The Tea-Olive Bird Watching Society

By Augusta Trobaugh

Book Overview

The women of a small town?s bird watching society secretly plan to eliminate? the husband of one of their members in this new novel?a modern spin on the classic film Arsenicand Old Lace?written by the beloved author of Sophie and the Rising Sun.In a story replete with coconut cake, grits, and poisoned turtle stew, it?s easy to see why Augusta Trobaugh has been heralded as having a voice from and for the South, as complex and resonant as the region itself?(Anne Rivers Siddons). With her latest novel, Trobaugh displays that distinctly Southern charm and beckons new readers to her work.Founding members of the Tea-Olive Bird Watching Society in tiny Tea-Olive, Georgia, are Beulah, Sweet, Wildwood, and Zion, each named after a hymn. Pillars of the community, seemingly beyond reproach, two of these ladies are nonetheless conspiring to murder retired Judge L. Hyson Breed, a newcomer to Tea-Olive. It all begins when the judge tricks Sweet into marriage, steals her land for a development project, and sweet- talks his way right onto the town council. By the time Beulah and Zion discover his evil plans?and realize that Sweet has endured personal harm, with more to come?the judge is already a permanent fixture in town. Or is he? When Beulah and Zion attempt to do away with the judge?while always remaining unfailingly polite?the novel takes a wild turn. The result is a delightful black comedy from a novelist at the peak of her powers.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0525948791
• ISBN13: 9780525948797
• Release Date: June 2005
• Publisher: Dutton Books
• Length: 228 Pages
• Weight: 0.88 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Wonderful book. Even better than "The Kite Runner" (and one always fears a second novel after such a good first one!) Characters are very well done, and Afghanistan history is slipped in powerfully but without interrupting the story line. I learned a lot...and couldn't put the book down till it was done.

the Right Thing?

You will love these women doing what they think is the right thing to do.

A NATURAL STORY TELLER

This author, which I had never read before, is certainly a natural story teller. I enjoyed this one from cover to cover! The author gives us some well developed and delightful characters and indeed, her character developement is as strong as her story telling abilities, along with an amusing story that keeps the pages turning. This is a light read for sure but is just the ticket for a rainy weekend. The author has hit the region spot on. The ladies of the story could have been living just down the street from me as I grew up (actually, they still exist). The entire book has a rather humerous and dark overtone that is great. Recommend this one highly.

Dont mess with the Bird Watching Society

Augusta Trobough is the author of one of my all time favorite southern books, Swan Place so when I heard that she had a new book coming out I jumped at the opportunity to read it and I was not let down one bit with The Tea Olive Bird Watching Society. Although this story has a totally different feel to it than Swan Place, I loved how she wrote about living in a small southern town and the friendships that every ones strives for in their life. When Love Devine passed away she left a large bit of money to the local library and a piece of land to her dear friends which was the location of the bird sanctuary that Beulah, Zion, Sweet, Wildwood, and Memphis cared so much about. Although the women were sad about the passing of Love Devine, they treasured the land and were proud of the after school program at the library that the money was funding. All that changed once a crooked retired New York judge came to town with a hidden agenda to get his hands on the money left to the library and to develop the quiet southern town. He quickly charmed his way onto the library board and town council, but even worse was the fact that he married Sweet and kept her hidden away from her friends while abusing her. When Beulah and Zion take matters into their own hands, these church going, polite southern woman, start living by the theory "you do what you need to do" and plan a way to exterminate the judge. The Tea Olive Bird Watching Society is a great story about friendship and the lengths that people will go to when push comes to shove. The Tea Olive Bird Watching Society was a pure delight to read and I just wish I would have had more time to gulp this one down.

Ms. Trobaugh has done it again!

Ms. Trobaugh I just love your books. The south is alive & well in your wonderful novels. What absolutely delightful names your characters have in this southern tale of friendship, love & maybe murder? The Friendship between Beulah Land, Zion, Wildwood & Sweet is one to be envied by everyone. More please!!!