Florist's Daughter (ISBN 0156034034)

Spectacular Memoir, So Vivid and Well-Written:
Gosh, I absolutely loved this memoir--the writing is superb and the life of St. Paul, Minnesota from the 1930s and beyond is so vivid, but with lean language--just perfect. The provincialism of the Minnesota Irish Catholics contrasted with the Minnesota Czechs/Bohemians--and each of their neighborhoods in the pecking order, is so well drawn. The contrast too between parents, one who sees life's beauty and one who sees life with suspicion. I am giving copies of this as gifts to three writers I know.

Did not love it...:
With great reviews and glowing praise from a piece on MPR our bookclub thought this would be an excellent read. I didn't love it. OK, not one of us even liked it. I felt that overall the book could not capture my attention. We have enjoyed everything from Don't Let's Eat With The Dogs Tonight, to The Life of PI, to The Wind Up Bird Chronicles. Everyone felt that while The Florist's Daughter was well written, it was a snooze. I am glad I did not buy it here, I am glad I checked it out from the library. If you have a connection to St. Paul you would probably get a kick out of the history. Otherwise, skip it. If you want to read a great memoir, read The Glass Castle!

Elegance and Insight:
If you are as enamored of Patricia Hampl's writing as I am, this book is one not to miss--up there with _Virgin Time_, an earlier memoir. Elegant prose, filled with insight. Even events and people about which Hampl is ambivalent are clearly limned.

beautifully written:
Moving,exquisitely written with compelling imagery although at times seemed forced( the imagery ).Richly detailed memoir.

Read this book if you need help falling asleep...:
I found this memoir to be extremely boring. My book club members agreed and we even live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area where the book takes place. The author is obviously a poet and used a lot of words I had never heard of. The story was not compelling enough for me to even bother looking up the unfamiliar words in my dictionary. Although the cover is beautiful, do not waste your time or money. There are plenty of other good books to be read.