I checked this book out from our local library, based on a recommendation of a woman in a store. She was looking at newer books by this author and asked me if I had read any of her stuff? I said no, but I had heard of the books, and she encouraged me to try them, and read one. She seemed to think I would love them!
So, I got Big Stone Gap out of the library and just finished it last night. I really did enjoy it, especially at the end. It had a great ending, and that is always a huge plus for me in a book. It was light, had lots of funny characters and local, Southern color. It's set in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, in the late 1970's. It has a sub-plot running through it, based on a real life event. Elizabeth Taylor made a campaign stop there with her then-husband, politician John Warner. This is portrayed as part of the story, in a fictional account. That was actually my least favorite part of the book. The stories surrounding main character Ave Maria Mulligan, her friends and the townspeople were my favorite parts.
I plan to eventually check out more by this author, including what I believe is the next in this series, Big Cherry Holler. :)
