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Quite a Year for Plums
by
Bailey White
In her stunningly accomplished first novel, Bailey White, author of "Mama Makes Up Her Mind", introduces readers to the peculiar yet lovable people who inhabit a small town in South Georgia. Heartbreakingly tender, often hilarious, "Quite a Year for Plums" is a delectable treat from a writer who has been called a national treasure.
Audio Cassette
Published
June 16th 1998
by Random House Audio
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Aiken314
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Recommends it for:
Southerners - not sure Yankees could/would appreciate it!
I really enjoyed this book; Bailey White often has me in tears because she has such a natural ear that she is able to carry over into her writing. A brilliant book? No. Outstanding theme and/or plot? No. Quirky characters? YES!! Exceptionally well drawn snipets of southern life among slightly off-center, good-hearted people? YES!! Bailey White writes exceptional characters that are not stereotypical and yet . . . we [who have lived in small, rural towns] KNOW these folks. It's a great,...more
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I'm a huge fan of Bailey White- She of the quavery voice, lunatic mother and great stories. So, way back in 1998, when she came out with her first novel, I was delighted. Then I got the novel, and the delight turned to disappointment. It wasn't that I disliked it a little-- I couldn't even finish it. Nuh-uh. No go. Sorry.
I gave my copy away.
Since then, I have studiously avoided picking it up at book sales and Goodwill when I see it. Now Mama Makes Up Her Mind or Sleepi...more
I gave my copy away.
Since then, I have studiously avoided picking it up at book sales and Goodwill when I see it. Now Mama Makes Up Her Mind or Sleepi...more
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So far, it's relatively interesting. Well-drawn characters and some interesting scenes, but nothing really jumps out. There's no real plot. I want there to be a plot. I keep waiting for these interesting characters to do something that carries forward more than just a few pages. I'll be done with it tomorrow, I'm sure, so more then...
Done. And my review remains exactly the same as above. Decent writing, decent characters, just no real continuous story being told. There are a few inte...more
Done. And my review remains exactly the same as above. Decent writing, decent characters, just no real continuous story being told. There are a few inte...more
This little book is an absolute charmer.
Did I learn anything from it? Oh, yes, probably all sorts of non-essential information about fires, electric fans, chickens, trees, birds, and spacemen that zoom around in convertible spacecraft looking for certain numbers and letters. Oh, and the opinion which folks from Georgia have of Florida. Does that make sense? Delightfully, happily, no.
This book is not a story; it is a character sketch of a slightly off-centre bunch of...more
Did I learn anything from it? Oh, yes, probably all sorts of non-essential information about fires, electric fans, chickens, trees, birds, and spacemen that zoom around in convertible spacecraft looking for certain numbers and letters. Oh, and the opinion which folks from Georgia have of Florida. Does that make sense? Delightfully, happily, no.
This book is not a story; it is a character sketch of a slightly off-centre bunch of...more
Quite a Year for Plums by Bailey White was an enjoyable read for me. I impulsively picked it up at the library’s display shelf without having heard of it before. This book was a quick read, with short chapters that moved the book along well.
There is an eclectic group of characters in this book ranging from Rodger a peanut expert, to two retired school teachers, to Louise who has dementia and believes in spacemen. Luckily, the author provides a ‘cheat sheet’ of characters at the beginning...more
There is an eclectic group of characters in this book ranging from Rodger a peanut expert, to two retired school teachers, to Louise who has dementia and believes in spacemen. Luckily, the author provides a ‘cheat sheet’ of characters at the beginning...more
Whimsical and witty…
Two words I would definitely not hesitate to use in description of this enjoyable little novel by Bailey White.
Quite A Year For Plums dwells on the slightly off-center antics of small town citizens in south Georgia, and boasts an array of characters who breathe life into every-day occurrences. There’s Roger, a quiet peanut pathologist who is a bit of an unlikely hometown celebrity. There’s Meade and Eula, two elderly spinsters who believe it is their sole purpose in life to ...more
Two words I would definitely not hesitate to use in description of this enjoyable little novel by Bailey White.
Quite A Year For Plums dwells on the slightly off-center antics of small town citizens in south Georgia, and boasts an array of characters who breathe life into every-day occurrences. There’s Roger, a quiet peanut pathologist who is a bit of an unlikely hometown celebrity. There’s Meade and Eula, two elderly spinsters who believe it is their sole purpose in life to ...more
I absolutely love the gardens in this book. Growing things are everywhere, and the characters cherish them. These characters range from gently befuddled through dangerously insane, but are lovable throughout. The joy is in the details---the difficulty one faces trying to paint chicken's feet (so difficult many artists contrive to leave them out of the scene)for example. As exasperating as they all are, these characters feel like family. Meanwhile, the story is laced with a deep sadness for ...more
It is a collection of Southern personalities who dwell in intertwining short stories, each chapter strong enough to stand alone but like a garden, creating a series of interconnected rooms we wander through, admiring, learning from, and smiling with. I particularly like the woman who believes the aliens are coming and using road signs to communicate finds an affinity with a husband of one of the summer visitors who is a type setter. He discovers someone who can really talk to him about the wonde...more
This Bailey White novel has a slightly darker tinge than Mama Makes Up Her Mind had. The characters and descriptions remind me of early Anne Tyler. Some of the back-and-forth pov sections and timelines were a little confusing if I put it down and came back to it some days later, but I was able to quickly re-immerse myself into the world White had created. Now I'm eager to find and read Sleeping at the Starlite Motel.
I really wanted to like this book, but even stuck on a plane I couldn't get beyond 50 pages. I just never connected with the characters. They seemed like a '50s high gloss postcard of a place rather than a true reflection, from the unlucky in love orinthologist to the grandma who awaits her next UFO visitation, the descriptions strive for quirky individuality but come across flat.
An expert example of southern literature, chock full of colorful characters living their daily lives while becoming part of our families while you read. Tales of an eccentric mama sleeping on the porch, chickens who inspire, and events that will stay with long after the book is finished, Bailey White might have recaptured the essence of Faulkner.
White, a clever commentator on NPR, does for northern Florida what Garrison Keillor does for Minnesota's lakes region: she creates a lovable cast of eccentric characters--mostly older women in her case--& recounts their humorous interactions in loving detail, but with little concern for larger plot development.
This is such a lovely book. You can just feel the humidity in the air. You will never look at a fan or a hen the same way again. It made me strive to live a calmer more thoughtful life - and I think I do since I read this. I can't wait to read more of Whites words. I would love to hear her on NPR again too.
Whenever an author has to include a who's who at the beginning of the book, I know I'm in for it. I just could not get into it. There ae some redeeming qualities, but it does not make my recommendation list.
I couldn't bring myself to care about any of the characters. It just felt so um, discombobulating.
I couldn't bring myself to care about any of the characters. It just felt so um, discombobulating.
I enjoyed her characterisation as usual, but being distracted by many other ourside issues at this time, probably took longer reading the novel than I would normally. I do believe the wealth of characters, needing a cast list at the start of the book, make it confusing to follow, especially as, like a chunk of life, there is no visible plot, and the story jumps from character to character. I ended up reading it as a series of anecdotes like the two previous books, and in that it is enjoyable. Th...more
Since I am from the general area in which this book was set, I found it to be entertaining enough. It didn't seem there was much of a plot--or it went completely over my head. I kept reading simply to see what familiar landmark the author would mention next.
It was light and fluffy. I'd consider reading another of this author's books based on this one, but not soon.
It was light and fluffy. I'd consider reading another of this author's books based on this one, but not soon.
My first Bailey White book, and I loved her homespun style! She writes about places I know, and people like my friends parents (and my friends!). Bailey White knows downhome Florida, and takes her readers with her on a trip back in time, which in many cases was just yesterday.
I've liked Bailey White's books in the past but this one just didn't resonate with me. I had trouble keeping track of the characters and the humor was all over the place. There were times where there were funny little pokes at society but overall this just didn't thrill me.
Disappointing.
Disappointing.
Usually, I love Southern Fiction. This time, not so much. The problem was that there was no plot to this book. It was about a bunch of eccentric characters living their eccentric lives... but without any kind of a point whatsoever. Cannot recommend it and very glad I didn't pay money for it.
Delightful. So Southern and full of colorful characters. I did have some trouble keeping everyone straight so had to go back and do a refresher. Makes you want to move to the country and hang out with people that are more concerned with friendship and doing the right thing.
I started this book, but could not work up enough interest to finish it. It's a novel about life in a small southern town. There are a lot of characters with strange connections to each other that I could not get straight. I finally lost interest in trying.
I like character-studies. It is a story about quirky people in a small town---- some funny lines that have made me laugh aloud.
-----Unfortunately there were too many people in the book for me to remember. I could have finished it, but the book was overdue and I didn't feel like renewing it. Not a bad read, just not worth my time (at this moment).
-----Unfortunately there were too many people in the book for me to remember. I could have finished it, but the book was overdue and I didn't feel like renewing it. Not a bad read, just not worth my time (at this moment).
Ms. White has a talent for character creation and dialogue. Her meandering novel brings to mind a Southern Prarie Home Companion. I loved her descriptions of food and nature, too. I finished the book wanting to hear more about this collection of characters. I also finished the book wondering if I had missed the plot . . . .
compelling characters, well crafted, perceptive observations about the art making process, the odd twists & turns of life and the importance of small things. Too much Southern quirkiness for my taste, it started feeling like a long string of eccentricities.
This was a selection for one of the book clubs I'm in. I just could not get very interested in any of the characters or what they were up to. I had to draw myself a chart just to remember who was who and how they were related. Ho hum .....
This sweet book is one of my favorites. I used to love hearing Bailey White's short spoken vignettes on NPR, and this book is just as charming as those stories always were. I also love her collections of short prose. This is an easy read.
A nice change of pace from drizzle in Tokyo. Despite the list of characters in the front of the book, I never really could keep the old ladies straight, but the good thing is, you really don't need to keep them straight to anjoy the story!
The character descriptions were wonderful creating people that were realistic and wonderfully quirky without being stereotypical or overdone. A quick read for those who even when needing to read something light require excellent writing.
I was disappointed with Bailey White's first attempt at fiction. I love her memoirs, so I had high hopes for this book. Eccentric Southern characters abound, but the story meanders and there just never seems to be any point to it all.
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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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