“The Mighty Queens of Freeville is great American storytelling at its best. A tale of promise postponed and scrappy survival, Amy Dickinson’s glorious triumphs are like rabbits pulled out of a hat, one after another after another. Full of hope and humor and big simple truths, it is a story told with grace and without a trace of cynicism. This is a book you will love and one you will be truly sad to finish.”
–Laura Zigman, author of Animal Husbandry “Reading… More >>
The Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Mother, a Daughter, and the Town That Raised Them
Mighty Queens is a great glimpse into the life of a local (My area) who made good, remembers her roots and shares the good things in life…great read
Rating: 5 / 5
A lovely collection of essays by a gifted writer. Honest, funny, touching. I enjoyed every word.
Rating: 5 / 5
I was browsing the library shelves on vacation when I stopped to consider this book. I read the upbeat description of a family that doesn’t seem to want or need its men. I’m not a sister-chick sort of person, so I put it back. But I had enjoyed the fracas between Amy Dickinson and Margo Howard surrounding the whole “next Ann Landers” thing, so eventually I checked the book out.
This is a good beach read; quick, lively and peopled with lovable characters in quaint places. But I never could get over my initial reaction, that underneath the “mighty queens” posturing, there’s something seriously wrong with this clan. The author’s father left, her husband left; in fact only one aunt has a husband and even the author’s brother is estranged from the family.
Family ties are great, but in this case they must be so estrogen-choked that they make “outsiders” (a.k.a., men) claustrophobic. When the author’s husband leaves, he says he is tired of disappointing her. I felt bad for him then, not for Amy. I think I’d run, too. I can’t imagine many men enjoying this book. If your family is primarily female, though, and high rates of divorce don’t disturb you, go for it.
Rating: 3 / 5
I found this book kept my interest but I could easily put it down and come back to it in a few days. It seems the anecdotes are told out of order and this was annoying- I have no idea why she did that. There were a few funny spots, but I wouldn’t say the writing is that humorous. All in all- mediocre.
Rating: 3 / 5
Neither a mean-spirited screed, nor a bucolic paen…this memoir was a pleasant surprise. Ms Dickinson walks the reader through her life without rose-colored glasses…from marriage to divorce (and the personal reconstruction that followed.)….motherhood, daughterhood and neighorhood..all the while surrounded by a band of women made strong by necessity and temperament…this book is as simple and basic as smalltown life in Freeville..complete with the quirks and characters required for survival. a quick read that left me wanting more…more women like The Mighty Queens…”
Rating: 4 / 5