Genre Fiction
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The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop: A Novel
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A heartwarming novel about secrets of youth rediscovered, hometown memories, and the magical moments in ordinary lives, from the beloved author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
"A gift, a blessing and a triumph . . . celebrates the bonds of family and friends-and the possibilities of recovery and renewal."-The Free Lance–Star
Bud Threadgoode grew up in the bustling little railroad town of Whistle Stop with his mother, Ruth, church-going and proper, and his Aunt Idgie, the fun-loving hell-raiser. Together they ran the town's popular Whistle Stop Cafe, known far and wide for its fun and famous fried green tomatoes. And as Bud often said of his childhood to his daughter Ruthie, "How lucky can you get?"
But sadly, as the railroad yards shut down and Whistle Stop became a ghost town, nothing was left but boarded-up buildings and memories of a happier time.
Then one day, Bud decides to take one last trip, just to see what has become of his beloved Whistle Stop. In so doing, he discovers new friends, as well as surprises about Idgie's life, about Ninny Threadgoode and other beloved Fannie Flagg characters, and about the town itself. He also sets off a series of events, both touching and inspiring, which change his life and the lives of his daughter and many others. Could these events all be just coincidences? Or something else? And can you really go home again?
"A gift, a blessing and a triumph . . . celebrates the bonds of family and friends-and the possibilities of recovery and renewal."-The Free Lance–Star
Bud Threadgoode grew up in the bustling little railroad town of Whistle Stop with his mother, Ruth, church-going and proper, and his Aunt Idgie, the fun-loving hell-raiser. Together they ran the town's popular Whistle Stop Cafe, known far and wide for its fun and famous fried green tomatoes. And as Bud often said of his childhood to his daughter Ruthie, "How lucky can you get?"
But sadly, as the railroad yards shut down and Whistle Stop became a ghost town, nothing was left but boarded-up buildings and memories of a happier time.
Then one day, Bud decides to take one last trip, just to see what has become of his beloved Whistle Stop. In so doing, he discovers new friends, as well as surprises about Idgie's life, about Ninny Threadgoode and other beloved Fannie Flagg characters, and about the town itself. He also sets off a series of events, both touching and inspiring, which change his life and the lives of his daughter and many others. Could these events all be just coincidences? Or something else? And can you really go home again?
Editorial Reviews
"The story blossoms in vintage Flagg style-folksy and feel-good. An abundance of Southern charm will delight both readers eager to journey back to beloved Whistle Stop and also those wanting to visit for the very first time."-Shelf Awareness
"Who can resist a visit to Whistle Stop and all her inhabitants, past and present? No one!"-Library Journal
"Reading this novel is like entering a second childhood."-Kirkus Reviews
"Flagg's memorable cast returns to Whistle Stop, Ala., made famous in Fried Green Tomatoes, in this heartfelt saga. . . . Flagg's multitude of fans will enjoy reminiscing and learning more secrets from her well-known protagonists."-Publishers Weekly
"Spellbinding storytelling, deftly drawn characters and an unerring ear for credible dialogue . . . The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop represents a gift, a blessing and a triumph. . . . It showcases Flagg's ability to write a sweet but never saccharine, comical but never cruel, profound but never pompous narrative; it celebrates the bonds of family and friends-and the possibilities of recovery and renewal."-Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star
"A charming and heart-warming story"-The Palm Beach Post
"The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop is a captivating novel with characters and relationships to be savored, as well as ample servings of hope and inspiration. These are venerable storytelling qualities which surely are needed now more than ever. . . . The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop should garner an even wider fan-base for Flagg, a well-deserved outcome for an exceptional writer."-New York Journal of Books
"Who can resist a visit to Whistle Stop and all her inhabitants, past and present? No one!"-Library Journal
"Reading this novel is like entering a second childhood."-Kirkus Reviews
"Flagg's memorable cast returns to Whistle Stop, Ala., made famous in Fried Green Tomatoes, in this heartfelt saga. . . . Flagg's multitude of fans will enjoy reminiscing and learning more secrets from her well-known protagonists."-Publishers Weekly
"Spellbinding storytelling, deftly drawn characters and an unerring ear for credible dialogue . . . The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop represents a gift, a blessing and a triumph. . . . It showcases Flagg's ability to write a sweet but never saccharine, comical but never cruel, profound but never pompous narrative; it celebrates the bonds of family and friends-and the possibilities of recovery and renewal."-Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star
"A charming and heart-warming story"-The Palm Beach Post
"The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop is a captivating novel with characters and relationships to be savored, as well as ample servings of hope and inspiration. These are venerable storytelling qualities which surely are needed now more than ever. . . . The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop should garner an even wider fan-base for Flagg, a well-deserved outcome for an exceptional writer."-New York Journal of Books
Readers Top Reviews
Kindle Lauren Brums
I love Fanny Flagg and I LOVE her book Fried Green Tomatoes however, this book read more like an outline. The characters were not developed and most of this book was just a rehash the first book.
L. Royal
It was wonderful revisiting the folks from Whistle Stop! This book did not disappoint. I love that the book went forward and backward in time providing us new stories about our old favorites from Fried Green Tomatoes along with stories from the new generations. As always when I read an excellent book, I was sad to turn that last page.
L. L. Golden
Everyone who read and loved Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, knew the ending left a lot of loose ends. Yes Ruth and Ninnie had passed on, but what happened to Idgie? The next generation? Or other citizens of Whistle Stop? The Wonder Boy picks up those threads, with the reasonable good and bad things that come into everyone’s life. Much of the story is carried by Ruthie, Buddie Threadgood’s daughter and granddaughter of FGT’s Ruth. As a descendent of an older, poorer, South, Ruthie has to contend with a different world her parents and grandparents knew and has to face different burdens. Still, the message of Whistle Stop is any difficulty can be faced when you have enough love in your life. While this lacks some of the drama and structure that inhabited FGT, it’s still a lowly read for anyone who liked the original book. It’s as welcome as. Trip back home.
tammnessM. Sandvig
While some scenes take you back to the world of "Fried Green Tomatoes," the entire book feels so tossed together. It's as if Flagg had all these short vignettes written and she hastily wrote the scenes in the present time to try to tie them together coherently. It did not work. The humor is too light and folksy--there is no dark humor or deep satire, such as we saw in the first book (and many of her subsequent novels). Also, the absolutely unrealistic way everyone in this book has so much money to throw around at projects, going to retirement homes, etc....REALLY? Most of us don't have a few hundred grand (or more) sitting around to spend in our old age. I read it quickly, hoping it would get better, but it really just served up more of the same. If you like folksy, unrealistic nostalgia, it's for you. If you hope for a return to Whistle Stop of the 30-40s era and all it's complexities and personalities, skip it.
BellaTaliaDtammnessM
Much like Idgie, I'm happy to be home. This book is an absolute delight in every way. I laughed out loud ... very loud ... I cried, I worried, I rejoiced, and I missed the characters (and are some ever characters!!) from Whistle Stop the moment I read the last word. If you are looking for a feel good read that will warm your heart and leave you hankering for a big old plate of fried green tomatoes, then this is the book! Thank you, yet again, Fannie Flagg for making us all remember that there is good in this world and it's found in the heart of small towns all across this country.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Sheriff Grady Kilgore
WHISTLE STOP, ALABAMA
January 24, 1991
Grady Kilgore, a big barrel-chested bear of a man in his seventies, had been the sheriff of Whistle Stop, Alabama, until 1958, when he and his wife, Gladys, had moved to Tennessee. Today, Grady had driven down to Whistle Stop from Nashville with his grandson and was standing on the railroad tracks, looking across the street to where the old Whistle Stop Cafe used to be. Kudzu vines had grown all over the buildings and had covered most of the block. It was hard for his grandson to tell what was underneath.
Grady pointed over to one of the buildings. "That's the old post office that Dot Weems ran, and right there's the cafe, next to Opal Butts's beauty shop, where your grandma got her hair done up every Saturday morning." Grady stood there looking around and was sad to see how much the place had changed since the last time he'd stopped by.
By now, the old two-lane highway from Birmingham to Whistle Stop had been bypassed by a new six-lane interstate, and most of the area was now just a dumping ground. Old rusty cars and trucks had been abandoned by the tracks, left to slowly fall apart. Empty beer cans and whiskey bottles were everywhere. And as a sad sign of the times, Grady noticed there was a lot of drug paraphernalia scattered around that hadn't been there before.
The Baptist church, where he had heard Reverend Scroggins preach every Sunday, was now almost falling down, the stained-glass windows broken, the pews removed and sold. All that was left of the town were some of the old buildings and the old Threadgoode home, and that was barely standing. Vandals had pretty much destroyed everything else. Grady turned to his grandson and shook his head. "When I get to thinkin' how this place used to be, and what it is now, it just makes me sick. It wasn't never a fancy town, but it was clean. Now there's junk scattered everywhere. And the old Threadgoode house is full of graffiti, the windows all knocked out. You'd never know to look at it now, but that house used to be the prettiest one in town. For the life of me, I still cain't figure out why Whistle Stop went to seed like it did. I even heard the whole town was sold, and they were gonna knock it all down and build a tire factory out here."
Grady looked across the street again and sighed. "I don't know why they're just lettin' the old cafe sit and rot away like that. It just don't seem right. That cafe used to be like going to a good friend's house to eat. Two great gals ran it. Idgie Threadgoode and Ruth Jamison. You woulda loved 'em. Everybody in town used to eat there, all the railroad men and their families. Every Christmas Day their cook, Sipsey, and the gals would lay out a big spread, and we'd all go over and eat, open our presents, and sing carols." Then, unexpectedly, Grady let out a little sob. He quickly turned away, pulled out a handkerchief, and blew his nose and looked apologetic.
"Sorry about that. Oh Lordy. I don't need to go thinkin' about the old days . . . but lots of good times were had in that old cafe with Ruth and Idgie. Ruth's son, little Buddy, grew up in that cafe. Poor kid. Lost his arm when he wasn't much older than you." Grady then carefully folded his handkerchief and put it back into his pocket.
Then he said, "Now, you may not believe this, but a few years back on Christmas Day your grandma and me was over in Birmingham visiting Opal Butts, and while they were busy cooking up dinner, I snuck out and took a little ride out here. And I was standing right here, on this same spot we are now, when-real quiet like at first-I started to hear a piano playing and people laughing, and it was coming from over there, right where the cafe used to be. I looked around and there wasn't nobody there, but I swear I heard it. What do you think it could have been?"
His grandson rubbed his hands together and said, "I don't know, Granddaddy, but can we go now? I'm getting cold."
Dot Weems
WHISTLE STOP, ALABAMA
1935
Dot Weems was a friendly little woman who just loved to chat. When she was younger, she had hoped for a literary career on the order of her idol, Edna Ferber. But at seventeen, she had fallen in love with "the man of her dreams," and had married Wilbur Weems instead.
Later she would often joke that even if she hadn't become a famous novelist, she was still "a woman of letters." Aside from single-handedly running the Whistle Stop Post Office for sixteen years, Dot also wrote and published a weekly newsletter reporting on all the town's activities under a banner that read:
The Weems Weekly
(Whistle Stop, Alabama's weekly bulletin)
"No gossip, just the plain fact...
WHISTLE STOP, ALABAMA
January 24, 1991
Grady Kilgore, a big barrel-chested bear of a man in his seventies, had been the sheriff of Whistle Stop, Alabama, until 1958, when he and his wife, Gladys, had moved to Tennessee. Today, Grady had driven down to Whistle Stop from Nashville with his grandson and was standing on the railroad tracks, looking across the street to where the old Whistle Stop Cafe used to be. Kudzu vines had grown all over the buildings and had covered most of the block. It was hard for his grandson to tell what was underneath.
Grady pointed over to one of the buildings. "That's the old post office that Dot Weems ran, and right there's the cafe, next to Opal Butts's beauty shop, where your grandma got her hair done up every Saturday morning." Grady stood there looking around and was sad to see how much the place had changed since the last time he'd stopped by.
By now, the old two-lane highway from Birmingham to Whistle Stop had been bypassed by a new six-lane interstate, and most of the area was now just a dumping ground. Old rusty cars and trucks had been abandoned by the tracks, left to slowly fall apart. Empty beer cans and whiskey bottles were everywhere. And as a sad sign of the times, Grady noticed there was a lot of drug paraphernalia scattered around that hadn't been there before.
The Baptist church, where he had heard Reverend Scroggins preach every Sunday, was now almost falling down, the stained-glass windows broken, the pews removed and sold. All that was left of the town were some of the old buildings and the old Threadgoode home, and that was barely standing. Vandals had pretty much destroyed everything else. Grady turned to his grandson and shook his head. "When I get to thinkin' how this place used to be, and what it is now, it just makes me sick. It wasn't never a fancy town, but it was clean. Now there's junk scattered everywhere. And the old Threadgoode house is full of graffiti, the windows all knocked out. You'd never know to look at it now, but that house used to be the prettiest one in town. For the life of me, I still cain't figure out why Whistle Stop went to seed like it did. I even heard the whole town was sold, and they were gonna knock it all down and build a tire factory out here."
Grady looked across the street again and sighed. "I don't know why they're just lettin' the old cafe sit and rot away like that. It just don't seem right. That cafe used to be like going to a good friend's house to eat. Two great gals ran it. Idgie Threadgoode and Ruth Jamison. You woulda loved 'em. Everybody in town used to eat there, all the railroad men and their families. Every Christmas Day their cook, Sipsey, and the gals would lay out a big spread, and we'd all go over and eat, open our presents, and sing carols." Then, unexpectedly, Grady let out a little sob. He quickly turned away, pulled out a handkerchief, and blew his nose and looked apologetic.
"Sorry about that. Oh Lordy. I don't need to go thinkin' about the old days . . . but lots of good times were had in that old cafe with Ruth and Idgie. Ruth's son, little Buddy, grew up in that cafe. Poor kid. Lost his arm when he wasn't much older than you." Grady then carefully folded his handkerchief and put it back into his pocket.
Then he said, "Now, you may not believe this, but a few years back on Christmas Day your grandma and me was over in Birmingham visiting Opal Butts, and while they were busy cooking up dinner, I snuck out and took a little ride out here. And I was standing right here, on this same spot we are now, when-real quiet like at first-I started to hear a piano playing and people laughing, and it was coming from over there, right where the cafe used to be. I looked around and there wasn't nobody there, but I swear I heard it. What do you think it could have been?"
His grandson rubbed his hands together and said, "I don't know, Granddaddy, but can we go now? I'm getting cold."
Dot Weems
WHISTLE STOP, ALABAMA
1935
Dot Weems was a friendly little woman who just loved to chat. When she was younger, she had hoped for a literary career on the order of her idol, Edna Ferber. But at seventeen, she had fallen in love with "the man of her dreams," and had married Wilbur Weems instead.
Later she would often joke that even if she hadn't become a famous novelist, she was still "a woman of letters." Aside from single-handedly running the Whistle Stop Post Office for sixteen years, Dot also wrote and published a weekly newsletter reporting on all the town's activities under a banner that read:
The Weems Weekly
(Whistle Stop, Alabama's weekly bulletin)
"No gossip, just the plain fact...
