The Starlite Drive-In

This is my second time reading this gem by Marjorie Reynolds. I remember that I loved it after reading it the first time, but I read so much that when I started reading it again it was like reading it anew. I remembered parts of it, but not all. I believe I got a lot more out of it the second time around. Ms Reynolds totally captures the time and the era of drive-in movies and coming of age in that era. It's 1956 in the sweltering summer of 1956 when a handsome drifter named Charlie Memphis arrives to help Callie Anne's injured father run the theater. Both Callie Anne and her mother Teal fall for Memphis. Callie Anne's mother is agoraphobic who is misunderstood and treated badly by her father. It is Charlie Memphis who helps Teal to overcome her agoraphobia and to begin living again. A disastrous turn of events changes all of their lives. I won't give away any more of the plot. It was bittersweet and left me feeling a little sad when it was over. Do yourselves a favor and read The Starlite Drive-In.

This is by far, one of the best books that I have ever read. From the moment the first chapter turns the clock back to the summer of 1956, I lived out the remainder of the story through Callie Ann's eyes. Marjorie Reynolds paints a clear and vivid picture of the little white house where Callie Ann lives, and the drive in across the grass that stays open all summer. As I absorbed chapter after chapter, all of my senses shifted into overdrive. It was easy to picture the brightly printed shirtwaister dresses that Callie Ann's mother wears, the hot gravel that lines the parking lot and the dreamy romantic entanglements that play themselves out on the big screen as well as below it. This book puts the reader in touch with the all of the wonderful elements of summer while focusing on the heartache of being twelve years old and not really knowing who to turn to when things get rough. I was even able to put faces on the characters, and would love to see this story made into a movie one day. A beautiful first novel!

This is one of the most captivating book covers I have seen in a long time! It did what it is intended to do - attract the reader to be so intrigued that a purchase is inevitable. In fact, the cover neatly suggests the story. In the back ground is an obvious 1950's era Elvis on a drive-in screen. The drive-in, especially, beckons those born of that time to recall the inevitable memories. Popcorn, kids in pajamas bouncing around in the car until hopefully, they fall asleep after the introductory cartoon. Or, if the teenage years are provoked, those intense front or back seat loves are remembered. Not to mention, each one of "us" remembers someone at some time, yanking the speaker away from the post in a forgetful moment accompanied by lots of profanity by the perpetrator and owner, if caught. It is clear though, that you do not have to be from that time period to be caught by the book cover. It attracts all ages.But, as I said, the cover preludes the story. There, in front of the screen, is a 1950's home implying the connection between buisness and home. There, in the doorway, with the light illuminating behind a lovely mother figure, is a woman, partially leaning out of the home to a (probably) warm, summer evening as she supervises an adolescent girl sitting on the stoop. What is furthur obvious, is the grip she has on the door jam, and the reluctance in her posture to leave the security of the home, yet obvious in her body language the temptation to step out into the night.And so, before you even open the book and read the first page, this lovely, surprisingly fresh and original, sophisticated love and mystery story begins.

I am a twenty-four year old husband, and father, and I've just recently began to really enjoy reading. Although most of the books that I've read have been either action adventures, or romantic adventures, I must say that I now understand why my wife so enjoys love stories. When I first picked up the book to read, I really didn't know what to expect, but within only a few pages I was allready falling in love with Callie Anne. As I read farther into the book, I found my eyes reading every word, while my mind went on a wonderful adventure in rural Indiana. This book brought back memories of my childhood growing up out in the country, and of my young loves. Sometimes I find myself not loving my Wife the way that she needs to be loved, and reading this book really helped me to understand how beautiful she is and that life is too short to take her for granted. Callie Anne also reminds me of how I imagine my little girl to be when she grows up some more. Marjorie Reynolds is a wonderful Author, And I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.

This book is so intense in some parts and smoothe in the others. You follow along how this girl sees a handsome stranger comes to the drive-in and her fragile mother stand up for herself. Heck, she even gets her first bra! It also explores how it was back then. Everyone should read this book!