Moderator---Kathy
This 2014 novel tells the story of a mother and a daughter. Rita, the mother, had her baby girl when she was only 16. Ruthie, the daughter, adores her mother and accepts the life they lead. And that life is anything but stable. Rita depends on the kindness of strangers--men--to house and feed her and Ruthie. When the relationships go sour, and they always do, Rita and Ruthie take off, and take more than they started out with.
In 2005, the two are living with Phil in California. Ruthie wants to move on so they pack their luggage (in the form of garbage bags) and take some of Phil's belongings to pawn for cash and begin a road trip heading East. Rita is convinced that Ruthie needs to go to a good college some day and why not start the journey early, even though the girl is only 13.
Broke and hungry, they end up in Fat River, N.Y. They find a diner, order a big meal, and then try skipping out on it. But, as their luck would have it, their car won't start. The owner of the diner, Mel, takes pity on them and offers them jobs to help with their situation. What follows is stability for the two of them for the first time in their lives. That and finally a chance to buy a home of their own.
They make friends with people in the community including a transgender waitress, Peter Pam. But, they get caught up in predator lending with a subprime mortgage and they, along with others in the community, lose their homes and eventually their livelihood. Rita and Ruthie's journey then takes another turn. It's back to square one for Rita.
The book has been made into a movie---starring Katie Holmes who also produced and directed it. If you like your movies to be true to the story, this isn't for you. There are differences between the movie and book, one big change in particular.
Road Trip Food:
KFC chicken, cole slaw, turkey and ham wraps,
donuts, chips, and pop tarts.
"All she had was all wrote and
well worth the reading."---Kathy
In 2005, the two are living with Phil in California. Ruthie wants to move on so they pack their luggage (in the form of garbage bags) and take some of Phil's belongings to pawn for cash and begin a road trip heading East. Rita is convinced that Ruthie needs to go to a good college some day and why not start the journey early, even though the girl is only 13.
Broke and hungry, they end up in Fat River, N.Y. They find a diner, order a big meal, and then try skipping out on it. But, as their luck would have it, their car won't start. The owner of the diner, Mel, takes pity on them and offers them jobs to help with their situation. What follows is stability for the two of them for the first time in their lives. That and finally a chance to buy a home of their own.
They make friends with people in the community including a transgender waitress, Peter Pam. But, they get caught up in predator lending with a subprime mortgage and they, along with others in the community, lose their homes and eventually their livelihood. Rita and Ruthie's journey then takes another turn. It's back to square one for Rita.
The book has been made into a movie---starring Katie Holmes who also produced and directed it. If you like your movies to be true to the story, this isn't for you. There are differences between the movie and book, one big change in particular.
Road Trip Food:
KFC chicken, cole slaw, turkey and ham wraps,
donuts, chips, and pop tarts.
"All she had was all wrote and
well worth the reading."---Kathy
"The housing crisis took it's toll and
impacted their future"---Dee Dee
impacted their future"---Dee Dee
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