Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe: A Novel

I read this book many years ago and recently saw the movie again on TV, which prompted me to look for it as an Audible title. Of course the story in the book is SO much richer than the movie - more enjoyable as an audiobook because of the wonderful reading by Lorna Raver - a very authentic old Southern lady's voice. I felt like Evelyn Couch sitting with Ninny, hearing her tell of Ruth and Idgie. This was a real treat, but I will caution readers not familiar with the story that there is racial content relevant to the early part of the 20th century that may be hard for some to take. If you can handle the social issues, this is a worthy read.

Absolutely wonderful! I am a huge fan of the movie, but this book is much more delightful. It is hilarious! I laugh and laugh and laugh. The narrator, Lorna Raver, reminds me of Jessica Tandy from the movie. I haven't enjoyed a book this much in ages. I can recommend this book to anyone looking for a great sense of peace and lots of humor!

I did, twice!

Endearing characters, everyone is so sweet.

If you've seen the movie first you will hear the voice of Jessica Tandy and Kathy Bates probably because the narration is so good. I don't know if this audiobook was produced after the movie but the best moments sound like the movie which is high praise. The many scenes and parts left out of the film are also narrated with the perfect tone.

Too many to count.

If you've seen the movie and liked it you will love the book. It's wonderful, sweet and entertaining and there is MORE of it. You can fall in love with "Idgy" Threadgood, Ninny Threadgood, and Evelyn all over again. You'll also finally understand why the Evelyn character yells "Towanda!" several times in the film.

This book has everything I as a southern fiction reader love, quirky characters, a little mystery and strong women. I have seen this movie many times but had never read the book and thought it was about time I remedied that with the audio version narrated by the always wonderful Lorna Raver.

I liked these characters so much, the true friendships were fabulous the way they all come together to protect their own, it made me want to live in Whistle Stop. I liked the back & forth in time through the storytelling. I wish Mrs. Threadgood had lived to see Evelyn’s transformation that she had so much to do with, I enjoyed this storyline of the empty nester trying to figure out who she is and loved her “coming of age” story. Of course Idgie is a great character a woman born way before her time and her relationship with Ruth is so special and I like how it is up to the reader if they are a lesbian couple or just good friends. Every character in this book brings something to the table and it is a book that stays with you.

As I said I listened to this on audio narrated by Lorna Raver who is always a perfect choice in southern fiction!

There are so many reviews of this book that I will leave you with if you like southern fiction this book is a must read!

4 Stars

I really enjoyed this story. It was easy to get into and I didn't want to stop listening. You could see and feel each character! An absolute girl read!

This reader was an older lady and I felt like she was a dear old friend telling me a story!

I really got into the sense of an older lady's mind set

Yes, but wanted it to last longer than that!!

In my experience the book is ALWAYS better than the movie... except for this time! I've read other books by Fannie Flagg and was entertained by them as I was somewhat entertained by this one. The movie is one of my all time favorites so I really didn't think I could go wrong with the purchase. The book was acceptable but not exceptional. I was also unimpressed by the narrator. I guess after Jessica Tandy, (the main narrator in the movie), ANYONE would be a disappointment! If you've never seen the movie you will probably love the book.. but I would suggest you see the movie.

I finally got around to reading this after being a big fan of the movie for so many years. I was looking for more details, left out incidents, inner monologues, deeper motivations--the usual things that get cut out when novels hit the big screen. Surprisingly, there wasn't a whole lot of that. What there was instead was a bunch of raw material that was reworked and tightened up when whoever approached this book to make it into a screenplay. The choices they made make a fascinating study. I think they were brilliant. Fannie Flagg's book is very good, but she approached the story about Idgie and Ruth in a way that is more limited in its appeal. The movie gave the story more structure, and presented the Idgie and Ruth part more effectively and, ultimately, more appealingly. One of the things I like about the book that did not translate to the film is the scrapbook quality of piecing it all together from newspaper stories, letters, and other bits of old stuff. It's a charming book. Plus, it comes with recipes.

I would listen to it again, not soon, but maybe later on in my life. It's a wonderful story. The whole idea of a pair of lesbians in the deep south in the 20's is just an entertaining story. The orator is very funny with her voice inflections. It's an entertaining listen.

The fact that it's about lesbians.

Lesbians in the early 20th century Alabama. Seriously? Dumb question.