Helpful Score: 3
I love Fannie Flagg's books. They are sweet and sentimental and always fun to read, without too much sappiness.
Can't Wait to Get to Heaven is set in Elmwood Springs, MO, where several of her other books have been set. We have a handful of recurring characters, but this time the focus is on Elner Schimfissle, who is 80 years old and has fallen out of a tree and passed away. Or has she? Is Elner dreaming or is she having an after death experience? And what will this mean for her friends and family getting ready to mourn her passing?
Funny, sweet and life affirming this book brought a smile to my face and a small tear to the eye. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Can't Wait to Get to Heaven is set in Elmwood Springs, MO, where several of her other books have been set. We have a handful of recurring characters, but this time the focus is on Elner Schimfissle, who is 80 years old and has fallen out of a tree and passed away. Or has she? Is Elner dreaming or is she having an after death experience? And what will this mean for her friends and family getting ready to mourn her passing?
Funny, sweet and life affirming this book brought a smile to my face and a small tear to the eye. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Helpful Score: 3
This was an absolute surprise. I chose this book as something to fill time and found a wonderfully written and humorous book that gives hope to what is on the other side. The main character is who I want to be when I am in my 80's;spunky, optimistic and able to take all that she is given with grace and humility. Spend some time with her.
If you have read any of Ms. Flagg's books, you will know she writes about quirky people and two of her previous books took place in Elmwood Springs and this one continues the thread. You might say it is sort of a sequel to "Standing in the Rainbow" and "Welcome to the World, Baby Girl."
I really enjoyed this book. Here we have Elner, a widow who is determined to remain independent and free as long as she can despite her niece-in-law thinking she needs to be in a care facility. Elner has a wonderful, generous if kind of odd spirit. She decides to pick some figs for a friend and when she climbs her ladder, accidentally hitting a wasp nest, well, she comes tumbling down and is stung by the angry wasps. She is rushed to the hospital but is pronounced dead.
Next we have Elner going to Heaven and seeing her sister and old friends but most of all, she does not feel any pains like her knee which was sore lots of times. The town is notified of her death and wheels are set in motion for her funeral. But something happens and things are turned upside down.
Ms. Flagg writes a delightful story and her style makes you feel like you are there. I easily got caught up and found myself having read the book in two days. Highly recommended for those who love a good old fashioned story with a few twists and some odd characters thrown in for some laughs! I certainly hope she writes some more about Elner, Dorothy and the town of Elmwood Springs.
I really enjoyed this book. Here we have Elner, a widow who is determined to remain independent and free as long as she can despite her niece-in-law thinking she needs to be in a care facility. Elner has a wonderful, generous if kind of odd spirit. She decides to pick some figs for a friend and when she climbs her ladder, accidentally hitting a wasp nest, well, she comes tumbling down and is stung by the angry wasps. She is rushed to the hospital but is pronounced dead.
Next we have Elner going to Heaven and seeing her sister and old friends but most of all, she does not feel any pains like her knee which was sore lots of times. The town is notified of her death and wheels are set in motion for her funeral. But something happens and things are turned upside down.
Ms. Flagg writes a delightful story and her style makes you feel like you are there. I easily got caught up and found myself having read the book in two days. Highly recommended for those who love a good old fashioned story with a few twists and some odd characters thrown in for some laughs! I certainly hope she writes some more about Elner, Dorothy and the town of Elmwood Springs.
Helpful Score: 2
Another wonderful read by Fannie Flagg. Elner Shimfissle get stung by wasps, falls out of her fig tree and dies. We have met Elner in other Flagg books; she is quite the character. The entire book, as usual, is filled with Flagg's wonderful characters. This tells about who Elner meets in Heaven, what Heaven is like, and what happens to her there. Also what is going on with her family back on Earth. When Elner dies, I admit I cried.
Helpful Score: 2
A feel good book makes you laugh out loud at times.
Helpful Score: 2
This was a very funny and enjoyable book to read. I have enjoyed all books by Fannie Flagg.
Helpful Score: 2
I really loved this book. I recommend it to anyone wanting an enjoyable funny read. I really hope she comes out with a sequel to this one!
Helpful Score: 1
This was my first time reading a Fannie Flagg book but it won't be my last! I was hooked from the first few pages. The characters are fantastic and easy to identify with. This book is a fun read with a real message. A feel good story that will stay with you.
Helpful Score: 1
Very funny book, a cute take on what Heaven might be like. Special for each person.
Helpful Score: 1
I really enjoyed this book.It left me feeling happy.I especially enjoyed the way Heaven was depicted.
Helpful Score: 1
This funny story makes the reader wish more than ever to live life in the now! I love Elner, the main character, and Fannie Flagg's voice is comical and vivid.
Helpful Score: 1
One of the best books that I have read. Fannie Flagg brings her characters to life in a way that makes you feel that they are a part of your family.
Helpful Score: 1
If you have ever had a chance to read any of Ms. Flagg's books before then you already know how endearing her characters are and how much fun and trouble they can get into.
Aunt Elner is someone you wish was part of your own family and everyone who has ever lived in a small town knows how fast "word" spreads from the local beauty shop all the way to the funeral home at lightening fast speed. In the end you will come away thinking "I never thought a golf shoe could prove that there's life after death to someone so educated and sane" but it did.
This book is a great ride through the wonderful down to earth community of Elmwood Springs MO and a breath of the mid-west that everyone can and will enjoy.
Aunt Elner is someone you wish was part of your own family and everyone who has ever lived in a small town knows how fast "word" spreads from the local beauty shop all the way to the funeral home at lightening fast speed. In the end you will come away thinking "I never thought a golf shoe could prove that there's life after death to someone so educated and sane" but it did.
This book is a great ride through the wonderful down to earth community of Elmwood Springs MO and a breath of the mid-west that everyone can and will enjoy.
Helpful Score: 1
Another funny fast read from Ms Flagg. Maybe it makes us all where we all "can't wait to get to heaven".
Love this book. I'm reading it for a second time, which I rarely do.
Helpful Score: 1
Sweet little story about what happened after Elner Shimfissle accidentally poked the wasps' nest in her fig tree. The tale meanders through a small Southern town and through the lives of its residents, today, yesterday, and tomorrow, and winds up in a totally satisfactory read.
Helpful Score: 1
This is such a good story about an town full of people that could be anyones neighbor. It had me laughing and crying throughout the book.
Helpful Score: 1
This book was a great "feel good" book. The characters and story were both great!
My favorite book by Fannie Flagg so far, even beats "Whistle Stop Cafe" (the book that Fried Green Tomatoes was based on). I love when Elner is able to talk to God...the questions that she asks him are so innocent. Highly recommended and hope you enjoy as much as I did when I read it.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a quick and easy read. Lots of good southern humor.
This book is laugh-out-loud funny. Fannie Flagg is a down-to-earth, homey writer who has a natural flare for words. She is a great story teller.
excellent book for loved visiting the old characters from previous books though the way it ended was excellent and my husband laughed at me crying though the author is #1 on stories with old traditional values in it. Recommend to everyone.
A funny, endearing novel.
Funny, sweet, typical Fannie Flagg. I loved octogenarian Mrs. Elner Shimfissle. I want to be Mrs Elner Shimfissle when I grow up.
Taking readers back to Elmwood Springs, Missouri, Fannie Flagg produces ( for me!) the best of her novels yet. It's the story of Elner Simfissle, an elderly lady, who is quite extraordinary. The book is a combination of comedy and mystery and takes its readers along with it on a journey, all about life and death and the road inbetween.
Loved this book!
Loved this book!
I love anything by this woman! She needs to write faster.
Another fabulous offering from Fannie Flagg with some many of the old characters returning. She always leaves me feeling uplifted and happy. Aunt Elner is the main character who can teach us all a thing or two. I heartily recommend this to all Flagg fans.
I love all of her novels they are so true to life and love
I loved this book!! Lots of fun. It gave me something to think about.
Absolutely a jewel of a book. I have passed this book on to friends who then passed it on other friends. What a wonderful point of view! Fannie Flagg is a superb storyteller!
The book is a wonderful escape into a comedic faith adventure, full of rich and memorable characters! Ms. Flagg is a gifted storyteller. I have recommended to others and now have also purchased copies for gifts.
This is my all time favorite book. The story is uplifting and funny and very insightful. I love the description of heaven, and I hope it's really like that.
Classic Flagg! References previous novels. Makes you wish for more!
THIS IS MY FAVORITE FROM FANNIE FLAGG! IT'S FUNNY AS WELL AS "DEEP" AND REALLY MAKES YOU REFLECT ABOUT YOUR OWN LIFE.
A book about how an elderly woman who knows the meaning of unconditional love effects the lives of those she knows. Loved this book.
Interesting concept. Makes you really wonder what is in store for all of us.
Have you read other Fannie Flagg books? They are a pleasure & draw the reader into a mid-Western town, in this case, brimming w/a variety of people, jobs, habits, etc. The main character, an elderly, very independent woman is well known to all as a friendly, helpful person, ready to help any & everyone.
You'll meet her neighbors, her niece, the woman reporter at the local newspaper office and many others along the way. Everything has happened for a reason in the elderly woman's life but she feels it is time to be in the bliss of heaven. The humanity and humor make this novel one you will remember!
You'll meet her neighbors, her niece, the woman reporter at the local newspaper office and many others along the way. Everything has happened for a reason in the elderly woman's life but she feels it is time to be in the bliss of heaven. The humanity and humor make this novel one you will remember!
Delightful and a quick read. Makes you long for simpler times and simple sweetness in people. A wonderful read.
Small Towns make the best towns, and this is a story of one great small town. Elner and her friends and family are a joy to read about.
Avery good story. I had read it before, liked it so much I picked it up and read it again.
Enjoyed this story a great deal. It really makes you think about how your life touches others and you may not be aware of it. The cast of characters was fun as were the recipes at the end.
This is a fun, easy read with a sweet message as well. I loved this book and went on to read others by this author because of reading this one.
I haven't laughed out loud while reading a book for some time. Of course, I usually read more serious things, so.... But, I have to say I really enjoyed this book and I did laugh out loud several times. It was Fannie Flagg, who could resist her? And, I loved Fried Green Tomatoes From the Whistle-Stop Cafe, so it was an easy choice to make. Totally different from Fried Green Tomatoes, but so entertaining. An easy read. Try this one, you'll love it and if you don't, it won't take you that long to read it anyway!
I have liked every Fannie Flagg book I've read and this is no exception. Light-hearted fun!
Fannie Flagg never disappoints. Her characters are always unique and not in an unbelievable way. It's a comedy that has a great pace and doesn't let you down. And it's very poignant, gets you thinking about people in your life.
I very much enjoyed this book!!! It was laugh out loud funny, yet thought provoking!!!!
I haven't liked any of Flagg's books since Fried Green Tomatoes, which I thought was brilliant. Can't Wait is much lighter fare, but it's an upper, with some good giggles. It's sweet and life affirming--an easy, fun read.
Love anything she writes. Highly recommend this refreshing view on going to heaven!
Unfortunately, this book was a letdown. I kept reading with hopes it would improve, but it did not. The characters are southern one dimensional and the story line provides too little substance to keep my attention.
Fannie Flagg, for those of you out there that remember her, is as funny on paper as she is in life. This book is really funny. It isn't how I imagine Heaven, but I like that it is just what Elner Shimfissle needs.
Fannie Flagg is on of my favorites and this book does not disappoint. It's full of her wacky characters and hilarious situations. Her take on God is quite unusual and while I don't agree with it, the reading of it was quite entertaining. A real feel good book.
Fannie Flagg does it again. This story was inspiring and uplifting and made me feel better as I read each page.
A wonderful, enlightening read. Elner Shimfissle is a delightful character, that could be anyones Grandmother. She leads a completely unordinary life and loves everyone.
Reading about her antics brought a smile to my face. One thing about this book is, you can read a bit, set it down and when you pick it up again, you are never lost.
Reading about her antics brought a smile to my face. One thing about this book is, you can read a bit, set it down and when you pick it up again, you are never lost.
I read this with a few reading pals in my online book club The Reading Cove. I really enjoyed it! Aunt Elner is so loveable, and so are the rest of the characters from Elmwood Springs and beyond....
Well, her niece Norma got on my nerves, but in a good way, LOL.
There were also some pretty touching moments, but I love how Fannie Flagg strikes a great balance between LOL humor and dramatic sentiment.
There was some unexpected violence at the end, and the book felt like it was about 100 pages too long, but I can forgive it that. It's like the author loved her characters so much she didn't want to leave them!
I give this one a solid B. You'll have a great time reading it!
Well, her niece Norma got on my nerves, but in a good way, LOL.
There were also some pretty touching moments, but I love how Fannie Flagg strikes a great balance between LOL humor and dramatic sentiment.
There was some unexpected violence at the end, and the book felt like it was about 100 pages too long, but I can forgive it that. It's like the author loved her characters so much she didn't want to leave them!
I give this one a solid B. You'll have a great time reading it!
Returning to Elmwood Springs, Mo., (where her sprawling 2002 novel, Standing in the Rainbow, chronicled the small town's inhabitants over five decades), Flagg keeps this outing much more tightly-focused; most of the novel takes place over a few days. Octogenarian Elner Shimfissle falls off a ladder after accidentally disturbing a hornets' nest while picking figs. After she dies at the hospital, the novel's bite-size chapters alternate between funny and touching vignettes showing how Elner's death and life has affected dozens of people in town, interspersed with scenes of Elner's laugh-out-loud assent into the hereafter. From there, the plot offers readers a series of delightful surprises. Perhaps Flagg's funniest novel since her debut, Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man, she's created a charming, life-affirming tale and a full cast of memorable characters, including Elner's late sister, Ida, who greets her in heaven still carrying her purse and a grudge about the bad hair styling she got for her funeral. Flagg is an expert at balancing pathos with plenty of Southern sass, and this could very well be the feel-good read of the summer.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW
Good read
Excellent book! The characters are wonderful, and the books makes you feel happy and hopeful.
Another great book by Fannie Flagg. You just fall in love with her characters, who are usually funny, small town folks. Her books always make me feel good. Another funny, fast paced, enjoyable read.
Funny & charming, a feel good story to the simple joys of life. A delightful comedy-mystery.
If your looking for a lighthearted read - this is it! Fannie Flagg does it again with Can't Wait to Get to Heaven. Full of fun, characters most of us can relate to in one way or the other - very real & full of Southern charm.
I dearly loved this series..........these were larger than life!
Combining southern warmth with unabashed emotion and side-splitting hilarity, Fannie Flagg takes readers back to Elmwood Springs, Missouri, where the most unlikely and surprising experiences of a high-spirited octogenarian inspire a town to ponder the age-old question: Why are we here?
Life is the strangest thing. One minute, Mrs. Elner Shimfissle is up in her tree, picking figs, and the next thing she knows, she is off on an adventure she never dreamed of, running into people she never in a million years expected to meet. Meanwhile, back home, Elners nervous, high-strung niece Norma faints and winds up in bed with a cold rag on her head; Elners neighbor Verbena rushes immediately to the Bible; her truck driver friend, Luther Griggs, runs his eighteen-wheeler into a ditchand the entire town is thrown for a loop and left wondering, What is life all about, anyway? Except for Tot Whooten, who owns Tots Tell It Like It Is Beauty Shop. Her main concern is that the end of the world might come before she can collect her social security.
In this comedy-mystery, those near and dear to Elner discover something wonderful: Heaven is actually right here, right now, with people you love, neighbors you help, friendships you keep. Cant Wait to Get to Heaven is proof once more that Fannie Flagg was put on this earth to write (Southern Living), spinning tales as sweet and refreshing as iced tea on a summer day, with a little extra kick thrown in.
Life is the strangest thing. One minute, Mrs. Elner Shimfissle is up in her tree, picking figs, and the next thing she knows, she is off on an adventure she never dreamed of, running into people she never in a million years expected to meet. Meanwhile, back home, Elners nervous, high-strung niece Norma faints and winds up in bed with a cold rag on her head; Elners neighbor Verbena rushes immediately to the Bible; her truck driver friend, Luther Griggs, runs his eighteen-wheeler into a ditchand the entire town is thrown for a loop and left wondering, What is life all about, anyway? Except for Tot Whooten, who owns Tots Tell It Like It Is Beauty Shop. Her main concern is that the end of the world might come before she can collect her social security.
In this comedy-mystery, those near and dear to Elner discover something wonderful: Heaven is actually right here, right now, with people you love, neighbors you help, friendships you keep. Cant Wait to Get to Heaven is proof once more that Fannie Flagg was put on this earth to write (Southern Living), spinning tales as sweet and refreshing as iced tea on a summer day, with a little extra kick thrown in.
Loved the book so much I may read it again, something I never do.
I haven't read this Fannie Flagg book.
