This One and Magic Life

by Anne Carroll George

Book Overview

In the South, where love and hatred run deep and close, dissension often simmers just beneath the surface. When a family gathers for a funeral at its old homestead above the waters of Mobile Bay, it... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380975998
• ISBN13: 9780380975990
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.0" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

What a story!

I have read all of Anne George's "Sister" mysteries and loved them all. When I discovered this book, I could not wait to read it. She did not disappoint me. I was touched by the characters and transported to Harlow, Alabama by Miss George's words. While "This One and Magic Life" is very different from the sister mysteries, you will find it to be a delightful read. Miss George will be sorely missed by this fan as will her lovable characters.

This One and Magic Life

I had read all of Anne George's Southern Sister mysteries, so was anxious to read "This One and Magic Life". She didn't disappoint me -- I truly loved this book. How sad it is that we will no longer be able to enjoy any of Anne George's books -- she was a wonderful writer!

Just read it. It was her last gift to us.

Anne was a dear personal friend. She sent this book to me shortly before her death. She told me that she felt that it was her best work and referred to it as her book about forgiveness. It has been a very long time since a book has moved me so deeply. I recommend it highly. Don't expect to find the wonderful, silly Southern Sisters anywhere in these pages. DO expect to find grace in all its guises-- as beauty, as elegance and, yes, Anne, as forgiveness and redemption. It grieves me that we lost this magnificent writer before she could write more books like this one. DO read her poetry, as well.

This One and Magic Book

THIS ONE AND MAGIC BOOKAnne George, who has entertained a wide and appreciative audience with her Southern Sisters mysteries, goes beyond a merely pleasant diversion in this moving story of a troubled Southern family. Before writing the Southern Sisters, George had established her reputation as a very fine poet. Her poetical skills are abundantly evident in this book's many lyrical passages. For example, Chapter Four, "Almond Pie" (culinary poetry in itself!) begins with these words: "The Deep South is still a mystery. It is even a mystery to those who live there. Live oaks trailing Spanish moss whisper and move around during the night. Sometimes they move next door. A mystery. But that's the way things are." That short chapter ends with a man turning cartwheels down the beach: "And that is what Sarah will remember most about this day, the cartwheels and a boat with a vivid blue sail that draws a line across the horizon." Despite the almost visceral impact of its imagery, however, THIS ONE AND MAGIC LIFE is not, as Southern Sister Mary Alice might say, at all "hi-faluting." Even in its most lyrical passages, the story remains accessible, its people tied to the earth. Its unique yet universal characters are gradually revealed, much as the individual pieces of a jigsaw puzzle become a recognizable picture. George's use of the present tense and her shifting of time and point of view, while never obtrusive,help her to tell an engrossing tale that no single chronological "once upon a time" could begin to convey. Yes, George says, life is a mystery; but at times the curtain is drawn back, and scattered images of what has been come together to show us what is, might have been and perhaps, what will be, in "this one and magic life." I didn't want this book to end, and I shall certainly read it again. It is one "beach novel" that is also a real "keeper."

A true-to-life look at a Southern family

Readers of This One and Magic Life are in for a rare treat-a trip inside the hearts and minds of the members of a true Southern family. Ms. George manages to endear us to her characters even while exposing their weaknesses, insecurities, and guilt. When the tears began to flow after the first two pages of the book, I knew this was no ordinary novel. The beauty of the words, the depth of the characters, and the strong sense of place all combine to form an unforgettable experience in which we all recognize parts of ourselves and our own family members. Much as the live oak trees in Harlow, the Sullivan family stands tall even while shrouded in the Spanish moss of mystery, hate, sadness, and yet beauty. This family illustrates well how much the past is a part of us, and how much we love this place. Our roots are planted deeply in this soil, and just as the Spanish moss, many of us could not grow north of Montgomery, Alabama. This book has something for everyone, male or female, young or old. It is one that I will reread many times. The warm breezes and starry nights of the Gulf Coast beckon. On every page, I was there, and it touched my heart.