The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion: A Novel

Such a great read, interesting characters,and learning about the WAFTS, and their important role innWORLD WAR 11. Thank you so much for another of your spell binding novels.

This is a fun light read of moderate length. The primary setting is in Alabama in the recent past. There is a good deal of modern Southern United States colloquial style narrative that I personally find very appealing and humorous when well written. Fannie Flagg captures that style very well. The story seemed to start slightly slowly, but Miss Flagg did a very good job of laying the foundation for the rest of the story. The story revolves around some females who are related to each other. I am a male and enjoyed the book very much, as did my wife. Having said that, I do feel that it is fair to say it may appeal slightly more to a female than a male. The story also includes some historical information about females' contributions in World War II that some readers may find illuminating. But I stress, some of the particulars are fiction. The larger picture is accurate. I read the book on Kindle while listening to the audiobook narrated by the author. I enjoyed that very much and felt that the audiobook narrated by Miss Flagg really added to my reading experience. I felt I was listening to the story the way she wanted it heard. In summary, I liked this book very much as a light humorous read. This is the second book I read by Miss Flagg, the first being "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe". I enjoyed them both and hope to eventually read another. Thank You.

For me, nothing Fannie Flagg has written quite compares to Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. That was an instant classic, and remains one of my ten favorite books of all time. But it's really not fair to compare one book to another. This story is very different, and the characters are completely different. I confess that the book--unlike Fried Green Tomatoes, which hooked me instantly--started off slowly for me. I got impatient with Sookie, the primary narrator, who seemed unnecessarily dominated by her overbearing mother, Lenore. Anyone who's had mother-daughter issues will find some familiar elements here, and some scenes are very funny. Flagg has a real gift for showing how manipulative and guilt-inducing a domineering mother can be. Still, I wanted Sookie to break free of this bond--she is 60, after all. Time to grow up! I hung in, though, because I'm a fan of Fannie Flagg's and knew this book had to have more going on than a mother-daughter conflict. Indeed it does. From the time Flagg began exploring the history of the WASPS (Women Air Force Service Pilots), she had me totally engaged (and it was this second half of the book that pushed me to a 5-star rating). Fritzi is a delightful character, and I'd have enjoyed having more of the story told in her voice. She's strong, brave, spunky, individualistic--in short, everything Sookie would love to be. It would spoil the book for anyone who's not read it to discuss the ways in which the lives of these two intertwine, but I will simply say that Flagg has a knack for plot, and she shows it off to advantage in this book, which has many satisfying twists. It is clear that Flagg did some research on the history of the WASPS, too, and for me, this was the most fascinating and worthwhile part of the whole story. These brave women faced incredible prejudice and their accomplishments are legendary. It is good to see their story told through such a popular writer's work since it will get more visibility than I think it has had in the past. In many ways, the WASPS' tale parallels that of the all-girl filling station (which we don't even learn about right away). When the filling station's owner is hospitalized and his sons are sent off to fight the war (WWII), the four sisters do what no one thinks is possible--run the station themselves. Fritzi, ace mechanic, and her siblings soon show that women are every bit as competent and skilled (and arguably a heck of a lot more imaginative) than their male cohorts. Not only do they succeed and keep the family business going, but they create memories that last forever. This all-too-short-lived episode in the book will have you cheering for women who could challenge men in a time (the 1940s) when odds were far more heavily stacked against them than is the case today. This is a book with humor and heartache. It's touching, nostalgic, and inspiring in that funny yet melancholy tone that sets Fannie Flagg's writing apart. No one else writes with this voice. Prepare for a bit of a slow start--but treat yourself to a tale that will have you laughing and give you insight into the world of the 1940s.

I have read all of Ms Flagg’s books. One is better than the other. I remember the previous one about the women flying the planes in World War 2.

This book is really two stories in one, and one of those far exceeds the other. The main plot follows a late-fiftyish woman named Sookie who faces a shocking revelation. The second tale is that of a woman named Fritzi, who lived in the WWII era. The problem with this book is that the secondary plotline was well worth reading, while the primary plot, surrounding Sookie, was far less compelling and bordered on ridiculousness. Sookie is basically a caricature of a southern woman. She is rather silly and comes off as a bit of a dim bulb. I found it very difficult to root for her as she struggles with revelations that she believes will completely change who she is. On the other hand, Fritzi is the bomb. She is a funny, strong, and well-drawn character who makes you actually feel something. The backdrop of Fritzi's story may have contributed to this as well, as it's much more captivating than Sookie's bumbling around in her small town with its cast of not-really-eccentric characters. I don't think I am spoiling this book by saying that adoption plays a role in it, but this theme hit another flat note. The terminology used is outdated and, dare I say, somewhat offensive. One example is repeated use of the term "real mother" to refer to a birth mother. This tantalizing opportunity to discuss what a "real mother" actually is was squandered on superficial concerns about family crests and sororities. Altogether, the sub-par Sookie was balanced by the fabulous Fritzi, leading to an average three-star book.

Fannie Flagg has the gift of storytelling. She knows her subjects well and writes them with love but without the blinders. This is the story of two very different families, one from the South and one from the North. Fritzi Jurdabralinski was a wing walker in the days of barnstorming and she was fearless. She learns how to fly a plane from one of the greats, Billy Bevins who owns Billy Bevins Flying Circus. He knew Fritzi was just the woman he needed when his first string wing walker quit. Fritzi needed a job since the Depression and rationing shut down their families All Girls Service Station. Fritzi was a natural in the air and she fell in love with flying. When WWII needed fliers, Billy shut down the business and enlisted. He became a flight instructor in Florida. Fritzi heard there was a need for women to ferry planes and joined the WASP's. Very little was known about this organization because flying was a male dominated industry. There were only 1,074 graduates in the Womens Air Force Pilots. They played a vital role in the war because they freed up the male pilots to fight where they were needed most. A child connects the northern family in the southern family. This family's story focuses on Sookie Sommers Poole in 2005. I don't really want to tell much about what the connection is. It's better that you read what Sookie discovers. Just know that this family is pure southern complete with the authoritative matriarch. This is a wonderful book rich with interesting characters. The story is told with easy turns between each family. I hope you take time to read this book because it's really good. It's the kind of book I like to come back to and re-read in a few years.

I love Fanny Flagg's books, and her previous one (I STILL DREAM OF YOU) is a masterpiece. ALL-GIRL is not her strongest novel but still worthwhile. The problem is a bewilderingly slow start, centering on two characters who are not terribly interesting or sympathetic. Sookie, the focal character, is an indecisive Southern gal taken advantage of by everybody except her loving husband. She is in particular a victim of her overbearing mother, Lorene. This mother from hell is, we're told by one and all (including Sookie), is very funny...but she isn't. She's a monster and unpleasant. In an otherwise lovely reading of the audio by Ms. Flagg, Lorene's screeching voice finally sent my wife and me to the fast forward button. Eventually Sookie will grow, though Lorene never does, and her periodic presence is unpleasant. An editor should have encouraged Ms. Flagg to cut back on the first hundred pages -- wherein feeding birds takes up page after page, in forced unfunny ways unworthy of this author -- because we (my wife and I) almost bailed. Only our love for Ms. Flagg's previous books kept us going (again, the audio version). Finally -- and this is an intended pun -- the book takes off with the story of flier Fritz and her sisters in Wisconsin, all but one of whom become pilots with the WASPS in World War II. This flashback storyline is charming and compelling -- typically, sweetly subversive stuff from a fine storyteller. That this wonderful story is interwoven with less interesting spurts of Sookie and her grating mother presents an annoyance, until finally Sookie develops as a person (and a character). Ms. Flagg is two things little noted: a feminist and a mystery writer. Her positive agenda in the former and her shrewd gifts as the latter are on full display, once things get going. If you like Fanny Flagg's novels, dig in, and be patient -- it will eventually soar. For first time readers of Ms. Flagg, start elsewhere.

Great storytelling all around as Fannie Flagg weaves together the story of Sookie in ‘current’ time (2006) dealing with the discovery at age 60 that she was adopted along with the story of her unknown birth family and their role in the flying WASPS in the 1940’s. What strikes you the most is the uniqueness of her characters and the seeming simplicity in the telling. It’s only after you’re done with the laughter and the tissue that wiped teary eyes has dried that you realize how deep the story flowed into your heart. Recommended for all readers who enjoy the quirky sides of Southern culture and have a love of history told on human levels.

This story is written in two time periods, starting in 1941 and 2005 respectively. Once the structure is established, the change overs become quite fluid and seem to flow seamlessly into one another, giving the book a wonderful soft feeling. I've read several books by this author and loved them all - this one is yet another that I adored, written in her familiar style. She focuses on the characters and makes them all interesting but there is a great plot too. Here there is added interest with the link to the real women who flew the planes during World War Two. This book truly is a tribute to them, forgotten as they have been by the history books. The absolute beauty of her books is being able to feel that the characters are real people. Here there is something of me is every character, even though it is not always my best characteristic! There are still a few Fannie Flagg books that I haven't read but I will be buying then soon.

It was June 2005 in Point Clear, Alabama, that Sookie and her husband, Earl Poole, Jr., a dentist, married off their last daughter. They have three daughters, Dee Dee, twins Ce Ce and Le Le and a son named Carter. Carter is twenty-five years old and lives in Atlanta. Sookie's mother is Lenore Simmons Krackenberry. She is a large imposing woman with a loud booming voice, who loves to wear lots of pins, long flowing scarves and has her silver hair teased and sprayed into a perfect wing-backed flip. She is 88 years old and lives in her own home. She refuses to move into a lovely assisted-living facility. She would have to be carried out feet-first if she was forced to move. Lenore is a bossy and narcissistic person. Sookie has to keep an eye on her. Now that Sookie's daughters are all married, she can relax and plan a trip with her husband, Earl. One day, Sookie receives a phone call followed up with a registered letter for her mother. She opens it up and finds out that her mother has been hiding a secret from her that would change her life forever. Sookie is not who she thinks she is. In fact, she is 60 years old and not 59 years old, which makes her a year older than her husband. She reads on and finds out that she is the daughter of an unwed Polish mother named Fritzi Willinka Jurdabralinski who lives in Pulacki, Wisconsin. Sookie is shocked and passes out. Her Husband is there to help her up and she tells him the whole story. That means her children are Polish and not from the respected Simmons family. Now Sookie will be going all out to find her Polish mother, Fritzi, and her Polish Family. Because of Lenore's age, Sookie does not plan on telling her. She feels grateful to Lenore for giving her such a privileged life. It was in 1938 that Fritzi's father, the owner of a gas station, fell ill with TB and had to go to a sanitarium to recuperate. Fritzi, the dynamo in the family, rounds up her sisters and they will take over the station. Fritzi had learned a little about organizing a work team from her old Flying Circus days, so she works out a plan and at the end of the week, everyone has their designated assignment. Tula would do most of the mechanical work. Gertrude was the strongest and she would change tires and fix flats. Fritzi would pump gas and check under the hood and drive the tow truck when needed. Sophie would work as the cashier, because she is good at maths. Inside the station, they would sell cold drinks, coffee, Momma's sausages, homemade sandwiches, give out free maps, free postcards etc. The girls would be wearing new uniforms cut down from their father's uniforms with hats and little black bow ties. There are four pretty smiling girls ready to work. The station would be called the Wink's Phillips 66 The All-Girl Filling Station. They put up signs everywhere. Their brother Wink was accepted into the Army Air Corps. Those were the days of Pearl Harbour when the Japs struck. Wink worked with their father at the gas station and now, the sisters would step in. Business was booming. Long-haul truck drivers made it a point to stop and carloads of guys and girls on their way to factories stopped to fuel up. Log trucks from Canada drove across the border to get a look. The pretty girls brought in the business. One must know that Fritzi was a member of the WASPS, the Women Air Force Service Pilots. Sookie will soon come to know where she truly comes from. Fannie Flagg has written another entertaining story with southern quirkiness and lovable characters in The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion. There is always a tenderness and kindness and belief in humanity in her stories. All the books that I have read by Fannie Flagg kept me entertained and always left me feeling happy.

Einer dieser Romane, bei denen man wünsche, sie würden nie enden. Die Geschichte der Endfünfzigerin, deren Leben von der dominanten Mutter beherrscht wird und die sich allmählich frei krault. Parallel dazu der Alltag im Amerika in den 1940ern, mutige und pfiffige Frauen. Ich habe das Buch "Fried green tomatoes" geliebt und dieses ist genauso wunderbar. Wer die Bücher von Anne Tyler liebt, ist auch mit diesem Buch gut beraten!

I loved this story. It had warmth, mystery and humour. Great book to relax with.

Si vous avez aimé 'Fried Green Tomatoes' ou 'Welcome To The World, Baby Girl' vous allez adorez cet livre de Fannie Flagg.