Be Frank With Me audiobook

There are very few writers who are writing exactly, exactly the books I want to read. The kinds of books Marisa de los Santos writes, or Tayari Jones, or Julianna Baggott, or Lydia Netzer. The kind of books I try very hard to write. You know---the ones that make you FEEL things and yet never get treacly or manipulate the weep or sell out for the TOO happy ending that I am too pragmatic and jaded to believe in. Books where the language matters A WHOLE LOT but the point of the sentence is never just the language. Where the characters are flawed and difficult (sort of like, you know, people,) and the themes are strong, submerged threads running all through, basically requiring a second reading because on the first one, I was too engaged and desperate to know WHAT HAPPENS NEXT to get all the stacked, delicious SMART nuance. This book is like that book. I wrote a blurb for it, and I meant every word: BE FRANK WITH ME is that rare, hits-me-just-right book I am always hoping to find when browsing: Witty, but never cutesy. Deeply felt, but never sentimental. Peopled with deeply flawed, fully realized characters I cared about. It pulled me in so strongly that I found myself reading in that whole body way that is a rare and luminous pleasure after childhood, so immersed that the phone and the dogs and the kids had to work to pull me out. I loved every minute I spent in Julia Claiborne Johnson’s glass house with her cast of dedicated stone-throwers. This one is special---don’t miss it.

New York literary agent Isaac Vargas's star client is M. M. Banning (Mimi), a middle-aged writer who wrote her only novel, titled 'Pitched', when she was nineteen. The book, about a gifted young baseball player who loses his mind and dies, won a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, and became a cult favorite. The book still has thousands of rabid fans, who swarm Banning if she shows her face in public.Thus Mimi has become something of a recluse, holed up in her expensive Los Angeles home.One day Mimi calls Vargas to say she's writing a new book. It seems Mimi has been bilked out of her fortune by a crooked investment advisor and is about to lose her house and the copyright to Pitched. To recoup her finances, Banning has to pen a second novel. Mimi makes two demands of Vargas: a huge advance and an assistant, chosen by Vargas and paid for by the publisher.Vargas decides to send his editorial assistant, a twenty-four year old accountant, computer whiz, and artist named Alice Whitley to Los Angeles.Alice expects to help Banning shepherd her book to completion. Instead, Alice becomes the defacto guardian of Banning's nine-year-old son Frank, a gifted boy on the autism spectrum. Frank has special needs, but they're more in line with the foibles of an eccentric wunderkind than a child who struggles with schoolwork.Alice quickly learns the two rules of Frank. Rule one: No touching Frank's things. Rule two: No touching Frank. For any 'touching' to occur, Frank has to give prior permission. Rule breaking can result in Frank screaming; throwing things; banging his head on a table or wall; lying on the floor and going stiff; or other inappropriate behavior.Frank's idiosyncrasies also extend to his wardrobe, recreational preferences, and conversations. Frank dresses as 'characters', and depending on his mood might be outfitted in a cravat and smoking jacket; zoot suit; deerstalker hat and caped overcoat; yachting blazer and captain's hat; cutaway coat, morning pants, spats, and top hat; pinstripe suit, wingtips, and monocle; or other unusual attire purchased from online catalogues.For fun, Frank enjoys movies, especially vintage black and white ones. Some of his favorites are White Heat; My Man Godfrey; Sunset Boulevard; Casablanca; It's a Wonderful Life; Titanic; and more.Frank also likes to talk, and seems to know arcane facts about almost everything. For example, when Alice takes Frank out in the car, he tells her, "Isadora Duncan met an untimely end in France on September fourteenth, 1927, when her scarf got entangled in the wheels of the convertible she rode in." And when the subject is bombs, Frank observes, "The Enola Gay, the airplane that dropped the first atom bomb, was built in Omaha in 1945." Mimi dearly loves her young son, but - while she's writing her book - puts him almost exclusively in Alice's hands. Thus, while Mimi holes up in her office, Alice drives Frank to school and picks him up; prepares his meals; takes him to museums; plays with him; watches movies with him; supervises his bath time and bedtime; and so on.Frank functions pretty well at home, but his manner of dress and behavior make him a target at school, where kids tease and taunt him. Alice has to deal with this on top of everything else, and it's taxing. The one time Mimi is obligated to take her son to school she wears "the type of outfit you'd expect Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly to wear to cocktails: a little black dress, big black sunglasses, gloves, and pearls." Together, Frank and Mimi "were the only pair on the playground dressed like they were going for drinks at the Algonquin after a funeral."Despite everything (or maybe because of it), Alice forges a close bond with Frank and he cares for her as well.The other important person in Frank's life is Xander, a quixotic piano teacher and handyman who periodically comes and goes from the Banning home.Frank loves Xander, but the man's irresponsibility is a problem.As the story unfolds we learn of tragic incidents in the lives of some characters, which explains their subsequent behavior and makes them more sympathetic. Frank is an absolute joy, and one hopes he retains his quirkiness while becoming a successful adult.I was a little disappointed with the ending but this is a very good book, highly recommended.I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway.You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....

Be Frank with me by Julia Claibourne Johnson is a 2016 Willam Morrow publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. With the wealthy and secluded Bel Air as a backdrop, the relationship between a reclusive “one hit wonder” author and her delightful, but complicated son, Frank , sets the stage for this offbeat, put poignant story. Think along the lines of Harper Lee or J.D. Salinger and you have M.M. Banning, or Mimi, to her close friends. After writing one book that instantly became a literary classic, Mimi fled the public eye and became a notorious recluse, with the reputation of being a bit odd or eccentric. She has lived quite nicely off the royalties of her classic masterpiece all these years without ever having to pen another novel… until now. A victim of a ponzi style scheme, Mimi is now broke, and must produce a novel.. like yesterday! So, her publisher sends over an assistant, a fresh faced young lady named Alice, to help with various task, so Mimi can focus on her book. But, Alice soon discovers most of her time is taken up with caring for Mimi's nine year old son, Frank. Frank, is an exceptional boy, brilliant, and also has some form of autism. While not actually named, one gets the idea he could have Asperger's syndrome. He's a real handful, and is full of knowledge of movie trivia, music and all sorts of random information. He dresses in 1930's clothing which puts him at odds with his classmates, making his life away from home a virtual nightmare. Enter in another odd duck character, Xander, a family friend who is a musician and the only male presence, it would seem, in Frank's life. This prompts Alice to become rather fixated on discovering who Frank's father is. While Alice could not possibly have been prepared on how to deal with Mimi and her moods, she is really taken aback by Frank. They all three get off to a rather awkward start as Mimi and Frank make it abundantly clear they really don't want Alice intruding upon them and their carefully constructed and private world. But before all is said and done, a bond will form between Mimi, Frank, Alice and Xander that will make for one very zany, whimsical, but very touching story. Frank steals the show, it goes without saying. He is the star hands down, and everyone else kind of pales in comparison. While each character has an impact on Frank in one way or another, and each is drawn quite distinctly, all of them revolve around Frank and his rich fantasy life that spills over into reality, with mixed results. Compared in part to “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time”, “Eloise”, and “Where'd You go, Bernadette?” due to the elements each presented, such as autism, agoraphobia, brilliant, and precocious children. But, to me Frank, as charming and fragile as he can be, was also a rather sad figure. To say his life is unconventional is an understatement of epic proportions. I wondered at how his life will ultimately develop over time, if he will ever live a more structured life or if he will still find Alice to be a special and important part of his life someday. While the focus of course is on Frank, let's not forget Alice. She is the narrator of the story and at the end of the day, she is one who will carry the memories of her time with Mimi and Frank inside her heart, she is the one who was perhaps the most impacted by all their shared experiences, and the one who learned the most about herself, walking away with as a different person that when she first arrived. I wasn't sure how to rate this one, really. I've been stuck on this review for several days thinking it over. I had a little trouble with what I felt was kind of an abrupt conclusion, wishing perhaps for a little hint of how things would be in the future for these characters. But, I suppose it ended on a more realistic note, with things playing out in real time. Still, I may find myself at some time in the future thinking of Alice or Frank, wondering how things are going for them and what adventures they have got up to. Overall 4 stars

Good grief, this book was just adorable from start to finish. Frank is one one of the sweetest characters that is so perfectly formed that you just want to give this sweet little boy a hug when you get done with this book. I found myself giggling through some of Frank's antics and well up when he just couldn't fit in with his peers. I can't imagine the research that went into forming all of Frank's numerous thoughts about actors, movies, and all the fun facts that he had gathered over the years that seemed to consume him. The supporting characters were just as fascinating especially Frank's eccentric mother.The only criticism with this one is the ending felt unresolved and wasn't wrapped up very tidy- it just left me dangling. I am wondering if that is because the author plans a sequel. If so, I can't wait to read it because I already miss Frank.

All the stars go to sweet, adorable, unconventional Frank. The behavior, routines, fixations, hypersensitivity, and social processing of Frank's character all point to Aspergers or some form of high-functioning autism, although it is never actually spelled out in the novel. The absence of labels allows for showing versus telling during his character building which I loved. Through an adult's POV, we get to follow Frank around and for real fall in love with this little guy. It was interesting to meet the other characters in this book as well but Frank took the cake! Be Frank With Me was a genuinely interesting and entertaining read that I enjoyed very much and I would highly recommend the audio version. Check it out!My favorite quote:“Energy spent on worrying about a future you can’t control is energy wasted. It doesn’t do anybody one bit of good.”

M. M. "Mimi" Banning has published only one book in her lifetime but it was a tremendous success and made her wealthy and famous. Now, after having been cheated by an unscrupulous investment counselor, she needs to write a second book to support herself and her nine-year-old son, Frank. Her publisher, Isaac Vargas, sends his employee, Alice Whitley, to LA to help out--cook meals, clean and keep watch over Frank so that Mimi can lock herself away to write. Of course, he also wants Alice to keep an eye on the progress of the book and report back. Frank is very different--extremely smart, inquisitive and very lonely. He loves old movies and dresses up in character costumes, which sets him apart from his classmates who dress in t-shirts and jeans. Facts are his armor, his protective force field against the jabs and ridicule of his classmates, who don't seem to appreciate the difference between being weird and being one-in-a-million. Alice has a hard time at first adjusting to all the 'house rules' and coping with Mimi and Frank's eccentric habits. And who is the handsome handy-man, Xander, who shows up when he feels like it? Could he be Frank's father? This story is heart-warming, funny and poignant with utterly unforgettable characters. Anyone who has ever loved a misfit, or been one themselves, will certainly be able to empathize with those who deal with and love Frank.

There’s a certain quirky charm to this book that you just can’t help falling for, even though for the early part of the book I wasn’t so enamoured by little Frank, his neurotic habits along with his equally annoying and maddening mother grated on me at first so I wasn’t expecting to be charmed by them at all. Frank is definitely a one of a kind eccentric character, a know it all child genius with a fondness for dressing up and classic old movies, his inability to fit in with kids in his age group and his accident prone antics amused me. This book was sweet but not overly so, it was a genuinely enjoyable book with some surprising tender moments. It just goes to show I have rather a soft spot for quirky and offbeat characters and he totally grew on me and I ended up loving darling little Frank by the end of the book can’t say the same about the mother though. She sucked.

I LOVE Frank & everyone else in this book. It's like a mashup of what I imagine a Harper Lee-like author is like and Bernadette from Where'd You Go, Bernadette plus every other quirky character you've ever met in the body of a 10 year old child & his mother. I'm going to need this optioned into a movie ASAPtually.

“Be Frank With Me” is the August pick for our book club. We wanted something light, happy, and enjoyable. This novel is a romp; almost slap stick in quality of humor. It’s imaginative fiction, one that is comedic in its absurdity.The lovely protagonist Alice works for a book editor in New York. When one their authors, who’s been holed up in LA for decades, finds herself in a whopping financial bind due to an illicit financial adviser, the lovely Alice is dispatched to said author’s home to do whatever it takes to help the author get a book written. And this is how Alice becomes unwittingly drawn into the peculiar world of author M.M Banning and her nine-year-old son Frank. Author Julia Johnson writes Frank as charming, interesting and eccentric. She provides clues to Frank’s dark sides: monotone voice, no eye contact, sudden fits of rage; snooping; violent behavior. Johnson spends most ink on Frank garnishing the reader’s love for the quirky fellow. Frank knows all those facts that are fun fact to know and forget. He has a passion for early Hollywood movies. The facts one learns while reading the novel are impressive.MM Banning aka Mimi is a difficult artist at best. She is rude to Alice and makes the job difficult for Alice to accomplish. Frank is the reader’s joy. That boy gets into many shenanigans while being adorable and funny. Of course, he’s funny to read about; doubt it would be funny to live with.All in all, this is a perfect summer read if you enjoy comedic romps. Living with Frank is full of high-spirited exploits. It’s a silly read that’s could be just what you need to take your mind off of the bad realities of the world.

Laugh out Loud dialogue and one can only wish t be at the dinner table when the author and her comedic husband discuss the days events. Frank is one of the most original characters that I have read in along time-5 enthusiastic stars !!

Be Frank With Me immediately stood out with its bright teal cover and simple artwork – I enjoyed the aesthetic and it fits perfectly with the persona of Frank, too.Be Frank With Me is told through the eyes of Alice, a young twenty-something sent to help out at the home of M. M. Branning (Mimi) whilst she knuckles down and writes a sequel to her one hit wonder novel. However, it isn’t just boring house cleaning and upkeep – Alice also has to look after Mimi’s eccentric son, Frank, who is the real star of the book.Reading this book in the 21st century, it is obvious that Frank has some form of disability or mental health problems. Whilst I’m definitely not an expert, so cannot delve further into this, I enjoy that there is no mention of this throughout the book. Yeah, Frank sees a psychiatrist, but is there an official diagnosis? No. Frank is Frank – the energetic, curious, eccentric, highly intelligent Frank.Frank is very similar to his Uncle Julian – I think this highlights that whilst times may change and we now feel as though we all MUST be diagnosed if we are slightly ‘different’, this has not always been the case. Yes, a diagnosis may help Frank and his family in understanding his actions and controlling his outbursts, but at the end of the day he is still a loved, happy little boy – diagnosed or undiagnosed. Just goes to show that we don’t always necessarily need a ‘label’ for our differences, flaws or issues.Frank is such an intriguing character, that I was eager to continue reading to learn more about him. Some reviews online state that there isn’t much of a plot, and it’s pretty boring. I have to disagree. Yes, this novel isn’t full of action and drama, but the fact that it doesn’t need to be packed to the brim of energetic events shows how strong a novel it is. To some, half a page of factual information was overkill, but in my opinion, without Frank’s monotone fact recital it would be difficult to understand the speed and way in which his mind jumps from one thing to another – one of the key things that make Frank, well, Frank!The author has managed to portray Frank in a believable manner (I feel the urge to note that I cannot call Frank’s character ‘realistic’ as I don’t know anyone with any similar attributes to compare), and also hits the nail on the head of Alice, too. Xander, on the other hand, I felt difficult to grasp. I didn’t really think he added much to the plot and found his household role difficult to understand. I do get the gut feeling he may have been added in afterwards, in order to get a couple of pages’ worth of romance in the book.Mimi, also, was a strange one – whilst I found her character difficult to understand on paper, I feel as though she would make an excellent character should the novel ever be made into a film. I would LOVE to see this made into a high budget film FYI – J-Law would make a fab Alice!The only negative I have to say about this book, is that I wasn’t left completely satisfied with the ending. I guess I just wanted it to end differently, although I do like that the story-line is left open – you could very easily write a sequel, as there isn’t any devastating finale or restricted cliff-hanger. I would happily read more books on Frank’s life and would love to see how he ages whilst remaining his eccentric self.There was also a lot of loose ends that I feel need tying up – what happens when Mimi finds out Frank hasn’t been going to school? What happens with the information Alice learned in the Dream Bunker?Overall, I found this a brilliant read – uplifting yet saddening, the book had me smiling away and on the verge of tears on numerous occasions. My review doesn’t do this book justice at all. All I can say is I highly recommend you pick it up and give it a read. 5/5 from me – and trust me, I don’t give out 5/5’s easily!Reviewed by Jodie K at www.whisperingstories.com