Ida Mae Tutweiler and the Traveling Tea Party

by Ginnie Siena Bivona

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Editorial Reviews
Book Description
The book opens with Ida Mae Tutweiler preparing for a tea-time visit with her life long best friend Jane Tetly. Jane and Ida Mae are an unlikely pair; Jane is a glamerous actress in a day-time soap opera, much married, and naturally adventurous. Ida Mae is reserved and steady, a successful businesswoman. She owns a charming Victorian tearoom called Ladyfingers, in the town she was born in. She has never left Walton Falls, Ohio, nor does she care to. She is content to let Jane be her window on the world. And Jane needs Ida Mae's steadfast love, her anchor in a whirlwind life. Jane is rhinestones and red chiffon and Ida Mae is a simple well worn navy blue suit. Woven through the pages is the story of Ida Mae's life, her failed first marriage to her her high-school boyfriend, the tragic death of her beloved Mum shortly before the birth of her adored daughter Kate,and the somewhat less than gracious support of her haughty Aunt Germaine. There is a passionate love affair that ends badly when her lover refuses to file for a divorce from his separated wife. And there is the satisfying and hilarious ending of her Cousin Bernadette's abusive marriage. But throughout it all there is her beloved Jane, flashing in and out of Walton Falls "like a comet, trailing stars and small planets in her wake". Jane arrives in a whirl of expensive gifts and the two women settle down for tea. But the visit is not what Ida Mae expects, because Jane tells her that she has breast cancer that has progressed beyond help and she is going away to die. Ida Mae is stunned, and desperate...how can she live with out her Jane? How Ida Mae deals with this terrible news, and the wonderful events she creates for her dearest friend before she must leave is the warp of this story, woven in and out with the threads of their past taken from the pages of Ida Mae's diary. Written for today's woman the book celebrates the releationship between best friends, mothers and daughters, men and women, and the struggle to find hope in a time of loss. It's the tender story of two beautiful women, discovering what their lives were all about, before they must say a final goodbye. And becaues it's about the comfort to be found in a nice hot cup of tea, the book includes a small collection of delicious tea-time recipes. Brew up a nice hot cup of Earl Grey tea, grab a box of Kleenex, curl up in a quiet corner and enjoy a different kind of love story.

All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: 5 out of 5 stars

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

4 out of 5 stars

Simple, Charming Yarn, 2001-10-31
Ida Mae Tutweiler is pleasantly surprised to learn her oldest and dearest friend Jane is coming to town for a visit. In preparation, Ida Mae places her heirloom china tea set on the table, puts the water on the stove and even finds a few cookies to share. The scene is set for a relaxing catch-up session between two unlikely pals. But when Jane arrives, she brings tragic news, and Ida Mae's life is never the same.

Ida Mae is a woman of her time -- which to the modern reader feels incredibly homespun and old-fashioned. Her personality is offered in snippets of journal entries and first person narratives, which provide a history of broken hearts and haughty relatives.

Jane, on the other hand, is flamboyant and fresh. She's an actress with a flair for entrances and exits, but one who hasn't let celebrity cloud her understanding of real friendship. Even her poor decision-making skills are endearing and understandable. However, her decision to enjoy one last tea party with her more steadfast counterpart is a wise one, and gives this tender story a glimpse at the unbreakable bond of their friendship.

Ginnie Siena Bivona has a gift for using all the reader's senses. Close your eyes and feel the old South emerge in this tale. Listen for the strains of Billie Holiday coming from the parlor. Feel the warmth of the summer sun on your skin. Hear the sound of children's feel slapping against the wood floor. Taste the sweet
jam slathered on homemade scones.

"Ida Mae Tutweiler and the Traveling Tea Party" is a simple, charming little yarn, delicate as a crocheted lace doily. Bivona's writing is crisp and fast-paced, and her storytelling skills will invoke long-forgotten memories of how good a cup of tea with friends can taste at the end of an afternoon.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5 out of 5 stars I loved this book!, 2001-04-06
IDA MAE TUTWEILER & HER TRAVELING TEA PARTY is about women: mothers and daughters, sisters, friends. This book will make you laugh, it will make you cry and it certainly will make you think. Ultimately, the story distills to a psalm showcasing the power of love, set against the ritual of an old-fashioned tea party. Author Ginnie Bivona even includes some lovely recipes for the readers' own teas.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

5 out of 5 stars Every man should read it, but won't!, 2000-08-09
Ida Mae is the kind of book most men will avoid like the covers are radioactive. That's unfortunate because Ginnie Bivona reveals a great truth all men should be aware of but never seem to understand. The relationships between women who call one another friends is deeper and more profound than any all us ole hairy legs ever know. The feelings expressed by her two leading characters is the kind most men would refer to as weepy and that because we're generally about as shallow as a water dipper when it comes to such things. If you're one of the male type animals and want to get some heavy duty insight into the female mind set you need to read this book. The rest of you already understand the message, but the beauty of the package makes it well worth the trip. Brew up a pot of Earl Grey and curl up and let your emotions go. It'll do you a world of good and you'll recommend it to all your friends.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

5 out of 5 stars New Novelist Succeeds!, 2000-08-09
A charming story of love, passion, friendship, and the mourning of things past. This book should preserve the tea party as a wonderful tradition among "proper" ladies, and will hopefully encourage all women not to neglect health issues that impact their lives. A super first novel for a published author and editor. How will Ginnie top this?

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

5 out of 5 stars True friendship is the best cure;Ida Mae is a true friend., 2000-07-10
I do hope Ms. Bivona has a signing in Atlanta. I would love to visit with one who can write about friends, friendship and life the way she does. Ida Mae shares her existence, her life and her experiences of everyday living with you. Ida Mae is always true to herself, even with her self-doubts. Jane, her lifelong friend, leaves town as soon as she can to make for herself an interesting life, but keeps coming back to her taproot of living, Ida Mae. From grade school best friends throughout forever-best friends, Ida Mae and Jane let us touch the textures of friendship. Ida Mae and Jane are two very different, very tough, common sense women, each in her own way. They believe that one makes a decision, lives with it and if it needs to be changed, then change it and move through. To make the ritual of afternoon teas be warp and fill for the fabric of life is to have great mastery; Ms. Bivona does a wonderful job. This story about friendship is different from any that I have ever read. The friendship-bond story can be over used; Ms. Bivona did anything but.

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