Sweet By and By, The - Softcover

Johnson, Todd

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0061579513 ISBN 13: 9780061579516

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks, 2010

Synopsis

Meet five North Carolina women who are about to change the way you think about friendship. For Rhonda, a gritty, fun-loving hairdresser in tight jeans, the sights and smells of Ridgecrest Nursing Center are depressing. But before she can change her mind about working there, two residents glue themselves to her: Margaret, droll and whip-smart, with a will of iron that never fails her even when her body does, and Bernice, an avid country music fan who is rarely lucid. Together with Lorraine, their church-going, God-questioning nurse, and her daughter, April, bright and ambitious, they lock arms in courage and humor for a journey that speaks to us all--of how we live and die, of how we love and forgive.

About this title

Review:

"I am in love with this book -- the language, the story, the sass. Five women bickering, judging, loving, growing old together. You won't stop laughing, even when your heart is hurting. Keep a pencil close -- you'll be underlining all your favorite, funny lines."--Kathryn Stockett, The Help

"Poignant."--Raleigh News & Observer

"Fans of Fried Green Tomatoes will fall headlong into this humorous and heartfelt story . . .The cast handles the profusion of drama, tragedy, humor, and romance with some of the best narration listeners will find anywhere."--AudioFile Magazine, on the audio edition

"Bittersweet and often humorous...Johnson has a sure ear for Southern speech...the underlying message of the power of love and friendship resonates, as does its depiction of the way in which people leading unremarkable lives can have a tremendous impact on those around them."--Publishers Weekly

"Nothing short of amazing . . . I had a whole new perspective on both living and dying after reading this stunning novel."--Birmingham News

"My favorite book of the past few months . . . As Johnson reveals these women to readers, you discover that he has captured the very souls of women we all know, respect and love."--Greensboro News & Record

"Read The Sweet By and By...Johnson explores the lives of five Southern women who are unexpectedly connected to each other. While most of the action takes place in a nursing home, their stories never fall short of livelihood. Think of it as Steel Magnolias meets The Golden Girls."--Real Simple, "Entertainment Picks"

"Gentle, sensitive...sometimes funny, occasionally sad, and ultimately life-affirming... Johnson has done an admirable job of making each woman distinct and memorable...the reader will have a clear picture of each in mind--and will feel fond of them..a fine debut. I look forward to seeing what Johnson writes next."--Winston-Salem Journal

"Packed with so much poignancy readers might want to keep tissues handy...heartfelt...realistically portrays the challenges the elderly face and captures the authentic voices of these five very different women. This is a novel not to be missed."--Las Vegas Review Journal

"The women of The Sweet By and By have found a devoted muse in Todd Johnson."--Alice Walker

From the Back Cover:

"I want you to know something if you don't already. Life is choosing whom and what you love. Everything else follows . . ."

Among the longleaf pines and family farms of eastern North Carolina, days seem to pass without incident for Margaret Clayton and Bernice Stokes until they discover each other in a friendship that will take them on the most important journey of their lives. Margaret, droll and whip smart, has a will of iron that never fails her even when her body does, while Bernice, an avid country-music fan, is rarely lucid. Irreverent and brazen at every turn, they make a formidable pair at the home where they live, breaking all the rules and ultimately changing the lives of those around them. Lorraine, their churchgoing, God-questioning nurse, both protects and provokes them while they are under her watchful eye, as her daughter, April, bright and ambitious, determinedly makes her way through medical school. Rounding out the group of unlikely and often outrageous friends is Rhonda, the Bud-swilling beautician who does the ladies' hair on her day off and whose sassy talk hides a vulnerable heart, one that finally opens to love.

Weaving this tightly knit and compelling novel in alternating chapters, each woman gets to tell her story her own way, as all five learn to reconcile troubled pasts, find forgiveness, choose hope, and relish the joy of life. Rich with irresistible characters whose uniquely musical voices overflow the pages, The Sweet By and By is a testament to the truth that the most vibrant lives are not necessarily the most visible ones.

About this edition

• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0061579513
• ISBN 13: 9780061579516
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336