Mennonite in a Little Black Dress

A Memoir of Going Home

By: Rhoda Janzen

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

A hilarious and moving memoir in the spirit of Anne Lamott and Nora Ephron about a woman who returns home to her Mennonite family after a personal crisis.

The same week her husband of 15 years ditches her for a guy he met on Gay.com, a partially inebriated teenage driver smacks her VW Beetle head-on. Marriage over, body bruised, life upside-down, Rhoda does what any sensible 43-year-old would do: She goes home.

But hers is not just any home. It's a Mennonite home, the scene of her painfully uncool childhood and the bosom of her family: handsome but grouchy Dad, plain but cheerful Mom. Drinking, smoking, and slumber parties are nixed; potlucks, prune soup, and public prayer are embraced. Having long ago left the faith behind, Rhoda is surprised when the conservative community welcomes her back with open arms and offbeat advice. She discovers that this safe, sheltered world is the perfect place to come to terms with her failed marriage and the choices that both freed and entrapped her.

©2009 Rhoda Janzen (P)2009 Highbridge

Cheap humor

Funny at times, the self-deprecating humor and author's making fun of the eccentricities of her parents become tiresome. Book is repetitive and has few interesting themes. The title is catchy and for this reason will sell copies. However, this is a lightweight bit of fluff.

Sad Detailing of a Woman's Mid-life Crisis

Ugh...this drones on and on. Best thing was her realization of how religion is the problem not spirituality. Would not recommend.

Angry or dismissive?

The vocabulary is slightly showy and usually not necessary to make the point. Overall an interesting piece.

Repetitive

I’m still not sure what the point of writing the book was. If I have to hear again “gay.com” or that should couldn’t afford the mortgage I’ll throw my phone. Read it for book club and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone

Don't Bother

As a non-Mennonite I can say, "What a disappointment!!!!" I listened to the book in its entirety hoping that there would be a redeeming aspect but found none. Rather, I walked away feeling as if this "read" had simply been a cathartic exercise for the author that should not have been published.
Firstly, the book is not written by a Mennonite. The author was reared in a Mennonite home and left the faith as a young woman. Basically, the book is an arrogant, "axe to grind" account of the author's life which was seemingly built on a number of poor choices. Although she periodicallly succeeds to extract humor from some of the situations she recounts, more often the recounts are a harsh, judgmental condemnation of a seemingly well-intentioned group of people (the Mennonites). There is also a imbalance throughout the book as the author is diligent to analyze the actions and characteristics of the Mennonites while failing to do the same with her own. As a result one is left feeling as if there has been a "Mennonite-bashing" with the question of "why".

A surprising delight

An funny and quirky look into the life of this author. An excellent "read" and a good job by the narrator. Kept me interested and laughing the whole way through.

Funny and touching

Rhoda Janzen has Mary Carr's acerbic voice and Elizabeth Gilbert's desire to understand herself. So if you liked "Lit," "The Liar's Club," or "Eat, Pray, Love," you will find this a most satisfying addition to the group.

I listened to this book in bed and kept waking up my spouse because I was cracking up. There were even a few occasions when an actual snort escaped me. I had to turn the book off at that point, just for the sake of harmony in the old bedroom.

If you were the kind of person (like me) who couldn't wait to get away from the place where you grew up, only to realize later all the wonders you left behind--you will love this book.

In particular, I loved the author's rendering of her mother, a doggedly sunny ball of energy with a penchant for dopey scatalogical references, all within the context of a severe and austere religion. Much to laugh at here. I hope Janzen does a follow-up book on her mom! She is a character (and, oh, how I do mean that) about and from whom I'd love to hear more.

I think the narrator did a great job. Her tone is wry and tough when the humor calls for it, and soft when detailing some of the more painful moments.

So far....very BORING!

What would have made Mennonite in a Little Black Dress better?

I don't know if I'm going to make it through this book! I'm finding it very BORING. I should have read the Amazon reviews first. They told the real story. Lesson Learned!

Disappointment-glad I bought it on sale

While the story was at times somewhat funny, I found the negative references to Christians unfriendly and definitely didn't enjoy the swearing-didn't finish the book and wouldn't acquire other works by this author-a language warning would have been appreciated.

Boring and annoying

The author comes across as spoiled and arrogant. The narrator is monotonous. The topic is fascinating, but someone else needs to write about it.