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42nd out of 314 books
—
510 voters
The Land of Mango Sunsets
by
Dorothea Benton Frank (Goodreads Author)
Dorothea Benton Frank writes highly addictive tales of life's conundrums with hilarity and heat. Meet Miriam Elizabeth Swanson, in a full-blown snit, buoyed by a fabulous cast that runs the gamut from insufferable to wonderful. First is the arrival of Liz Harper, Miriam's tenant from Birmingham, who sets a new cycle in motion. Her other tenant, Kevin, stalwart companion wi...more
Paperback, Large Print, 528 pages
Published
April 10th 2007
by HarperLuxe
(first published April 1st 2007)
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Read this on the plane to California for my mother's Memorial. She died a month ago frommetastatic breast and colon cancer.
I'd heard this book was a bi different from Dotty Frank's usual books. Yes and no. A woman of a certain age still runs home to mama and finds her own brand of truth and honesty. A little bit of frivolity, too. I liked how Miriam turned into Mellie. Miriam was a bain in the arse; Mellie is a work in progress. But some one should have warned me how close certain aspects of thi...more
I'd heard this book was a bi different from Dotty Frank's usual books. Yes and no. A woman of a certain age still runs home to mama and finds her own brand of truth and honesty. A little bit of frivolity, too. I liked how Miriam turned into Mellie. Miriam was a bain in the arse; Mellie is a work in progress. But some one should have warned me how close certain aspects of thi...more
Thoroughly enjoyed this was a book of relationships, of honesty, of pride, and of knowing oneself. The messages the book sent were forthright (don't neglect to get mammmograms, colonoscopies when due) and subtle: take control and grab all the happiness you can; isn't it amazing what could happen when you "laid down our sword and opened your arms"; don't let anybody or anything come between you and your family. Lessons we can all learn from. Through the characters, we learn how to be a good daugh...more
I devour most any book about lowcountry. This one started out rather slowly, but the story became engaging once Miriam/Mellie realized what she really needed in her life and gave up her snooty socialite ways. There were a lot of characters in this book, but Dorothea Benton Frank did a very good job of introducing them one at a time so that one could get to know them before another one appeared. And, once they met their purpose, she dropped them out of the story and moved on. I loved Kevin, and w...more
It is no big secret why I love Dorothea's novels. Most of them take place along the South Carolina coast which is where my heart longs to be each and every day. But, the characters she creates in this most perfect setting are amazing. At the end of every one of her books, I almost feel as if the main characters are real people in my life.
I put off reading The Land Of Mango Sunsets because it isn't part of "The Lowcountry Novels" and the synopsis says that is takes place in New York City. However...more
I put off reading The Land Of Mango Sunsets because it isn't part of "The Lowcountry Novels" and the synopsis says that is takes place in New York City. However...more
A delightful and refreshing story!
Dorothea Frank has created another wonderful story and I just thought Land of Mango Sunsets was just a great read. The characters are clever and appealing especially Miriam Swanson. Actually, I felt that she gave all the variety of splendid characters real feelings that I could relate too. This is a great book to take to the beach and read. It's an easy read and with the wonderful descriptive scenes of South Carolina, that Ms. Frank portrays you feel like you a...more
Dorothea Frank has created another wonderful story and I just thought Land of Mango Sunsets was just a great read. The characters are clever and appealing especially Miriam Swanson. Actually, I felt that she gave all the variety of splendid characters real feelings that I could relate too. This is a great book to take to the beach and read. It's an easy read and with the wonderful descriptive scenes of South Carolina, that Ms. Frank portrays you feel like you a...more
If your love for the Dorothea Benton Frank books comes from your love of or facination with the South Carolina Lowcountry or the ocean settings, this book will disappoint you. Almost the entire book takes place in New York City during a cold, snowy winter with only brief excursions to Sullivan's Island where Miriam (Mrs. Know It All on her way to self-discovery) visits her mother (Miss Josephine). You won't catch up with characters from previous books in this one, but you will get a dose of comm...more
Horrible middle aged woman with rotten life realizes her errors and is completely turned around to become a wonderful middle aged woman by spending some quality time with her mother on Sullivan's Island. Saintly gay friend helps in transformation; gruesome ex husband is spurned; sickly sweet family life is (re)established and everything happens for a reason, y'all. Absolutely. It always happens for a reason when, like these characters, you are not just one dimensional and totally unbelievable, y...more
OK, it's a "chick-lit" book, which usually has a number of silly flaws written in to irritate me. But I seriously enjoyed this book.
Miriam, living in NYC, has an interesting life. However, she's roiling in anger and frustration toward her ex-husband for his antics, her mother's comments, her sons' disinterest in her and the behavior of her female tenant. Since her divorce she's been turning herself inside out trying to hang onto her high society friends. A disaster happens which slowly turns he...more
Miriam, living in NYC, has an interesting life. However, she's roiling in anger and frustration toward her ex-husband for his antics, her mother's comments, her sons' disinterest in her and the behavior of her female tenant. Since her divorce she's been turning herself inside out trying to hang onto her high society friends. A disaster happens which slowly turns he...more
Pretty much as the title implies, this is chick lit about the South Carolina low country & its barrier islands mixed with Manhatten angst. I just needed a little southern fix, and I got it. So if you want a book where a woman of a certain age (read mine!) has an epiphany and turns her life around for the better, combined with a reminder to get annual physicals, mammograms, & colon screenings this is for you. Or if you just need a break from thoughtful but heavy duty reading, this too is...more
Dorothea Frank has created another wonderful story and I just thought Land of Mango Sunsets was just a great read. The characters are clever and appealing especially Miriam Swanson.
Actually, I felt that she gave all the variety of splendid characters real feelings that I could relate too. This is a great book to take to the beach and read.
It's an easy read and with the wonderful descriptive scenes of South Carolina, that Ms. Frank portrays you feel like you are roaming around in the beautiful...more
Actually, I felt that she gave all the variety of splendid characters real feelings that I could relate too. This is a great book to take to the beach and read.
It's an easy read and with the wonderful descriptive scenes of South Carolina, that Ms. Frank portrays you feel like you are roaming around in the beautiful...more
I didn’t LOVE it but I enjoyed the quirky characters and the juxtaposition of Manhattan life to a small beach town in South Carolina. The story is of a middle-aged divorcee trying to make sense of her life. Her “friends” have disappeared along with the divorce, her relationships with her sons and their wives are strained, and she’s essentially lost for a bit but finds herself again. It’s a story of self-discovery and rebirth. It is incredibly predictable but the fun characters make it worth read...more
While this was not my favorite Dorothea Bentron Frank book, it was a good one. The characters are all very likable and easy to relate to. Miriam and Kevin were my favorites, as their friendship was very unique and true. Miss Josie and Harrison Ford were also fun characters to follow. I found some parts of the book to be somewhat repititious and had a had a tough time staying in the story line, which contributed to the length of time taken to finish the book. Overall, I would recommend it to Doro...more
MIriam Swanson, wallowing in her divorce and unfaithful husband, spends all of her time trying to be "accepted" in the higher social circles. Life steps in and she realizes what she has been missing and how much time she has wasted feeling sorry for herself. Miriam learns some great lessons which we all need to learn. How refreshing to have a heroine that is not 25, blonde, size 2, and in love with a millionaire. Very interesting characters and yet you feel like they represent people you might m...more
3. Ok, my final review...through the first half, I was waiting for the unexpected twist. Hint: DON'T! The is a "what you see is what you get"-chick-lit-type of book. It was ok, but I like something with a bit more substance...if only real life could be wrapped up neatly in 300 or so pages...!
Previously:
1. Reading this for Book Club, which I have not attended for a while. The main character seems middle-aged and opinionated, but who wouldn't after being dumped by her husband for an upgrade. I am...more
Previously:
1. Reading this for Book Club, which I have not attended for a while. The main character seems middle-aged and opinionated, but who wouldn't after being dumped by her husband for an upgrade. I am...more
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This is another book I just added to my TBR pile since it was on the nest. I started reading it and just wasn't feeling it, so I read Lucky instead. Then I went back to TLOMS and was feeling just so so for a while. I am not sure what happened, but all of a sudden I couldn't put it down. One morning, I just read 200+ pages because I wanted to finish it.
The basic premise is that it is about a woman who lives alone (except for her talkative parrot) in a townhouse in NYC. She rents out the other two...more
The basic premise is that it is about a woman who lives alone (except for her talkative parrot) in a townhouse in NYC. She rents out the other two...more
Miriam, the New York socialite want-a-be (as uptight as Miriam the Librarian), visits her mother on Sullivan's Island outside Charleston and learns to roll with the punches, even dealing with the exhusband who left her for a sweet young thing, the new tenant involved with a married man, and the son who is marrying a Jamaican woman. On the way she falls in love again, realizes her own fallibility, and learns what really matters. Best character? Harry, the African Gray parrot, of course!
Oh, please God, make it stop. I just can't finish this book. I only checked it out because the book club in a certain town's public library picked it for this month's read. Today I discovered I can't go to their meeting anyway because of conferences that night. So I have all the excuse I need to chuck this book. I mean, really, just look at the cover! Do I really need to say anything more? How do you spell the sound of sticking your finger down your throat?
This book started off pretty slow and at first the main character seems pretty shallow. I started reading it & couldn't get into it, so put it down and read something else. The second time I stuck with it and it grew on me as did the main character. Definitely not a heavy thought provoking read, but it was gratifying to see Miriam's transformation into Mellie with a much better value base. Good read to escape from the cold, wintery weather into the beaches of Sullivans Island.
I've really enjoyed Miriam and how she FINALLY sheds her old life as Charles's ex-wife and society matron, thanks to her pot-smoking mother (one of Sullivan's Island ex-society matron), Mom's friend Harrison, Liz the renter who is beaten by her married lover, Manny who's Harrison's friend, and Miriam's gay friend Kevin. All of these help Miriam reconnect to her sons and to form a life in which she is comfortable and actually likes who she is.
The first part of the book was a little slow, but after the first 3 chapters the story really started to get going. I loved the fact that she showed the main character working through the reconciliation process of her relationships with her sons and mother. The revelation that she was putting blame for her life choices on other and working to restore those relationships, even if you weren't sure you believed that you meant it was a first step. They developed the thought that if you take the step...more
I had just come off of reading a book I loved, so I had a little rough start with this one ... I was into it about 60-65 pages before it really got a hold of me ... and then I quite enjoyed it. I liked the characters in the story - the end was rushed, but it tied everything up in a nice little package and when I read a "mindless read" that's what I like. This was certainly not a serious read - but a fun one.
Mid-life crisis, Kids grown and gone, Husband with new and younger wife. Miriam struggles to maintain her home and social status in NY City. Visiting her mother living on Sullivans Island off S.C. coast, Miriam realizes High Society's values aren't worth fighting for. She transforms her attitude and her relationship with her grown sons. Nothing horrible. Nothing exceptional. A flat 3 stars.
Started really, really slow - I wasn't sure I actually cared to find the story line. The main character reminded me too much of my mother (in the beginning) and it was difficult to feel a connection/sympathy to her story. About 1/3 of the way in, my feelings started to change as the character developed and I ended up wanting to wrap up the loose ends, but overall, not one I'd read again.
This book was just full of characters & relationships full of humor, grace, life and meaning. I really enjoyed the writing style & story lines. The "intimate scenes" were general enough that I actually read them and they were either just hilarious or sweet(other than the fact that she wasn't married to either of the 2 men she was intimate with during the course of the book).
Jan 29, 2009
Peachy~Bebe
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone who likes Southern fiction
Fast-paced book about the life and transformation of recently-divorced, transplanted New Yorker, Miriam Swanson. I always enjoy Dottie's books and this one was full of quirky characters ~ especially liked the trash-talking parrot, Harry! It didn't spend as much time as I would have liked in South Carolina, so I really didn't get a feel for the people or culture there. Also, had a predictably sad ending for one of the characters.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
As always Ms. Frank knows how to bring southern charm to life. But to bring it to life in New York is great. A little different atomosphere, but you could still feel the southern charm in Ms. Mellie. I absolutely loved Kevin's character and felt that he was just a great friend. Miss Josie's story is great and there are always sadness but it always has happiness!
Great book! Dorothea Benton Frank spins a wonderful tale about Miriam Elizabeth Swanson who is trying to put her life back together after being dumped by her philandering husband. Frank writes with wit and humor about the complexities of Miriam's life and how she is drawn back to the Lowcountry of South Carolina to where she grew up.
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Dorothea Benton Frank is the New York Times best selling author of ten novels.
Dottie has appeared on NBC's Today Show, Parker Ladd's Book Talk and many local network affiliated television stations. She is a frequent speaker on creative writing and the creative process for students of all ages and in private venues as the National Arts Club, the Junior League of New York, Friends of the Library org...more
More about Dorothea Benton Frank...
Dottie has appeared on NBC's Today Show, Parker Ladd's Book Talk and many local network affiliated television stations. She is a frequent speaker on creative writing and the creative process for students of all ages and in private venues as the National Arts Club, the Junior League of New York, Friends of the Library org...more
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Feb 16, 2009 10:02am