Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League - Jonathan Odell.epub

Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League is the story of two young mothers, Hazel and Vida-one wealthy and white and the other poor and black-who only have two things in common, the devastating loss of their children, and a deep and abiding loathing for one another.

After drunkenly crashing her car into a manger scene, gunning for the baby Jesus, Hazel is sedated and bed-ridden. Her husband hires Vida to keep tabs on his unpredictable wife. Forced to spend time together with no one else to rely on, the two women find they have more in common than they thought.

Together they join up with with a defiant group of house maids who have been inspired by what Rosa Parks is doing over in Alabama. This unforgettable band of women commence to turn their own little Mississippi town on its head.

Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League is told through the voices of local people, black and white, and grows naturally out of the pre-civil rights period of the Deep South. An irreverent vein of dark humor courses throughout the story, which contains no saints, only flawed souls. Although heroism is abundant, these are unlikely heroes, and just as unlikely to call themselves such. The voices of these compelling characters are as authentic as the author's own Mississippi childhood.

PRAISE
“This is an important story beautifully told. It is why we read novels. You will care about these characters — and emerge more aware and empathetic because of them.”
–Christine Brunkhorst, Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Jonathan Odell can take his place in the distinguished pantheon of Southern authors.”
–Pat Conroy

“Soaring high above the trite aphorisms of Southern “chick” literature, Odell incorporates the essences of other literary offerings in the same genre, putting his second novel alongside such notables as The Help, Gone with the Wind, To Kill a Mockingbird, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe, and Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Not to mention the works of Eudora Welty, the pioneer of Southern fiction. Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League is a substantial, thought-provoking must-read worthy enough to be, pardon the pun, in their league.”
–June J. McInerney, Author Exposure

“Deep in context and rich with history that is never easy to put into words, Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League solidifies Odell’s spot on the elite list of esteemed Mississippi writers.”
–Jackson Clarion-Ledger

“Readers who liked The Help will love it. Readers who hated The Help will really love it. Odell based Hazel and Vida on his own mother, as well as the woman who raised him. The book is a story of true redemption, as opposed to a condemnation of place, time, and circumstance. Deep in context and rich with history that is never easy to put into words, Miss Hazel is sure to please the pickiest of Southern fiction readers.”
–Emily Gatlin, Book Riot

“These characters are as deeply complex as the times, the plot as winding as those that Miss Hazel keeps driving and driving in her big car. Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League is a big, brilliant novel whose time has come.”
–Lee Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Girls and Guests on Earth

“When you hear about the premise of Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League, your first thought might be: "Do we really need another book about poor African-Americans serving white families in the Jim Crow South?" The complexities of race are daunting, and the last thing readers want is another white author oversimplifying an experience on which he or she has little authority. But through an entertaining narrative, historically minded setting, and large cast of nuanced characters, Jonathan Odell makes a persuasive case for his newest novel.”
–Andrew Young, Creative Loafing Atlanta

“With its deftly drawn characters, delicious dialogue, and deeply satisfying and hopeful ending, this fine novel deserves to win the hearts of readers everywhere. Book clubs, this one is definitely for you!”
–Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Wednesday Sisters

“Jonathan Odell has knocked it out of the park again with Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League. He has captured the reality of the Jim Crow South; its idealism, its phenomenal complexity, its often mean-spiritedness, and its almost casual cruelty. He’s also given voice to what a difference people can make even when they don’t realize it. Bottom line: I was riveted to this novel. I laughed and cried, and could not put it down. It’s classic Southern literature laid bare with all of its pathos yet with an underlying kernel of hope.”
–Popcorn Reads

“The pages of Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League are filled with beautiful images and hauntingly lyrical words. Odell is a master of writing and of understanding human temperament and desires. He excels at telling inspiring stories that captivate the reader with a myriad of powerful emotions. Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League is a beautiful and important novel.”
–Utah Mom’s Life

“This novel, told through the eyes of two very different but utterly memorable women – one white and one black – vividly brings to life a fabulous cast of characters as well as a troubling time in our not-so-distant past. Jonathan Odell is an astonishing storyteller. You won’t want to miss this one!”
–Cassandra King, author of The Sunday Wife and Moonrise

“I found Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League to be an intriguing story and one that pulled me in from the first page to the last. I actually read the entire story in one afternoon and simply refused to put the book aside until I was finished. (Yes it is that good.) There are parts of this story that will bring a tear to your eye, parts that will make you laugh, and parts that will make you cringe. I strongly urge everyone to read Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League, not because of the subject matter or themes, but because it is simply one fantastic read.”
–V Taylor, The Books Divas Read

“Odell has realistically captured a most difficult time in U.S. history, and it is a pleasure to follow along with him.”
–Barbara Lingens, Book Loons

“… I believe Odell offers a fresh understanding. Though his novel certainly bears similarities to The Help, it reads less politically correct and more genuine in its characterizations.”
–Kaye Park Hinckley, Paste Magazine

“Creating a work of fiction that centers on the painful past of a segregated America, Odell has brought to life two women on either side of the race coin…The book is a recommended read, especially for those who are looking for something that matches the intensity and offers the possibility for discussion that The Help brought to reading groups all over the world.”
–Jana Siciliano, The Book Report

“I am just going to come right out and say it… I loved this book!”
–Tree Stand Book ReviewsMiss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League is the story of two young mothers, Hazel and Vida-one wealthy and white and the other poor and black-who only have two things in common, the devastating loss of their children, and a deep and abiding loathing for one another.

After drunkenly crashing her car into a manger scene, gunning for the baby Jesus, Hazel is sedated and bed-ridden. Her husband hires Vida to keep tabs on his unpredictable wife. Forced to spend time together with no one else to rely on, the two women find they have more in common than they thought.

Together they join up with with a defiant group of house maids who have been inspired by what Rosa Parks is doing over in Alabama. This unforgettable band of women commence to turn their own little Mississippi town on its head.

Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League is told through the voices of local people, black and white, and grows naturally out of the pre-civil rights period of the Deep South. An irreverent vein of dark humor courses throughout the story, which contains no saints, only flawed souls. Although heroism is abundant, these are unlikely heroes, and just as unlikely to call themselves such. The voices of these compelling characters are as authentic as the author's own Mississippi childhood.
“This is an important story beautifully told. It is why we read novels. You will care about these characters — and emerge more aware and empathetic because of them.”
–Christine Brunkhorst, Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Jonathan Odell can take his place in the distinguished pantheon of Southern authors.”
–Pat Conroy

“Soaring high above the trite aphorisms of Southern “chick” literature, Odell incorporates the essences of other literary offerings in the same genre, putting his second novel alongside such notables as The Help, Gone with the Wind, To Kill a Mockingbird, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe, and Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Not to mention the works of Eudora Welty, the pioneer of Southern fiction. Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League is a substantial, thought-provoking must-read worthy enough to be, pardon the pun, in their league.”
–June J. McInerney, Author Exposure

“Deep in context and rich with history that is never easy to put into words, Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League solidifies Odell’s spot on the elite list of esteemed Mississippi writers.”
–Jackson Clarion-Ledger

“Readers who liked The Help will love it. Readers who hated The Help will really love it. Odell based Hazel and Vida on his own mother, as well as the woman who raised him. The book is a story of true redemption, as opposed to a condemnation of place, time, and circumstance. Deep in context and rich with history that is never easy to put into words, Miss Hazel is sure to please the pickiest of Southern fiction readers.”
–Emily Gatlin, Book Riot

“These characters are as deeply complex as the times, the plot as winding as those that Miss Hazel keeps driving and driving in her big car. Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League is a big, brilliant novel whose time has come.”
–Lee Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Girls and Guests on Earth

“When you hear about the premise of Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League, your first thought might be: "Do we really need another book about poor African-Americans serving white families in the Jim Crow South?" The complexities of race are daunting, and the last thing readers want is another white author oversimplifying an experience on which he or she has little authority. But through an entertaining narrative, historically minded setting, and large cast of nuanced characters, Jonathan Odell makes a persuasive case for his newest novel.”
–Andrew Young, Creative Loafing Atlanta

“With its deftly drawn characters, delicious dialogue, and deeply satisfying and hopeful ending, this fine novel deserves to win the hearts of readers everywhere. Book clubs, this one is definitely for you!”
–Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Wednesday Sisters

“The pages of Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League are filled with beautiful images and hauntingly lyrical words. Odell is a master of writing and of understanding human temperament and desires. He excels at telling inspiring stories that captivate the reader with a myriad of powerful emotions. Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League is a beautiful and important novel.”
–Utah Mom’s Life

“This novel, told through the eyes of two very different but utterly memorable women – one white and one black – vividly brings to life a fabulous cast of characters as well as a troubling time in our not-so-distant past. Jonathan Odell is an astonishing storyteller. You won’t want to miss this one!”
–Cassandra King, author of The Sunday Wife and Moonrise

“I found Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League to be an intriguing story and one that pulled me in from the first page to the last. I actually read the entire story in one afternoon and simply refused to put the book aside until I was finished. (Yes it is that good.) There are parts of this story that will bring a tear to your eye, parts that will make you laugh, and parts that will make you cringe. I strongly urge everyone to read Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League, not because of the subject matter or themes, but because it is simply one fantastic read.”
–V Taylor, The Books Divas Read

“Odell has realistically captured a most difficult time in U.S. history, and it is a pleasure to follow along with him.”
–Barbara Lingens, Book Loons

“… I believe Odell offers a fresh understanding. Though his novel certainly bears similarities to The Help, it reads less politically correct and more genuine in its characterizations.”
–Kaye Park Hinckley, Paste Magazine

“Creating a work of fiction that centers on the painful past of a segregated America, Odell has brought to life two women on either side of the race coin…The book is a recommended read, especially for those who are looking for something that matches the intensity and offers the possibility for discussion that The Help brought to reading groups all over the world.”
–Jana Siciliano, The Book Report