Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!: A Novel (Elmwood Springs) Paperback – February 27, 2001

Fannie Flagg has woven another highly absorbing story that ranges forward and backward in time. She brings historical events to life and skillfully creates a believable set of characters whose lives are shaped not only by the times they live in, but by the times that came long before. Small-town life in tiny Elmwood Springs, Missouri, anchors this story featuring central character, Dena Nordstrom, who lived there with her mother until she was four years old. Dena’s story begins with the down-home, folksy charm of Elmwood Springs, where the lifestyle leans decidedly toward Missouri’s Southern roots. We are introduced to those big-hearted characters with appealingly outsized personalities who populate Elmwood Springs, while at the same time we are learning of the successful professional life that Dena has built after leaving the town. Underneath the charm, the story grows more and more complex and darker. We see the best of humanity in the kind, decent, uncomplicated characters of Elmwood Springs contrasted vividly with the worst of humanity in the greedy, selfish, unprincipled characters Dena encounters in 1970’s New York City, where she has gone to build a career and make a name for herself. A rising star in the field of network television, Dena is beautiful, bright, talented, and ambitious, but she is also very insecure and emotionally repressed. Though professionally successful, she struggles with intense feelings of worthlessness and rejection. For most of her life, she has believed that her mother never loved her, a feeling that was reinforced with shattering force when she was 15 years old and her mother disappeared from her life. Readers are taken into the backstories of Dena’s father, her mother, and her nomadic life with her mother prior to her mother’s disappearance. With revelation after revelation of the details that shaped Dena’s view of the world, we come to understand what she has not allowed herself to believe. In spite of the skilled, caring psychiatric help she reluctantly agrees to accept, her mental and physical health deteriorate and her situation becomes increasingly urgent. When a life-threatening emergency puts her life on pause, she moves back to Elmwood Springs to be nursed back to health by loving relatives she barely remembers. Eventually she learns to examine her past and slowly begins to piece together the tragic reasons for her mother’s behavior. This was a story of family, friendship, love, and loyalty rising above greed and opportunism. It was also a compelling mystery. The solution to that mystery provides heartbreaking commentary on the damage caused by the social injustice of racism. Those insidious tentacles echo across years and affect so many lives in completely unexpected ways as we are left to wonder “What If?

Written in everyday “talk” style.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD, BABY GIRL is the second Fannie Flagg novel that I've read. The first, of course, was Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe. Welcome To the World, I have to say, is not as wonderful as the other book, but I think comparing the two may be a mistake.The novel switches back and forth between the present, the 1970's, and the past, the 1930's and 1940's. Dena Nordstrom is a famous television personality of the 1970's, almost akin to what Oprah Winfrey is for us today. She's' highly respected and well-loved by her many fans. She brings ratings to her television network, and everyone just loves her. She lives in New York, lives a fast life of parties and liquor and all the trappings that come with being a famous celebrity.Then we switch to the 1930's and 40's. We see Dena's roots, where she came from. We get them in pieces, in short scenes, because Dena herself does not know too much about her childhood or about where she came from. Her mother was a mystery to her, and she knows hardly anything about her. All she knows is that she once loved her mother very much, but somewhere along the way she stopped loving her.The scenes of the 1930's and 40's take place in a small country town called Elmwood Springs, Missouri. To modern day Dena Nordstrom, this is hicktown. She has no desire in going back home. Fannie Flagg paints a quaint, wonderful little town where everyone knows everyone else, and there is not one secret in town that nobody knows. However, the biggest secret is something that no one knew, because Dena's mother chose to keep it secret.Dena has troubles sleeping and soon is forced to see a psychiatrist to help. She starts with one psychiatrist, Gerry, but he soon sends her off to another one, a friend of his, Dr. Diggers. She's black for starters, and she's a paraplegic. She gets around by using a wheelchair. Dena learns to trust Dr. Diggers, and through the psychiatrist she and the reader start to learn more about Dena's past,and her mother's past. What we find out at the end of the book caught me by surprise because it certainly was not what I had expected!I highly recommend WELCOME TO THE WORLD BABY GIRL. One hint of warning: I did not find the first part of the book very readable, because I did not really see where Fannie Flagg was taking this book. However, by the time I reached the end, it was a big "aha!" for me and it made so much more sense. This book was well done and I can see it made into a movie, as FRIED GREEN TOMATOES was years ago. Be very patient with this book - you will be greatly rewarded with the ending.

Called Baby Girl by the townspeople of Elmwood Springs who found themselves utterly captivated by the tot as she perched prettily on the counter of her Grandfather’s bakery, she grew up to become the fabulous & cultured Dena Nordstrom, a celebrated television interviewer who refuses to ever look back & remembers her early childhood only dimly when reminded twice a year when she receives the birthday cards & Christmas greetings sent by those of the small town who never forget her. Sadly, all is not well with Dena, who is driven to seek medical care for the painful stomach ulcer she’s developed as a result of the pressure she feels to stay on top as well as anxiety resulting from the unresolved feelings of unworthiness springing from her relationship with her cool & distant mother. In an attempt to help manage her stress, she’s urged by her doctor to seek the help of a psychiatrist, which she does reluctantly, but headstrong Dena ignores the advice to stop drinking & smoking & to slow her pace & nearly loses her life when the ulcer hemorrhages. And so she finds herself once again placed in the fond embrace of the loving & quirky family in Elmwood Springs in order to facilitate her recovery. There, convinced by those who had known her mother that she had indeed been loved by her, she begins at last to unravel the mystery surrounding their relationship. This is the author at her best, intermingling worldly sophistication with downhome wisdom, spattered throughout with humor & interesting characters, including a truly despicable villain, along with a ripping mystery. As always, beautifully written. I found it completely entertaining.

Great writer and this is a really interesting story with a clever plot. Like all her stories a certain amount of secret stories and outcomes, some of which only the writer is told. Bitter sweet

Uno dei libri più belli che io abbia mai letto. Come tutti gli altri di Fannie Flagg è pieno di cuore, ma è anche, in certe parti, divertente e molto appassionante. Lo consiglio vivamente.

Comment changer radicalement sa vision de la vie , par la magie de la rencontre avec une petite bourgade du Missouri, par un coup de coeur pour une maison, par le veritable rencontre avec de lointains cousins.....Fanny Flagg est surprenante de douceur et recèle des trésors de tendresse. Découvrez vite Elmwood Springs , Tante Elner et seslégendaires conserves de figues , Macky et Norma et ne manquez pour rien au monde l'émission quotidienne de radio de la voisine Dorothée ! Promis, vous m'en direz des nouvelles!

This was a well written novel which dealt well and with sensitivity with problems of colour and identity. The characters were well developed and be,it able

Realised that this particular title was missing from my Fannie Flagg books and so bought it to complete the collection. Years since I last read it but thoroughly enjoyed it again. She has a wonderful sense of humour and is a very gifted storyteller. Everyone has different tastes and I know some won't like this gentle style of writing, but if you want a feel good book which will make you laugh, and possibly even shed the odd tear, then this is for you. Can also recommend the follow up books, 'Standing in the Rainbow' and 'Can't wait to get to Heaven'. (Don't forget 'Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe' as well)