The Land of Mango Sunsets

By: Dorothea Benton Frank

Narrated by: Nicole Poole

Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's Summary

Dorothea Benton Frank is one of America's most insightful writers, weaving highly addictive tales of the conundrums of life with hilarity and heat. Now, in The Land of Mango Sunsets, Frank gives us one woman's journey toward a hard-won truth: Life isn't always what it appears to be, and the sooner you realize that pride won't keep you warm at night, the happier you will be. Oh, and one other thing - a truly joyous life comes with a generous heart.

Meet Miriam Elizabeth Swanson, in a full-blown snit, buoyed by a fabulous cast who run the gamut from insufferable to wonderful. First is the arrival of Liz Harper, Miriam's tenant from Birmingham, who sets a new cycle in motion. Then her other tenant, Kevin, a stalwart companion with more style than Cary Grant, shakes Miriam out of her fog to see which battles are worth the fight. Next, her estranged son announces he's marrying a Jamaican woman. And what about her ex-husband, Charles, and that sordid lingerie model of his? Well, Harry, her African gray parrot, has plenty of opinions. Finally, you'll laugh and cry when she meets a man named Harrison who changes her into a gal named Mellie.

Miriam spins out from the revolving door of her postured life as a Manhattan quasi-socialite while she thirsts - no, starves for recognition. How did she become what she hates the most, and what does she endure to realize it? And where are the answers? It takes a few spins and dips and one spectacular fall for Miriam to get her head on straight. Then, in a whoosh, she's off to the enchanted and mysterious land of Sullivans Island, deep in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

Told straight from the heart in Frank's vivid, highly entertaining style, The Land of Mango Sunsets just might be her finest work to date. If you decide to listen to this book, don't make plans to do anything else for a while.

©2009 Dorothea Benton Frank (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

Great Escape

I loved this book! Elin Hilderbrand and This author, Dorothea Bentonville Frank, routinely hit it out of the ballpark with their writing. When I need a good road trip book, one that will make me glad I have to be in a car, driving hundreds of miles, I turn to them. This book took me through hundreds of miles of west Texas dry land and I loved it. The best part was watching and experiencing Miriam grow as a human being. I had a huge distaste for her at the start, as we are meant to. But I grew to like her and then to love her..... savoring her life's victories with her. I think some authors, like Hilderbrand and Frank, have the ability to not just tell a story but make your life better after reading it. Miriam...Mellie's story is no exception.
Only now, safe at home again, I just out down all the ingredients to make tomato pie. Grin!!
Congratulations Dorothea Benton Frank on another wonderful book! Thank you!

Loved it!

My favorite by Frank by far! Beautiful transformation and the power of a mother’s love!

Lovely

Lovely experience reading/listening to this book. Like all of Dorothea Benton Franks books, this one was an exceptional story that I enjoyed from start to finish.

Cute Book about changing attitudes after divorce

Loved the story which takes place in SC and NYC,
about a jilted mother who blames her mother for her miserable life. She finally realizes she needs to change her attitude. It is funny in some areas and sad in others but a very good easy read.

Almost like being there

Once again the author invites you into her world and instantly makes you feel a part of her story. Nichole does an excellent job of telling Dorothea’s story with a mix an humor and real life. I highly recommend this and any book by this author.

such a good listen

loved all the quirky characters! Perfect summer read, did not want to stop listening! Narrator was amazing!

Slow start, then I didn’t want it to end

During the first few chapters I thought I might exchange this book. Glad I stayed with it! The development of the main two characters was important and necessary in order to appreciate the changes and story that unfold. Excellent book and perfect narration.

AMAZING!

Laughed Our Loud ! Cried. Amazing Book! Absolutely Loved This Book. it's A Must Read.

The Land of Mango Sunsets

This book & all the others she wrote let me relive my past through her words. What a wonderful author & person she is to me. Thank you Dottie Frank! You will be sorely missed.

A weak but decent beach read

I am a fan of Dorothea Benton Frank's books but this was one of my least favorite of hers. The story was predictable, tedious in detail, and only made tolerable because I am an SC girl and I enjoyed reading about the coastal area with which I'm familiar. It's a light beach read but it's definitely not Frank's best work.