Ronald Everett Capps

I haven't seen the movie (called Love Song of Bobby Long) but I loved the book. Hanna, the teenage girl, is one of the best characters I've encountered in a long time. She's had a tough life, lived in poverty, dropped out in ninth grade, been knocked around, has a foul mouth but is clearly smart as a whip. The two old alcoholics recognize her talent and become her mentors, which is a hilarious setup. They nurture her through high school even as they can see that they are creating a young woman who will leave them behind. It's touching and funny, and I couldn't stop reading. Yes, the old guys are lechers but they're also harmless clowns, which Hanna quickly realizes. Hanna is in control of them in ways they only realize much too late.… (mehr)