Girl Talk
Classic General Market Epistolary FictionEpistolary Women’s Fiction
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“With GIRL TALK, Vicki Hinze joins the ranks of Elizabeth Berg and Ann Tyler. Told in the letters of four friends, the story is fiercely honest, sassy, serious and wise. It’s a must-read for any woman who cherishes her friends.”
In the early 1960s, four girls, as part of a 7th grade, nationwide school program, become pen pals. They have little in common but become lifelong friends who confront together the challenges girls confront in the world they confront them. Through their letters, we share their lives–their hopes and dreams, triumphs and defeats, joys and sorrows–and for all their differences, we discover that they are stronger and wiser for being friends.
Reader Reviews
“Who would’ve thought that you could so closely follow the lives of four young girls, all the way to adulthood, through something as simple as letters to each other? This book is very well written. By reading the letters they write to each other, you get to experience their lives, happiness, sadness, triumphs and failures, and truly come to care for them all. “This book shows what we are missing today, with letter writing becoming such a dying art. It truly makes me want to sit down with a pad of paper and pen and start writing to everyone I know. Absolutely wonderful story. ” –Lanae Tatman, Amazon ”
“★★★★★ What a great escape into the lives of 4 girls who evolve into women. This book has something for everyone. The author pulls you into the lives of these young girls and guides you throughout the ups and downs of their childhood into adulthood. Keeping points of important historical events and there timelines was just another way to keep you wanting more……Thanks for the good read! ” —Dawn, Amazon
” I really enjoyed the way author Vickie Hinze wove together the stories through letters sent back and forth. As each year passed the characters were more developed and became more real. The struggles each face were heartbreaking, yet the bond between the women was unbreakable. Thank you, Ms. Hinze, for some great lunch breaks at work while I was reading this book! “–Karen A. Greenberg ”
“★★★★★ A lovely tribute to female friendships.” —Peggy Webb, Amazon
“★★★★★ I’m only on chapter five and I felt the need to write a review. This is beautifully written, thank goodness. Sometimes the freebies are a little subpar. Not the Case for this book. Not even halfway through the book and I’ve laughed, cried, and called up my girlfriends to see how they’re doing. The author created some amazing women who are impossible not to love and relate. I can’t wait to finish, I feel that there will be some monster tears.” ~Megatron, Amazon.com
“★★★★★ A beautiful story of outstanding friendship. What a wonderful accounting of four young girls as they grow into dynamic women! Initially connected by a writing assignment they grudgingly completed, four young girls become friends and eventually pillars of support as only true girlfriends can be to each other. It takes a deft hand to reveal such depth of character and plot through just the exchange of letters as the girls face challenges and celebrate successes, but Vicki Hinze nailed it! This novella is beautifully written, humorous and heartbreaking in turns. Letter writing itself is a lost art but Girl Talk: Letters Between Friends is a lovely reminder of the inherent value of writing – and staying connected – to those who matter most.” —Regan Black
“I loved how the book was written using only the letters they wrote to each other. This book had a very good story line and it really does remind you how far friendships can go.” ~Ashlie, Amazon.com
“★★★★★ Charming and engrossing. In this charming collection of letters between female pen pals, the reader is treated to the issues and lessons each of the four women face along their journey from adolescence to maturity. The story unfolds in epistolary style, hitting the highlights of each of the stages the women encounter in their lives. From issues such as teenagers believing the sometimes hilarious half-truths they are told, to adult moral choices, the book is fascinating and readers can’t help but grow to care for the four women.”– Kathy Carmichael, bestselling author of HOT FLASH
“★★★★★ This one is a great read and very interesting. I recommend it.” ~Alexandra Romanov, Amazon.com
“Unique premise for a story. The book is written as letters between four girls, starting as a seventh-grade school assignment and going until they are 40. You see snippets of their lives and, while they are very different people from each other, they help each other through life.” ~FloridaGirl, Amazon.com
- Publisher: Magnolia Leaf Press (March 14, 2012)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B007KLJTSG
Readers’ Group Guide
1. In the days before Internet and Email and Unlimited Long-Distance Calling, friends often kept in touch through letters. Bonds were created this way. Do you have friends with whom you correspond via letters?
2. Did a school project pair you with someone who went on to become a good friend?
3. Which of the women is most like you? Why?
4. Mindsets for women were different in the 1960-80s, and yet there are universal things about women that remain unchanged. What do you see as being the same? Being different?
5. Each of the girls had their trials and tribulations but also their triumphs. They shared them with their friends, though often not until after the fact. Do you have a friend with whom you share everything? 6. What friendship most intrigued you?
7. Do you feel the challenges of the women in that time helped pave the way, so to speak, for women now? In what ways?