings on a cross country trip to Las Vegas, where Lutie is certain that she can find a More...

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May 12, 2009

Christine rated it:

An enjoyable, character-driven read, though nothing mind-blowing. The story follows 15 yr old Lutie McFee and her 11 yr old brother Fate after their guardian dies and they run away to Las Vegas to find the father who abandoned them.

Lutie is by far the more interesting of the two protagonists, but also the most frustrating. She's clever, strong-willed, and feisty, but also mean-spirited, immature, and foolish. Shocking, degrading things happen to her in her attempts to take care More...

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May 04, 2009

Sarah rated it:

I had a very hard time deciding whether to give this book two or three stars, but the farther I get away from this book, the more I realize how dreadful it was.

I haven't read _The Honk & Holler Opening Soon_, but I've read all her others, and I really wish Billie Letts had stopped with _Where the Heart Is_. I loved that book and I still think it's an amazing read. Now Letts has reduced herself to sterotypical characters, incredibly predictable plots, and a storyline formula. In More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jan 27, 2011

Tracy rated it:

As a fan of Billie Letts' other books, I have to say I was a bit disappointed in this, her most recent. It follows her usual format: Members of the fringes of society fall into rough situations, and bond with one another for the happy ending. But usually this is done in a way that is satisfying to read. In "Made in the USA", the main characters are a young sister and brother, Lutie and Fate, respectively, who, facing foster care, decide to run away together to Las Vegas. Trouble bef More...

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Dec 08, 2010

Claudia rated it:

I liked this one...I liked these two wounded kids...Lutie and Fate (he should have been named Fale, after their mother's family, but someone at the hospital crossed the "L") are essentially dumped with an ex-girlfriend of their father when he decides to run away to Las Vegas. After another Letts Walmart moment, they find themselves on the run, afraid if they stay in Spearfish SD, they'll be sent to foster care. A road trip to Las Vegas has moments of humor and terror.

As doe More...

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Jun 20, 2010

Beck rated it:

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Mar 13, 2009

Becky rated it:

It's amazing how far the human spirit will stretch when there is the smallest possibility of hope.

Lutie (15) and Fate (11) McFee have fallen between the "system's" crack. Orphanned, they set out to make a life for themselves in Las Vegas.

This novel is a waterdowned Hollywood happy ending of what would really happen to these two endearing and naive children. However, Lutie's tale is a bit more realistic - she is raped once and nearly a second time(although not More...

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Dec 23, 2010

Emily rated it:

I liked this book. It is about two kids, a fifteen year old girl names Lutie (a name that I'm not gonna lie, annoyed me a bit) and her eleven year old brother Fate (it was supposed to be Fale, the mother's maiden name, but the nurse accidentally put a t on the birth certificate). When you first meet the kids they are living with a 300lbs woman named Floy in North Dakota. Their mother died when Lutie was 6 and Fate, 3 and their father ran off and left them with his current girlfriend (Floy). Foly More...

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Aug 09, 2011

Diana rated it:

This is the 4th book that I have read written by Billie Letts.
I find her characters earthy and many times living in poverty or just about poverty level. There are people who are genuine and offer love to characters who have had very difficult lives.
In this book, brother and sister (Lettie and Fate...where does she get these names??)are living with their dad's 300 pound ex girlfriend, Floy. Floy dies in the checkout counter at WalMart in Spearfish, South Dakota. 14 years old L More...

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May 10, 2011

Karen rated it:

I have read all of Billie Letts' novels and was excited to find a copy of her latest, "Made In The U.S.A." on sales at Barnes and Noble. If it hadn't been such a quick read, I probably would not have bothered. The story follows eleven year old Fate and his fifteen year old sister, Lutie, as they try to make a life for themselves and escape fostercare in the aftermath of their parent's death.

The story has way too many twists and turns. The plot moves forward and an unreali More...

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Nov 02, 2010

Breanna rated it:

Here's a short thing on this book- I read this over the summer. It was the first book by Billie Letts that I read, and man was it interesting. It got me into Billie Letts, and now I'm craving more.

I remember that this book honestly had the craziest plot that I've ever read. It was about a brother and sister who run off to Las Vegas and end up meeting a circus family. Oh my. How random. But it was so good. I couldn't even put it down.

And the characters, Billie Letts nev More...

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Feb 13, 2010

Tarott rated it:

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Sep 15, 2008

Cindy rated it:

I loved it! An easy to read, fast paced, feel good kind of book with sweet characters and a happy ending. What more do you want from a novel? I was just in the mood for this kind of book and I read it within two days and was sorry to see it end.

I really enjoyed Where the Heart Is and I think Made in the USA has the same vibe.

Good job, Billie Letts!

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May 19, 2010

Susie rated it:

First off I was expecting southern fiction, which this wasn’t and it was much grittier than I expected it to be.
Lutie is not a very likeable character and it doesn’t get any better as things progress. Her brother Fate makes this book, he is precocious and adorable, wise beyond his years yet sweet and optimistic. I also liked the Vargas Family storyline.

This book is about two young children whose mother is dead their father has left them with a girlfriend who dies in More...

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Aug 15, 2009

Gretchen rated it:

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May 05, 2009

Chris rated it:

I've read several of Letts' books and enjoyed them. Starting out in small town middle america - in a Walmart (again) - two young kids are left on their own when the lady who has been taking care of them has a heartattack and dies (in the check-out line). The kids take Floy's car and head to Vegas where there deadbeat alcoholic dad was last reported to have been. He has been in jail and just recently died, so the kids really are on their own and follow some leads to living on the streets. The More...

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Aug 19, 2011

Angie rated it:

Audio book -
Two discs in I thought to myself , " Oh Jesus ! This is going to be one of those books ! " Those equals the author has taken it upon themself to prove that Murphy's Law really does happen . Those equals the author has written about the most wronged , accident prone , bad lucked, somebody keeps shitting in their lunchbox character/s and the worst case scenarios for said character/s . THOSE equals I think to myself , " Oh Jesus ! This is going to be one of those More...

3 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 22, 2011

Michele rated it:

Lutie and Fate - what names! These two love each other fiercely! When they get to Vegas they are both worrying and looking out for each other. Lutie wants to send Fate to a good school and Fate wants Lutie to be safe and happy. But living on the streets of Las Vegas makes both of those desires incredibly difficult to achieve! [return][return]As a mom, I just wanted to scoop these two up, bring them in the house and take care of them. I cried with them, worried over them, shook my head at their c More...

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