#25   
Title:   Back When We Were Grownups
Author:  Anne Tyler
Narrator:  Blair Brown
Genre:  Fiction
Rating:  B
Published:  2000
Dates listened to:   4/30/12 - 5/11/12
# of Cts/hours:  6/9

Anne Tyler weaves a meandering tale of a tight-knit, extended family -- all with colorful names -- Poppy, No-No, Patch, Jeep, Zeb and Biddy.  The story is from Rebecca’s point of view.  She is 53 and has decided she’s “turned into the wrong person”.  Yet, Bec is so non-judgmental of people whether family or the electrician and his son -- she welcomes all with open arms.  Open Arms is the name of her establishment where, with cruise-ship director command, Rebecca Davitch responds to people who want birthday parties, baby and wedding showers at her lovely old Baltimore home. 

I like how the tale rolls along and the interpersonal give and take among family and friends.  Tyler has such a great way of story-telling and developing characters.  I felt like I knew these people.  And Rebecca’s self assessment of who she is comes through at the end.