From Publishers Weekly Cleo Threadgood， 86， shares a lifetime of memories of Whistle Stop， Ala.where the social scene centered on its one cafewith Evelyn Couch， a younger woman who is looking for meaning in her life. PW described this as "lively readingthe kind that eventually nourishes Evelyn and the reader as well." Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information， Inc. From 500 Great Books by Women; review by Colleen McQueen Set in a small Alabama train stop town in the 1930s， this gem of a book almost could have been shelved as just another light romantic comedy. Various women s voices tell anecdotes of Whistle Stop， as the chapters jump back and forth through time. We hear from Mrs. Threadgoode， reminiscing fondly from her nursing home in the 1980s， and the chatty Dot Weems， editor of the gossipy town newsletter (1929-1969)， and then listen in on spirited dialogue set in the town of Whistle Stop itself. The storytellers never find use for the label "lesbian，" nor do they see fit to take us behind closed doors， but this is nevertheless the irresistible story of a fierce and true love between two women， Idgie and Ruth. After Idgie saves Ruth from an abusive marriage， these two friends become partners in running the Whistle Stop Cafe， where no one， "not even hobos and colored，" is turned away for inability to pay. Readers are set down in the corner booth to eavesdrop on the comings and goings of an array of eccentric， ragtag characters who drop in for buttermilk biscuits， Big George s barbecue， and， eventually， news about their own hometown murder mystery. Among revelations big and small， Fannie Flagg mixes direct and empowering confrontations with racism， sexism， and ageism with the colorful and endearing language of the depression-era South and the cafe s recipes for grits， collard greens， and， of course， fried green tomatoes. -- For great reviews of books for girls， check out Let s Hear It for the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14. See all Editorial Reviews