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Bowling Avenue
Welcome to 603 Bowling Avenue, a lush, empty Colonial Revival house tucked away in a leafy Nashville neighborhood. Who’s that in the ratty attic bedroom, holed up like a squirrel, writing real estate ads as fast as she can? Delia Ballenger, former Nashvillian. She’s back in town to sell the house that her tender-hearted big sister inexplicably left her after dying in a car crash. Delia needs to get back to Chicago as fast as possible. But uninvited people keep showing up at the front
• Her mother, Grace Ballenger. Brilliant federal judge and the number-one reason Delia lives in another state.
• A patrician and poorly socialized neighbor, Angus Donald.
• Shelly Carpenter, the watchful housekeeper who raised Delia.
• Brother-in-law Bennett Schwartz, a wretched surgeon, along with his girls Cassie and Amelia—the nieces she’s never known.
• And, most vexing, a charming real estate agent, Henry Peek.
Delia finds herself up to her eyeballs in a flood of mysteries, secrets, and the sort of love that sneaks up on you.
For everyone who has muttered “You can’t go home again,” here’s what happens when you go anyway. You’ll laugh. You may cry, if you’re the weepy type. And you’ll cheer for Delia even as you wonder how she can eat a Pop-Tart as an entree. Like THE DESCENDANTS, BOWLING AVENUE is a story of learning how to let go, hold on--and bail water.
• Her mother, Grace Ballenger. Brilliant federal judge and the number-one reason Delia lives in another state.
• A patrician and poorly socialized neighbor, Angus Donald.
• Shelly Carpenter, the watchful housekeeper who raised Delia.
• Brother-in-law Bennett Schwartz, a wretched surgeon, along with his girls Cassie and Amelia—the nieces she’s never known.
• And, most vexing, a charming real estate agent, Henry Peek.
Delia finds herself up to her eyeballs in a flood of mysteries, secrets, and the sort of love that sneaks up on you.
For everyone who has muttered “You can’t go home again,” here’s what happens when you go anyway. You’ll laugh. You may cry, if you’re the weepy type. And you’ll cheer for Delia even as you wonder how she can eat a Pop-Tart as an entree. Like THE DESCENDANTS, BOWLING AVENUE is a story of learning how to let go, hold on--and bail water.
268 pages, Paperback
First published May 22, 2012
18 people are currently reading
354 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
August 30, 2012
Delia Ballenger is returning to Nashville to sell her dead sister’s house. She thought she’d successfully settled herself in another city, a safe distance from her family and her unhappy past, but she’s about to learn that the past is like an undiscovered country, waiting to surprise you. Bowling Avenue is crazily, utterly delightful, a fun and funny read that will keep you happily off-balance and turning the pages for more. Like Delia, you’ll find yourself wondering how you came to be in this strangely crackpot place surrounded by these curious characters, but you’ll be oh-so glad that you found your way there.
The novel is populated by characters that are absolute gems. They appear in the story like icebergs; the ten-percent we see when they drift into view is their presentable face, their public persona. The other ninety percent emerges slowly, layer by layer, as we get to know each character’s hidden secret or shame. There is the dreamboat boyfriend who, it turns out, is the opposite of a dreamboat, with a complicated, heartbreaking past and an uncertain future. The mother who laced herself into a certain kind of life thirty years ago and is only starting to see that she might’ve been meant for something else entirely. The dead sister who, it turned out, was a bit of an enigma to the people who thought they knew her best.
Nashville figures as prominently in the story as any of its characters, but readers who are strangers to the city shouldn’t worry that they’ll feel like party-crashers. Within pages, you’ll feel like one of the houseguests in the story: chauffeured around the real Nashville of neighborhoods and families, not the Nashville of the music business. You get a sense of what really matters to the denizens of Nashville, not just what tourists come to see.
A great story, wonderfully told. It draws you in immediately, like meeting someone you hope will become a lifelong friend. If you are looking for a tender, warm and witty near-perfect read, this is it.
The novel is populated by characters that are absolute gems. They appear in the story like icebergs; the ten-percent we see when they drift into view is their presentable face, their public persona. The other ninety percent emerges slowly, layer by layer, as we get to know each character’s hidden secret or shame. There is the dreamboat boyfriend who, it turns out, is the opposite of a dreamboat, with a complicated, heartbreaking past and an uncertain future. The mother who laced herself into a certain kind of life thirty years ago and is only starting to see that she might’ve been meant for something else entirely. The dead sister who, it turned out, was a bit of an enigma to the people who thought they knew her best.
Nashville figures as prominently in the story as any of its characters, but readers who are strangers to the city shouldn’t worry that they’ll feel like party-crashers. Within pages, you’ll feel like one of the houseguests in the story: chauffeured around the real Nashville of neighborhoods and families, not the Nashville of the music business. You get a sense of what really matters to the denizens of Nashville, not just what tourists come to see.
A great story, wonderfully told. It draws you in immediately, like meeting someone you hope will become a lifelong friend. If you are looking for a tender, warm and witty near-perfect read, this is it.
October 3, 2017
Read Harder 2017: Read a novel set within 100 miles of where you live
This was a surprisingly difficult category to fill for my Read Harder challenge. I finally ended up going to the library and searching for any books set in Nashville. I got this one, along with a Marshall Chapman book and two thrillers. I tried the Chapman book and found it far too rambling for my taste. So I moved on to this one.
My favorite thing about this book was the characters. I liked and thought about many of the characters even when I wasn't actively reading the book. But it was dissonant to read a book set in Nashville where the plot centered around someone having trouble selling a house. It was jarring to remember that less than ten years ago, some houses did sit on the market for 90 days. Those days are long gone. The house described in this book would be on the market less than 24 hours, if it even made it to market before getting an offer.
There was some down home sweetness to this book, but it wasn't extraordinary. If you want to read a book set in Nashville that doesn't see our city through rose colored glasses, this is a good choice. Otherwise, there are other books that tackle the way home makes us feel with a bit more depth and authenticity.
This was a surprisingly difficult category to fill for my Read Harder challenge. I finally ended up going to the library and searching for any books set in Nashville. I got this one, along with a Marshall Chapman book and two thrillers. I tried the Chapman book and found it far too rambling for my taste. So I moved on to this one.
My favorite thing about this book was the characters. I liked and thought about many of the characters even when I wasn't actively reading the book. But it was dissonant to read a book set in Nashville where the plot centered around someone having trouble selling a house. It was jarring to remember that less than ten years ago, some houses did sit on the market for 90 days. Those days are long gone. The house described in this book would be on the market less than 24 hours, if it even made it to market before getting an offer.
There was some down home sweetness to this book, but it wasn't extraordinary. If you want to read a book set in Nashville that doesn't see our city through rose colored glasses, this is a good choice. Otherwise, there are other books that tackle the way home makes us feel with a bit more depth and authenticity.
January 1, 2013
I admit, the final star was because the book is set in Nashville (my Nashville, actually, as the main character grew up about a mile from where I did) and I was impressed with Ann Shayne's accurate and multi-faceted view of this part of town. She even got the Egyptian apartment complex on Murfreesboro road right. I picked this up because it was about the Nashville flood, but I would have enjoyed it even if it had been set elsewhere. I think it is an excellent first novel... the characters are complex and interesting (even the children) and the plotting and pacing are tight. I read it in one day (New Years Eve) and it was a great time. I highly recommend it!
December 29, 2012
I was intrigued by the book which is set in my hometown of Nashville, and when a college friend strongly recommended it, I decided to buy it for my step-mother for Christmas, and read it myself first.
Delia has to come back to Nashville from Chicago because when her sister Ginna died six months ago in a car wreck, she left Delia her house. Which is a little unusual as Ginna was married with two daughters, but she was recently separated, so everyone assumes that's why she changed her will just a few weeks before she unexpectedly died.
So Delia has to clean out and sell this large, expensive home, deal with her teenage nieces and estranged brother-in-law, and most annoyingly, her mother. Realtors come out of the woodwork, including Henry Peek, who Delia knew back in high school, and is just as cute as ever and is he also possibly interested in Delia? Who is the annoying neighbor Angus to Ginna and why does he say such horrible things to Delia? What secrets was Ginna keeping when she died and why? Can Delia really reconnect with her sister and heal old wounds, even after her sister is gone?
When it starts raining and seems like it will never stop, Delia's family has to pull together to salvage themselves from the Flood of 2010. What Delia learns in this month she spends in Nashville will change her life forever, but what will she decide to do with her new-found knowledge?
I did really like all the references to Nashville (although no locals I know eat at Pancake Pantry - that is strictly for tourists and Vanderbilt students. Also it only would take 5 minutes to get from Bowling Ln. to Tin Angel, not enough time for a long, serious conversation. But these are minor quibbles.) The references were very particular to just the neighborhood around Bowling Ln and West End Avenue, as Delia never seemed to venture even to Green Hills (which is only 10 minutes away.) But some people do live a very small life geographically. I like that the book presents Nashville very well, with only a tiny bit of the music scene, and mostly just regular life, which is how 99.9% of the residents experience it. It was also neat to read about the flood. I wasn't there for it, as the Nashville marathon was the weekend beforehand, but I did see some of the results -- mostly on the news and internet, but I later took some pictures of the house across the street from my father, which was swept off its foundation. To my knowledge, the owners have never been let back in (I know, it's now 2.5 years later!) as it is too dangerous, so they had to abandon all their belongings.
The book was an interesting story about adult sisters and how your relationship is both still tight and yet very distant as lives separate and move in different ways, and yet you do still long for closeness, although it may well be impossible. But that doesn't mean understanding and love is impossible. It was highly entertaining and emotional, and I really enjoyed it. It's of course perfect for anyone who lives in or is from Nashville, but anyone will enjoy it.
Delia has to come back to Nashville from Chicago because when her sister Ginna died six months ago in a car wreck, she left Delia her house. Which is a little unusual as Ginna was married with two daughters, but she was recently separated, so everyone assumes that's why she changed her will just a few weeks before she unexpectedly died.
So Delia has to clean out and sell this large, expensive home, deal with her teenage nieces and estranged brother-in-law, and most annoyingly, her mother. Realtors come out of the woodwork, including Henry Peek, who Delia knew back in high school, and is just as cute as ever and is he also possibly interested in Delia? Who is the annoying neighbor Angus to Ginna and why does he say such horrible things to Delia? What secrets was Ginna keeping when she died and why? Can Delia really reconnect with her sister and heal old wounds, even after her sister is gone?
When it starts raining and seems like it will never stop, Delia's family has to pull together to salvage themselves from the Flood of 2010. What Delia learns in this month she spends in Nashville will change her life forever, but what will she decide to do with her new-found knowledge?
I did really like all the references to Nashville (although no locals I know eat at Pancake Pantry - that is strictly for tourists and Vanderbilt students. Also it only would take 5 minutes to get from Bowling Ln. to Tin Angel, not enough time for a long, serious conversation. But these are minor quibbles.) The references were very particular to just the neighborhood around Bowling Ln and West End Avenue, as Delia never seemed to venture even to Green Hills (which is only 10 minutes away.) But some people do live a very small life geographically. I like that the book presents Nashville very well, with only a tiny bit of the music scene, and mostly just regular life, which is how 99.9% of the residents experience it. It was also neat to read about the flood. I wasn't there for it, as the Nashville marathon was the weekend beforehand, but I did see some of the results -- mostly on the news and internet, but I later took some pictures of the house across the street from my father, which was swept off its foundation. To my knowledge, the owners have never been let back in (I know, it's now 2.5 years later!) as it is too dangerous, so they had to abandon all their belongings.
The book was an interesting story about adult sisters and how your relationship is both still tight and yet very distant as lives separate and move in different ways, and yet you do still long for closeness, although it may well be impossible. But that doesn't mean understanding and love is impossible. It was highly entertaining and emotional, and I really enjoyed it. It's of course perfect for anyone who lives in or is from Nashville, but anyone will enjoy it.
May 8, 2012
Delia Ballenger is going home and will be dealing with her past - which sounds clichéd, but this novel avoids being another iteration of the "woman getting over her past" trope.
At first Delia's character was frustrating to me, but I was drawn into the story and kept wanting to know what happened next. As Delia responds to the situations and people in the story she does grow and change, but it's in a believable manner. I grew to like her, and sympathized with some of the challenges she faced. (I am avoiding spoilers here... the challenges are both physical and emotional and they are GREAT and help Delia enormously in her progress through the book).
The plot keeps the characters moving, and the major events of the book tie everything together smoothly. Overall, I really enjoyed Bowling Avenue and would recommend it, especially if you enjoyed books like The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted by Bridget Asher, although Bowling Avenue does have more action than that one.
Disclaimer: I received a free advance copy of this book for review. (But I would totally buy it, and probably pick it as my book club choice)
At first Delia's character was frustrating to me, but I was drawn into the story and kept wanting to know what happened next. As Delia responds to the situations and people in the story she does grow and change, but it's in a believable manner. I grew to like her, and sympathized with some of the challenges she faced. (I am avoiding spoilers here... the challenges are both physical and emotional and they are GREAT and help Delia enormously in her progress through the book).
The plot keeps the characters moving, and the major events of the book tie everything together smoothly. Overall, I really enjoyed Bowling Avenue and would recommend it, especially if you enjoyed books like The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted by Bridget Asher, although Bowling Avenue does have more action than that one.
Disclaimer: I received a free advance copy of this book for review. (But I would totally buy it, and probably pick it as my book club choice)
June 10, 2012
A thoroughly satisfying novel, chocked full of well-drawn characters coming to terms with their lives in the midst of the amount of external drama one expects of a novel set in the southern United States. Betrayal, cancer, cross-generation recrimination, pre-stonewall homosexual guilt, feminism, drug addiction, vehicular homicide, existential and even spiritual crises are all played out against vivid descriptions of the Nashville flood of 2010 that rival LANTERNS ON THE LEVEE or THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD. But the best part of the novel is the way it captures that special moment some people are lucky to gain in their lives, when they grow beyond the dynamics of their childhoods and make peace with the humanness of their families.
April 20, 2012
I loved this story. It is set in Nashville during the recent flooding. A family comes together at a bad time both for them and their city. During the disaster they come to find a sense of family that they had missed in the past.
There are a number of surprising twists and turns as the story progresses. And a great mushy ending.
Disclaimer - I received this book as "freeola" (a gift) from the author. I have her knitting books and read her blog. My review was true and my own thoughts, her generosity did not influence me.
There are a number of surprising twists and turns as the story progresses. And a great mushy ending.
Disclaimer - I received this book as "freeola" (a gift) from the author. I have her knitting books and read her blog. My review was true and my own thoughts, her generosity did not influence me.
April 13, 2013
I loved all the Nashville references in this book! The plot definitely took me back to the flood of 2010 which was had a monumental effect on the city of Nashville.
March 19, 2014
Takes place in Nashville so it was fun to read about all the landmarks and stereotypes:).
July 31, 2020
I bought this book at a library sale years ago. The title alone grabbed my attention because I live very close to Bowling Avenue. The book is set in Nashville in 2010 in the weeks before, during, and after the historic flood.
I'm giving this book two stars because, within the first few pages, you can figure out how it's going to end. The main character is Delia, who lives in Chicago. She's back in Nashville to sell her dead sister's house. There are several references, especially in the beginning, about why Delia hates Nashville. It gets old very quickly because Delia's life in Chicago is far from great and yet she's dogging on Nashville. Delia also has a rocky relationship with her mother. Of course, by the end, Delia makes peace with her mom and ends up loving the hometown she was so desperate to leave.
This is very nitpicky, but there's reference to the Boulevard Bolt 10K. The Boulevard Bolt is a hugely popular 5 mile race on Thanksgiving Day. A 10K is not 5 miles. I don't understand how a writer who lives in Nashville made this mistake. I doubt it was a matter of copyright infringement because the name "Boulevard Bolt" is used. Again, this is very nitpicky, but anyone who lives in Nashville will catch this.
I'm a Middle Tennessee native (born and raised in Murfreesboro; lived in Nashville since 1999), so it was fun to read about all the neighborhoods and landmarks you know. Still, two stars.
I'm giving this book two stars because, within the first few pages, you can figure out how it's going to end. The main character is Delia, who lives in Chicago. She's back in Nashville to sell her dead sister's house. There are several references, especially in the beginning, about why Delia hates Nashville. It gets old very quickly because Delia's life in Chicago is far from great and yet she's dogging on Nashville. Delia also has a rocky relationship with her mother. Of course, by the end, Delia makes peace with her mom and ends up loving the hometown she was so desperate to leave.
This is very nitpicky, but there's reference to the Boulevard Bolt 10K. The Boulevard Bolt is a hugely popular 5 mile race on Thanksgiving Day. A 10K is not 5 miles. I don't understand how a writer who lives in Nashville made this mistake. I doubt it was a matter of copyright infringement because the name "Boulevard Bolt" is used. Again, this is very nitpicky, but anyone who lives in Nashville will catch this.
I'm a Middle Tennessee native (born and raised in Murfreesboro; lived in Nashville since 1999), so it was fun to read about all the neighborhoods and landmarks you know. Still, two stars.
April 25, 2021
Book club pick. We are located in Nashville & it’s just fun to read about a house a few streets from where your book club meets. We all lived through the flood in 2010 which definitely bonded people & increased community awareness. This doesn’t really fall into a specific category & that was different. I’m usually all about thrillers & murder. This was a little romance, a little family drama, & a little life crisis. It was fun, an easy read, yet had enough going on to keep an avid reader interested. Included character development & even if some of it was predictable, it was in a good way. Definitely recommend!
December 7, 2021
I found this on my kindle while looking at my unread books. I have been missing out by not reading this back when I purchased it in 2012. It's an interesting and thoughtful story of a family who comes together after the death of their daughter/sister/mother. Learning about the 2010 Nashville flood was a bonus.
September 25, 2018
Schmoopy page turner
A family affair that will suck you in and keep you there until the candy bag is empty. I loved the sprinkling of accurate planning details - except that Robert Moses biography is hunormous! I rooted for the imperfect characters.
A family affair that will suck you in and keep you there until the candy bag is empty. I loved the sprinkling of accurate planning details - except that Robert Moses biography is hunormous! I rooted for the imperfect characters.
August 7, 2017
I just hope she is writing a follow-up or a second book! I loved the characters and the many clever and beautiful turns-of-phrase.
June 19, 2018
Wonderful story! I really enjoyed it. Author is 1/2 of the Mason/Dixon Knitting duo. The author reads the book from Audible and it's so much to hear her read her own book. Enjoy!
September 20, 2018
Ann Shayne, knitting goddess, write more sweet fiction!
October 14, 2021
Starts out like chicklit but migrates into something darker. The writing is snappy but this book never quite settles into what it wants to be.
July 19, 2022
This was a very enjoyable, heartwarming book. It was about family, love, friendship, self discovery and more. I listened to this book which the author narrated and she did a great job.
April 23, 2023
“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.”
November 15, 2016
Fun to read about Nashville--
July 11, 2012
I enjoyed this book, after getting past what I thought was an awkward style. I found Shayne's use of simile and metaphor to be overdone, even when the voice in my head was a Southern drawl. Reduce by one third and the whole will be stronger. I randomly opened the book and found at least five on one page. The thing is, some of them are really good. On my random page, there is this: "Mother contemplates this as she sips her Sanka. She has to order Sanka by mail at this point; she is Sanka's final customer." Well, maybe that's not a metaphor. Mother really IS Sanka's final customer. But "laughing like a cartoon character who hasn't discovered he's not in his tiny airplane anymore" is too much. "She's a coat hanger of a woman" falls in the middle for me. All this (and more) on page 34 if you care. The narrator's voice is too self-conscious and folksy for my taste.
The other detail that vexes me is this: I've read this book before, and it's called Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver. Seriously, it's the same plot! Black sheep girl leaves hometown, returns home to deal with family matters (triggered by a death in the family), gets over old sense of self as a teenage misfit and accepts self as interesting, attractive woman, falls in love with local man, mends fences with remaining family and high school friends, and ultimately decides to stay. It's a great story, don't get me wrong. I loved Animal Dreams when I first read it at age 22 and I am still terribly fond of it. And I thoroughly enjoyed this novel (you KNOW I don't finish books I don't care for!). I just can't believe it got this far without being compared to Kingsolver's very well known early novel.
I got wind of this book because Ann Shayne is one of the writers of the popular Mason Dixon Knitting blog. I own both of her knitting books and read them cover to cover (though I haven't actually knit anything from them). Shayne has a VOICE and that voice comes through really clearly in this novel. I think it's a bit much in fiction - but that won't stop me from reading whatever she writes next. I'm interested. Show me more!
The other detail that vexes me is this: I've read this book before, and it's called Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver. Seriously, it's the same plot! Black sheep girl leaves hometown, returns home to deal with family matters (triggered by a death in the family), gets over old sense of self as a teenage misfit and accepts self as interesting, attractive woman, falls in love with local man, mends fences with remaining family and high school friends, and ultimately decides to stay. It's a great story, don't get me wrong. I loved Animal Dreams when I first read it at age 22 and I am still terribly fond of it. And I thoroughly enjoyed this novel (you KNOW I don't finish books I don't care for!). I just can't believe it got this far without being compared to Kingsolver's very well known early novel.
I got wind of this book because Ann Shayne is one of the writers of the popular Mason Dixon Knitting blog. I own both of her knitting books and read them cover to cover (though I haven't actually knit anything from them). Shayne has a VOICE and that voice comes through really clearly in this novel. I think it's a bit much in fiction - but that won't stop me from reading whatever she writes next. I'm interested. Show me more!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2012
This is a delightful debut novel by a local Nashvillian. The story takes place at the time of the May 2010 flood.
From the book description:
Welcome to 603 Bowling Avenue, a lush, empty Colonial Revival house tucked away in a leafy Nashville neighborhood. Who’s that in the ratty attic bedroom, holed up like a squirrel, writing real estate ads as fast as she can? Delia Ballenger, former Nashvillian. She’s back in town to sell the house that her tender-hearted big sister inexplicably left her after dying in a car crash. Delia needs to get back to Chicago as fast as possible. But uninvited people keep showing up at the front door:
•Her mother, Grace Ballenger. Brilliant federal judge and the number-one reason Delia lives in another state.
•A patrician and poorly socialized neighbor, Angus Donald.
•Shelly Carpenter, the watchful housekeeper who raised Delia.
•Brother-in-law Bennett Schwartz, a wretched surgeon, along with his girls Cassie and Amelia—the nieces she’s never known.
•And, most vexing, a charming real estate agent, Henry Peek.
Delia finds herself up to her eyeballs in a flood of mysteries, secrets, and the sort of love that sneaks up on you. For everyone who has muttered “You can’t go home again,” here’s what happens when you go anyway. You’ll laugh. You may cry, if you’re the weepy type. And you’ll cheer for Delia even as you wonder how she can eat a Pop-Tart as an entree. BOWLING AVENUE is a story of learning how to let go, hold on--and bail water.
Nashvillians who lived through the "the 500 year flood" will enjoy this book.
From the book description:
Welcome to 603 Bowling Avenue, a lush, empty Colonial Revival house tucked away in a leafy Nashville neighborhood. Who’s that in the ratty attic bedroom, holed up like a squirrel, writing real estate ads as fast as she can? Delia Ballenger, former Nashvillian. She’s back in town to sell the house that her tender-hearted big sister inexplicably left her after dying in a car crash. Delia needs to get back to Chicago as fast as possible. But uninvited people keep showing up at the front door:
•Her mother, Grace Ballenger. Brilliant federal judge and the number-one reason Delia lives in another state.
•A patrician and poorly socialized neighbor, Angus Donald.
•Shelly Carpenter, the watchful housekeeper who raised Delia.
•Brother-in-law Bennett Schwartz, a wretched surgeon, along with his girls Cassie and Amelia—the nieces she’s never known.
•And, most vexing, a charming real estate agent, Henry Peek.
Delia finds herself up to her eyeballs in a flood of mysteries, secrets, and the sort of love that sneaks up on you. For everyone who has muttered “You can’t go home again,” here’s what happens when you go anyway. You’ll laugh. You may cry, if you’re the weepy type. And you’ll cheer for Delia even as you wonder how she can eat a Pop-Tart as an entree. BOWLING AVENUE is a story of learning how to let go, hold on--and bail water.
Nashvillians who lived through the "the 500 year flood" will enjoy this book.
March 6, 2021
Audio re-listen, Feb. 2021: What I said before. No new novel yet, though, so . . . Ann? Can I help in any way? Maybe a sequel with Cassie or Amelia enduring the pandemic? Just reach out and let me know!
Audio re-read, Nov. 2016. Who knew I ordered this, so apparently had an actual hard copy? I now have it as an audiobook, read by Ms. Shayne herself. I do love it. Her affection for other human beings, and her knowledge of our shortcomings, is warmly, reassuringly apparent. Ethan Hardy is worth the price of admission! And, apparently, Shayne is writing a new novel. . .as of 2012 or so. Alert!
First reading: Nov 20, 2012.
Bowling Avenue is, simply, a good novel. It's well-written, interesting, moving, and full of sympathetic characters. The only thing I don't like is the weird woodcut silhouettes on the back cover--and that's digging for something to quibble about! Ann Shayne is part of Mason-Dixon Knitting, and knitting plays a part in the story, but I was impressed that this is, in no way, a Knitting Knovel. Shayne deals with addiction, loss, grieving, and family in a realistic but optimistic way, and the story is a pleasure from start to finish. I had to special order it from my local bookstore, and I am delighted that I did so!
Highly recommended as a well-written, warmly optimistic, entertaining pleasure. Go special order it for yourself!
Audio re-read, Nov. 2016. Who knew I ordered this, so apparently had an actual hard copy? I now have it as an audiobook, read by Ms. Shayne herself. I do love it. Her affection for other human beings, and her knowledge of our shortcomings, is warmly, reassuringly apparent. Ethan Hardy is worth the price of admission! And, apparently, Shayne is writing a new novel. . .as of 2012 or so. Alert!
First reading: Nov 20, 2012.
Bowling Avenue is, simply, a good novel. It's well-written, interesting, moving, and full of sympathetic characters. The only thing I don't like is the weird woodcut silhouettes on the back cover--and that's digging for something to quibble about! Ann Shayne is part of Mason-Dixon Knitting, and knitting plays a part in the story, but I was impressed that this is, in no way, a Knitting Knovel. Shayne deals with addiction, loss, grieving, and family in a realistic but optimistic way, and the story is a pleasure from start to finish. I had to special order it from my local bookstore, and I am delighted that I did so!
Highly recommended as a well-written, warmly optimistic, entertaining pleasure. Go special order it for yourself!
October 17, 2012
I initially heard of this book and added it to my to read list because I have followed Ann’s writing over at Mason Dixon Knitting for years. I was delighted (yet not too surprised) to discover it was set in Nashville.
It has been a few weeks since I finished this book and I’m still thinking about the challenges the characters faced and Nashville. What makes Ann’s debut novel one that kept me turning pages long past my bedtime is her attention to the whole story. Not only do we meet characters we’d love to join for pancakes, but we also meet those we’d not hesitate to volunteer with and help out the community when disaster strikes. I’ve thought a good deal about the fraught-filled child-parent relationship, self-worth, and medical decisions. I’ve thought about the strength of relationships both in family and in neighborhood, and about what causes a city to be vibrant or isolate itself to stagnation and abandoned storefronts. To me, this is a sign that the author, as story teller, has done her job. Ann brought a world to life and I’m still wondering about it.
You can read the complete review of both the book & the bookstore where I bought it at my site.
It has been a few weeks since I finished this book and I’m still thinking about the challenges the characters faced and Nashville. What makes Ann’s debut novel one that kept me turning pages long past my bedtime is her attention to the whole story. Not only do we meet characters we’d love to join for pancakes, but we also meet those we’d not hesitate to volunteer with and help out the community when disaster strikes. I’ve thought a good deal about the fraught-filled child-parent relationship, self-worth, and medical decisions. I’ve thought about the strength of relationships both in family and in neighborhood, and about what causes a city to be vibrant or isolate itself to stagnation and abandoned storefronts. To me, this is a sign that the author, as story teller, has done her job. Ann brought a world to life and I’m still wondering about it.
You can read the complete review of both the book & the bookstore where I bought it at my site.
June 24, 2015
Was going to rate this 4 stars, which of course is a very good rating, but as I neared the end, my emotions took over and I realized what a great "self-help" book this was, but told as a wonderful story.
The book is full of words of wisdom to think on.
"...not talking is a great way to not solve problems."
"Misery shared, is misery halved." or "Joy shared, is joy doubled."
"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."
"Attention is the rarest kind of generosity."
Multiple characters all with their own secrets, emotional immaturity or maybe better called severely controlled emotions. Instead of sharing with a friend or relative, things are held in so not to hurt another person. So things fester and impressions are made because of truths not spoken. I found the book very thought provoking as well as entertaining.
Being a knitter, I enjoyed the references to yarn & knitting also.
The book is full of words of wisdom to think on.
"...not talking is a great way to not solve problems."
"Misery shared, is misery halved." or "Joy shared, is joy doubled."
"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."
"Attention is the rarest kind of generosity."
Multiple characters all with their own secrets, emotional immaturity or maybe better called severely controlled emotions. Instead of sharing with a friend or relative, things are held in so not to hurt another person. So things fester and impressions are made because of truths not spoken. I found the book very thought provoking as well as entertaining.
Being a knitter, I enjoyed the references to yarn & knitting also.
June 30, 2012
As a fan of Mason Dixon Knitting - both the books and the blog - I was surprised by this book. It was not a recap of the blog - it was a new and different story. The writing itself was pleasantly surprising - creative and fresh.
A number of reviewers have mentioned excellent character development. And I say "eh" - I expect excellence ;)
The pace of action was at times slow - never boring, just like peeling layers off an onion. Slow. (I've heard "this is Nashville".) Ann's descriptions are light and delightfully unconventional.
I reserve my fifth star for books that stay with me and change my view of the world. This book was excellent fun and great summer reading - totally worth it; 4 stars.
Also, I thought this an excellent review: http://einesaite.blogspot.com/2012/06...
A number of reviewers have mentioned excellent character development. And I say "eh" - I expect excellence ;)
The pace of action was at times slow - never boring, just like peeling layers off an onion. Slow. (I've heard "this is Nashville".) Ann's descriptions are light and delightfully unconventional.
I reserve my fifth star for books that stay with me and change my view of the world. This book was excellent fun and great summer reading - totally worth it; 4 stars.
Also, I thought this an excellent review: http://einesaite.blogspot.com/2012/06...
October 11, 2012
Bowling Avenue by Ann Shayne follows Delia Ballenger’s re-acquaintance with all things Nashville, including her absentee mother, statuesque brother-in-law, and two nieces she barely knows when she’s given her sister Ginna’s house, 603 Bowling Avenue. Bowling Avenue has a culture all its own, with the in-your-business neighbors and the families of doctors from the Vanderbilt. Delia has lived her life on her own terms, but has rarely returned home for family gatherings or holidays, spending her time alone in Chicago catering to the needs of the super rich on holiday in a variety of countries. She’s lived an isolated life, and because of that her sister’s death is even more shocking as are the revelations that come with her passing.
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2012/10/b...
Read the full review: http://savvyverseandwit.com/2012/10/b...
April 25, 2014
This is a wonderful book written in true Southern fashion of sweeping bad things under the rug, moving on, and then having to deal with the whole mess or leaving it for someone else to figure out. Ironically, I picked this book up while cleaning out my aunt's house in Nashville this spring which was as beautiful as the spring Ann Shayne describes. The story centers around Delia who travels to her hometown of Nashville to take possession of her deceased sister's house and to sell it ASAP. She runs head on into her childhood, her sister's life and family, and her distant mother and a new love. The characters are so well developed and familiar you are immediately drawn to them. Having visited Nashville regularly for 60 years, I loved the mention of familiar places, roads, and all things Nashville. An enjoyable read which leaves one feeling happy and satisfied.
July 17, 2012
I was so sucked into this book! Something about it keep pulling me to read on and on! Just enough suspense and mystery for me and so skillful with characterization and describing relationships and emotions. It tugged at my heart and made me laugh and cry. The characters seemed like people I knew with struggles that everyone faces about life and what's important. I'm glad I read it and would recommend it. My only wish was that the lead characters would not only reconcile with each other, but with the God who loves them as well! The character of Henry was so close to finding it by the end of the book...perhaps a sequel will reveal that he's defeated his personal demons through faith.
April 6, 2015
I listened to this thru Audible and the author Ann Shayne reads it herself. Her voices are not professional but the emotions she conveyed for her characters and the humor she wrote and spoke with were fantastic. I loved this book! It is not suitable for a teenage or child listen due to the seriousness of some subject matter but is a great listen for all other audiences. I laughed out loud, cried, and smiled through this book. It had enough humor and twists and turns in plot to make me want to listen and listen and listen some more. I hope she writes another novel soon! If you are a Christian there is small section where you may be tempted to stop listening but do not. God is bigger than any character's doubts and if you keep listening this will be obvious in the story.
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