I’m sure someone here already mentioned Fannie Flagg’s Something to Look Forward To. I was disappointed in it. In fact, I told my mother not to bother reading it.
The book is not a story. It’s a collection of stories, with several of them linked by the same characters. It begins with a special agent from Planet 8676 who is sent to earth to see why Americans are staring at their hands, and relocating. I did enjoy the special agent, who was made up as William Frawley, Fred Mertz, on I Love Lucy. The agent enjoyed his time on earth, and enjoyed the people he observed. He came back to report on his experiences, including that they were communicating with a device in their hands. The final comments from Planet 8676 end the book as well. Even this story was disappointing. I expected more.
Over a few years, there were chapters about Velma from Cottonwood, Kansas, and her granddaughter in California. I enjoyed Velma’s accounts of life in Kansas, and it was obvious she was happy with her life there, but missed her granddaughter and great granddaughter, Again a relationship that had a sad ending.
There were a couple funny episodes. I enjoyed the one about the woman stopped for speeding. There were a couple ones about people starting over; a journalist who felt as if she was on the downslide in one, and one about a man who had a gunshot wound. One of my favorites, though, was a funny story set in Tyler, Texas, “Don’t Mess with Texas.”
I’ve enjoyed Fannie Flagg’s books in the past. This one just didn’t work for me.
Something to Look Forward To by Fannie Flagg. Random House, 2025. 269p.
FTC Full Disclosure – Library book
That is sad. I never read about her, so I looked her up. She is 81, and maybe it is getting more difficult to write. She has severe dyslexia, so how does she do it?
I don’t know, Carol. She’s unbelievable. And, as Jeff said, she was on TV a lot in the ’80s. She’s written some excellent books despite her dyslexia.
Too bad. I’ve liked her since her acting and game show appearances in the ’70s, and of course, FRIED GREEN TOMATOES AT THE WHISTLE STOP CAFE is a great book.
I really like her, too, Jeff, and she was always one of my Mom’s favorites. I’ve liked her earlier books. This one was just not up to par, in my opinion. It was more random episodes with a few connecting ones
I couldn’t agree with you more–very disappointing.
Since I read it so long after publication, Margie, I couldn’t remember if someone had already read it and reviewed it here. I’m not at all surprised that. you did, and that you feel the same way I did about it.