Mennonite in a Little Black Dress

A Memoir of Going Home

By: Rhonda Janzen

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

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

Drags

There were some humorous points, but all-in-all this book DRAGS. I grew up with lots of Amish and Mennonite so it was interesting to hear this point of view, but I was so often frustrated with the author I couldn't find much entertainment in the story. It's ok, and like the author I rarely leave a book unfinished, but...

Annoying to listen to

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

While I normally enjoy this genre of book, I just could not get into it. I gave it about 6 hours of listening time and gave up.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Happy Ali After

How did the narrator detract from the book?

Yes, could not stand her voice.

Too self-consciously funny

Unfortunately, the serious points Janzen makes later are overshadowed by the, at times forced, humor. Not a waste of a credit, but I wouldn't fault readers who felt disappointed either.

Great book, grating narration

I read the book years ago and laughed out loud and enjoyed the story tremendously.

Listening to it for a book club this year, I barely managed to finish it going 1.4 speed to avoid the incredibly grating voice of the narrator.

I feel sad that it ruined the memory of such a book I otherwise highly recommend.

I was so bored

The only reason I made myself finish this book was because it was the book for my book club
I found the attempts at wit falling flat and did not find any real value in the story itself