March 2011, Hosted by: Beth Kuhn
"Readers immersed in the offbeat world of Letts's lively, affecting first novel will forgive its occasional forced quirkiness. For 17-year-old Novalee Nation, seven months pregnant, the phrase "home is where your history begins" has a special meaning. Leaving behind a trail of foster homes in Tennessee trailer parks to live in a real house with her boyfriend, Willy Jack Pickens, Novalee instead finds herself abandoned in front of a Wal-Mart in Sequoyah, Okla. With nowhere to turn, she cleverly conceals herself within the store, keeping careful accounts until giving birth to the "Wal-Mart baby" turns her into a local celebrity. Happily, the community reaches out to Novalee and baby Americus. Sequoyah's one-woman welcoming committee, Sister Husband, takes them in; cultured librarian Forney Hull takes a shine to them; photographer Moses Whitecotton encourages Novalee's raw talent for photography by teaching her all he knows; Lexie Coop, who has a huge appetite for food, diet fads and the wrong men, befriends her; and legendary Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton gives her a job. Meanwhile, Willy Jack, an aspiring musician, gets a shot at the big time before hitting bottom and realizing what he's left behind. Letts's wacky characters are depicted with humor and hope, as well as an earnestness that rises above the story's uneven conceits, resulting in a heartfelt and gratifying read." (Publishers Weekly)
Hostess Notes:
Hostess Notes:
- Reason chosen: Recommended by mother who reads a lot.
- well received by all who attended the meeting. Many people said it was a enjoyable, fast read, with interesting characters and a good ending.
- Everyone had their own thoughts about Willy Jack Pickens and felt that Novalee was able to make peace with their relationship.
- Novalee was seemed to meet all the right people at just the right time, when she needed them most.
- Overall, the book was page-turner and gives you a new view on how so many different people can be your "family".
I enjoyed the book. It was nice and light and a quick read. I really wanted Willy Jack to fall off the face of the earth. I was worried he would come back into her life and leach off of her. Really wanted her to see that the "librarian" was there for her earlier in the book.
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