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Nothing with Strings: NPR's Beloved Holiday Stories
For more than a decade, Bailey White has delivered a story each Thanksgiving to National Public Radio's All Things Considered listeners. Long awaited by her many fans, Nothing with Strings is the entire collection of these Thanksgiving stories, published together for the first time.With wit and charm, White writes about an almost-gone little town where a spoon player is a ...more
Audio CD, 0 pages
Published
November 24th 2008
by Tantor Media Inc
(first published October 28th 2008)
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A collection of short stories from Bailey White, a featured contributor to NPR's All Things Considered. I haven't heard Ms White on radio tho' having read these, I can see why they may have her telling her little vignettes rooted in life in a small Southern town. They're charming, intriguing, on occasion whimsical, with a few twists and the right atmosphere for warm and winning all-American story-telling.
I was browsing at the library, looking for something else, and the idea of short...more
I was browsing at the library, looking for something else, and the idea of short...more
They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. Fair enough. But there are some books that you should be able to make a fairly accurate guess about the subject matter based on the title. For example, if you picked up a book titled “The Life and Times of George Washington, First President of the United States,” you would probably be surprised, and more than a little upset, if the book turned out to be about Millard Fillmore.
Now we come to the title of the book being reviewed: “Nothing ...more
Now we come to the title of the book being reviewed: “Nothing ...more
I first learned of Bailey White when she occasionally read her essays
on NPR's 'All Things Considered.' I enjoyed these little stories of
life in small town southern Georgia, but I like her stories of life with
her mother better. A favorite story in this book was about a bus ride.
"There will be no smoking on the bus," the driver announced, settling himself with practiced care into his seat. "If you've got a radio, use the headphones and keep the volume down...more
on NPR's 'All Things Considered.' I enjoyed these little stories of
life in small town southern Georgia, but I like her stories of life with
her mother better. A favorite story in this book was about a bus ride.
"There will be no smoking on the bus," the driver announced, settling himself with practiced care into his seat. "If you've got a radio, use the headphones and keep the volume down...more
Though in the last year or so I have read a number of books that were collections of short stories, This is still not one of my favorite genres. These stories were sometimes odd and though the characterizations were complete and interesting, at times I would get to the end and say "Huh?" I did enjoy a few, though. (Especially "Meals on Wheels", "The Telephone Man", "Lonesome Without You") And all of the stories had that Southern character that mixes humor ...more
I've listened to other Baily White stories on audio, as well as other similar authors, and I really liked the other books. This collection just didn't keep my interest as well as other humorous stories. I'd call these short stories Southern "depression" fiction. I say depression both because many of the stories reminisce about depression times, and most are depressing. Not the humor of her earlier stories. Not the kind of mood I'd expect in a "holiday" collection, either. Com...more
This was a neat collection of southern short stories I’m not sure why they say they are holiday themed because really they’re not, but good none the less. I would say the theme is aging & gardening, southern style.
Some of these stories were sad/touching, some were funny, most were both but all left me wanting more. Just a warning these aren’t happy stories but they are good stories I would recommend this for southern fiction lovers.
I listened to this one on audio narrated by, Lorna ...more
Some of these stories were sad/touching, some were funny, most were both but all left me wanting more. Just a warning these aren’t happy stories but they are good stories I would recommend this for southern fiction lovers.
I listened to this one on audio narrated by, Lorna ...more
I heard Bailey White telling a story on NPR about when she heard a certain bird she moved from the back bedroom out to the sleeping porch. I loved her voice, her words and her story so I immediately had to get one of her books. I chose Nothing with Strings. It is listed as NPR's beloved holiday stories. I thought of these stories as Thanksgiving stories. I loved them. They were just little short stories. I could imagine Bailey White telling them in her wonderful southern accent. A very...more
Don't let the title fool you - not all of the dozen or so stories by Bailey White have anything to do with holidays. Lorna Raver, also known as The Young and the Restless' Millie Perkins and Drag Me to Hell's Mrs. Ganush, adds depth and authenticity to stories set south of the Mason-Dixon line with her own drawl. The plots follow the lives of Everymen and -women dealing with the curve balls life can throw, from a relative dealing with Alzheimer's to infidelity to house guests who become more and...more
Good stories, but all kind of sad in the end. I was hoping for more Christmas themed stories, since it says stories for the holidays, but apparently this is a collection of stories that have been read over the years at Thanksgiving. There is only one story where they actually have a Thanksgiving meal. The rest are just stories of people, and they do make you appreciate your own people, which I guess is the point. I did enjoy them, but I so like a happy ending.
I had mixed feelings about these stories at first, as I was expecting a light, uplifting holiday read, but once I got over this expectation I enjoyed them very much. The stories are well-written, low-key and subtly poignant. The first stories left me feeling slightly disturbed --as if I might have missed something. Many of the stories involve people failing to make connections where connections should be (between relatives, neighbours, etc), while unexpected connections happen between strangers ...more
It's been awhile since I read the work of Bailey White. I love her gentle Southern humor and excellent writing. These are stories she's shared at Thanksgivings on NPR (All Things Considered). My faves are Bus Ride and Nothing with Strings, the title of the collection.
Kelly
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From Jenn for Christmas
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Be warned that this may be subtitled as a book of holiday stories, but only one story even mentions the holidays, and that in passing. A collection of enjoyable, mostly poignant, generally memorable short stories covering a range of characters and settings--from hippies to alzheimer sufferers.
I didn't know what to expect when I got this book from the library. I liked that I didn't find overly sweet holiday stories, but instead ones that were sweet, a little tart, and others that made me ponder. Nice and easy reading for a busy Thanksgiving week.
Interesting collection of short stories, written by White for NPR's. I envy a person who can just jump into their characters' lives and capture a moment, a year, an afternoon and what it stands for. I enjoyed this collection very much.
I love everything Bailey White has written. She is from my hometown and all of her stories and characters are so familiar. I feel as if I've met each one. I cherish most that she see the beautiful quirkiness of common southerners.
As with her other books this is one of short stories about people from very ordinary walks of life. She can see in each one a unique personality. The stories seem simple but one finds them returning to mind for years.
I adore Bailey White! I 'met' her reading her own work on NPR, sought out her Sleeping at the Starlite Motel and have read ever bit of her work I can find. In fact, this is my second reading of Nothing with Strings.
This book had the text "NPR's Beloved Holiday stories". I'm sad to say this is very depressing. I've read other Bailey White short stories, but these stories are just a bummer.
Love Baily White. Her quirky Southern characters are so real, funny, sad, poignant. There is nothing romanticized about them. Yet, you don't hate them but just feel compassion.
I've been a big fan of Bailey White and was excited to see this audio in the library. Most of the stories were actually quite depressing. It wasn't what I expected.
Good stories. Somewhat surreal in a very American way. Most are fairly depressing. My favorite was "Miss Wigglesworth's Bull".
I love Bailey White. I think life is getting harder and momma's quirks reflect something more. I hope she keeps writing.
I am not generally a fan of the short story. But this book busted that idea. I loved it. These stories have the classic White "quirkiness" that I so love and they also touch on such the poignancies and complexities of being human with insight and tenderness. Lovely.
Southern short stories, listened on audio. Stories have a surprising snarky twist at the end.
Bailey White has a great feel for Southern characters and displays it in these stories.
A modern Faulkner. Bailey White is a genius.
It read more like Garrison Keillor than Bailey White. My favorite is still Mama Makes Up Her Mind. It's the best of all!
This collection of holiday stories is charming and sweet. These have been read over the years to All Things Considered audiences on Thanksgiving. What a delightful tradition!
Why are these stories beloved? I found them real downers and didn't even finish the book!
LOVE Bailey White. Wonderfully written short stories.
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Bailey White was born in 1950 in Thomasville, Ga. She still lives in the same house in which she grew up, on one of the large tracts of virgin longleaf pine woods. Her father, Robb White, was a fiction writer and later a television and movie script writer. Her mother, Rosalie White, was a farmer, and worked for many years as the executive director of the local Red Cross Chapter. She has one brothe...more
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