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A Grand Day To Get Lost
A wrong turn down a remote Florida backwoods highway turns into the ride of a lifetime for Emily Weaver, a university librarian, when she mysteriously discovers a manuscript written by Pulitzer Prize winning author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings dated years after the beloved author's death. Emily unwittingly begins a treasure hunt in a world that is as beautiful as it is dangerous, and it is a hunt that could not only change her life, but the landscape of the entire literary world.
Is it really possible that the renowned author of The Yearling faked her own death in 1953?
Parading through the scrub country in Rawlings's seemingly fresh footsteps, Emily must separate fact from fiction as she discovers more than one secret world, opens up her heart to new friendships and challenges, encounters ghosts from the past, and puts her own life in danger to uncover the truth.
A Gran Day no only resurrects a bold literary icon but also explores the emotional landscape of loss, survival, and forgiveness in a world where anything is possible for those who dare to risk and follow their dreams.
Is it really possible that the renowned author of The Yearling faked her own death in 1953?
Parading through the scrub country in Rawlings's seemingly fresh footsteps, Emily must separate fact from fiction as she discovers more than one secret world, opens up her heart to new friendships and challenges, encounters ghosts from the past, and puts her own life in danger to uncover the truth.
A Gran Day no only resurrects a bold literary icon but also explores the emotional landscape of loss, survival, and forgiveness in a world where anything is possible for those who dare to risk and follow their dreams.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
11 people are currently reading
536 people want to read
About the author
Kris Radish
25 books286 followersKris started writing the moment she could hold a pencil. She grew up in Wisconsin, graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a journalism degree and hit the ground running. Her father called her "the tornado". She worked as a newspaper reporter, bureau chief, nationally syndicated columnist, magazine writer, university lecturer, bartender, waitress, worm harvester, window washer....to name a few. Her first two books were non-fiction and then Radish became a full-time novelist. The Elegant Gathering of White Snows, Dancing Naked at the Edge of Dawn, The Sunday List of Dreams, Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral and Searching for Paradise in Parker, P.A., The Shortest Distance Between Two Women, Hearts on a String, Tuesday Night Miracles, A Grand Day to Get Lost and The Year of Necessary Lies have won her acclaim and a great following. Her eleventh novel, A Dangerous Woman From Nowhere is being released in 2017. She is also the author of three works of non-fiction, Gravel on the side of the Road-Stories From A Broad Who Has Been There, Run, Bambi Run-The Beautiful Ex-Cop and Convicted Murderer Who Escaped to Freedom and Won America's Heart and The Birth Order Effect: How to Better Understand Yourself and Others. She is working on a book poetry, two new novels, a book of non-fiction and a few bottles of wine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
April 5, 2013
I have been a fan since I picked up "Elegant Gathering of White Snows" years ago. I have read anything and everything that Kris Radish has written. I stop people in book stores and put her books in their hands. Same at used book sales at the Library. I loan them to everyone with a threat of death if they are not returned.
This book is by far (so far, as I am not finished with " A Grand Day To Get Lost" yet), one of my favorites.
You can tell Ms Radish fell in love with Florida herself and now writes about it through those eyes. I love that all of the characters are alive in my head and as the book lays on my bed I am afraid something will happen before I get back to it and read on.
READ THIS BOOK! Your life will be richer because of it. Trust me.
I just finished last night and still loved this book. One of the review's mentioned that people either love or hate Kris's books. And I think this may be true. But I for one am on the LOVE side.
This book is by far (so far, as I am not finished with " A Grand Day To Get Lost" yet), one of my favorites.
You can tell Ms Radish fell in love with Florida herself and now writes about it through those eyes. I love that all of the characters are alive in my head and as the book lays on my bed I am afraid something will happen before I get back to it and read on.
READ THIS BOOK! Your life will be richer because of it. Trust me.
I just finished last night and still loved this book. One of the review's mentioned that people either love or hate Kris's books. And I think this may be true. But I for one am on the LOVE side.
July 20, 2016
Interesting setting, shallow character, improbable plot.
I do not care for Radish's style -- she summarizes conversations that SHOULD be included as dialogue. She wants to tell me what to think about her characters, instead of letting them speak for themselves.
Also there are so many errors and discontinuities in this book, I was distracted. Examples: it says Emily's first cabin has a door that won't lock...then in the morning she stops to lock the door. She was driving a car, then she wishes something would fit "in her small truck." The docent at Cross Creek greets Silver saying "Are you Silver?" "Yes I am..." on on the next page they are talking about how they've had beers at Silver's house. This book needed a much better editor, IMHO.
I do not care for Radish's style -- she summarizes conversations that SHOULD be included as dialogue. She wants to tell me what to think about her characters, instead of letting them speak for themselves.
Also there are so many errors and discontinuities in this book, I was distracted. Examples: it says Emily's first cabin has a door that won't lock...then in the morning she stops to lock the door. She was driving a car, then she wishes something would fit "in her small truck." The docent at Cross Creek greets Silver saying "Are you Silver?" "Yes I am..." on on the next page they are talking about how they've had beers at Silver's house. This book needed a much better editor, IMHO.
September 10, 2014
This book unfortunately was not appealing to me. It seemed far too descriptive and repetitive and I found myself getting frustrated throughout. There were also a huge number of copy errors - missing words, incorrect words, misspelled words etc. I nearly stopped reading this book multiple times, but something kept me struggling through.
April 25, 2013
**I read the Kindle version, but there's no option here for that, and Goodreads wouldn't let me add it.**
Radish specializes in really fine books about female relationships, and the importance of good girlfriends. She's used that theme in this book, once again, but with a different approach.
There is one thing that Radish does in her books that drives me crazy at times, and I appreciate at others - she is prone to making statements along the lines of "the three girlfriends sat up all night discussing in detail all the ways they could track down the bad guy..." (obviously not a real line from any of her books), but doesn't provide any of the detailed discussion. There are times that I want to get to the meat of the story and appreciate not having to wade through a lot of detail, BUT most often, I'm a detail person. Sometimes it's ok for me to read into the look that passed between people and know what it meant, but other times I need the author to confirm for me that I'm on the right track.
In the end, this was a lovely story, once again about female relationships, but I did feel there were more parts than normal that skipped the detail and got to the next bit of action, and the action wasn't intense enough to merit the skipping. I would prefer that the detail was there, and I could skip it if I chose to. There were lovely descriptions, however, of central Florida, that make it sound most intriguing, and that made it a better read for me.
Also, I know I'm pickier than many people, but the Kindle edition had lots of little typos and a few places where a phrase was repeated (looked like a cut and paste, without taking out what had been typed). I shouldn't let those things ruin a story for me, but they ruin my reading rhythm.
Radish specializes in really fine books about female relationships, and the importance of good girlfriends. She's used that theme in this book, once again, but with a different approach.
There is one thing that Radish does in her books that drives me crazy at times, and I appreciate at others - she is prone to making statements along the lines of "the three girlfriends sat up all night discussing in detail all the ways they could track down the bad guy..." (obviously not a real line from any of her books), but doesn't provide any of the detailed discussion. There are times that I want to get to the meat of the story and appreciate not having to wade through a lot of detail, BUT most often, I'm a detail person. Sometimes it's ok for me to read into the look that passed between people and know what it meant, but other times I need the author to confirm for me that I'm on the right track.
In the end, this was a lovely story, once again about female relationships, but I did feel there were more parts than normal that skipped the detail and got to the next bit of action, and the action wasn't intense enough to merit the skipping. I would prefer that the detail was there, and I could skip it if I chose to. There were lovely descriptions, however, of central Florida, that make it sound most intriguing, and that made it a better read for me.
Also, I know I'm pickier than many people, but the Kindle edition had lots of little typos and a few places where a phrase was repeated (looked like a cut and paste, without taking out what had been typed). I shouldn't let those things ruin a story for me, but they ruin my reading rhythm.
April 21, 2013
This is definitely one of Kris's most creative, addicting stories yet! Again we have some wonderful women characters, finding themselves and others and connecting as family. Emily is bored with her life and while in Florida comes upon people who show her a new direction in her life as a researcher. The theme is based on the life of Marjorie Rawlings, author of The Yearling. Did Rawlings really die in 1953? Then what is the special document Emily discovers with MKR's initials and date of 1963. We travel through Florida with our characters and learn how to love life and others in a new way. Radish has a special knack and love for the women in her life. She is definitely an author you shouldn't miss. (P.S. My favorite book of hers is Tuesday Night Miracles - really amazing.)
February 15, 2017
I loved the idea of this story but the execution left a lot to be desired. It was almost like there were too many characters to really focus on Emily and Silver and their journey to rediscover Leslie and Marjorie. The mysterious Mr Asshole added a level of suspense to the story but in the end fell flat for me.
For how long this novel was, the ending seemed very rushed and without much closure. My edition is also in need of a good editor. If Radish wasn't one of my favorite authors, I would have put this one down.
For how long this novel was, the ending seemed very rushed and without much closure. My edition is also in need of a good editor. If Radish wasn't one of my favorite authors, I would have put this one down.
April 15, 2013
My first book by this author, and I thought it was wonderful. I love her writing style, the way she includes a dash of humor in the adventure, and the way she portrayed Marjorie was fantastic. The details and the included mystery all added up to a great read. Will be reading more by Kris Radish in the near future!
May 2, 2014
I have to agree with what another reviewer wrote: interesting premise but not enough was resolved (for me anyway) at the end.
October 25, 2013
A Grand Day to Get Lost is a well-written book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It had elements that made me want to jump up and get on with life and other elements that made me say, “You’ve got to be kidding!”
The story revolves around a divorced, middle-aged librarian from Ohio who is delivering her elderly aunt somewhere in Florida and take a turn that isn’t on the map. She ends up on some back roads, sees an estate sale and decides to take a look. Her acquisition of a few boxes of documents changes her life.
The documents seem to be a manuscript from the author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Yearling. One problem, the document was written after her death. This leads her on all kinds of adventures to find the answer to this puzzle. She meets some fascinating characters living in rural Florida who were in Rawlings’ world and have amazing life stories of their own. This is where the inspiring part comes in. Many of them do make you feel that life is for the taking and I need to get out from behind my computer more and enjoy it. I really did love that about the book. I love seeing the process of someone re-imagining their life.
The puzzling and “you’ve got to be kidding” aspects of the book came in relation to Rawlings herself. I’m not a fan of The Yearling. I didn’t enjoy it so the amount of adulation and sheer hero-worship heaped upon its author seems very unrealistic. Every time the characters encounter anything she owned or any place she had been they are so overcome with emotion that I just want to slap them. I understand being fans of an author but this was so over the top that it really distracted from the story. She wrote a good book, she didn’t cure cancer or solve world hunger and even if she did, should sitting on her back porch send adult, intelligent women into such paroxysms of delight, completely giddy? I think it would be cool to see where Agatha Christie lived but that’s it. Just cool. Not life-changing.
It’s a good read. It’s very well-written. It’s a good use of your time. Just be prepared for the over-the-top adulation of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.
I received this book through the Goodreads giveaway program and I gave it an honest review.
The story revolves around a divorced, middle-aged librarian from Ohio who is delivering her elderly aunt somewhere in Florida and take a turn that isn’t on the map. She ends up on some back roads, sees an estate sale and decides to take a look. Her acquisition of a few boxes of documents changes her life.
The documents seem to be a manuscript from the author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Yearling. One problem, the document was written after her death. This leads her on all kinds of adventures to find the answer to this puzzle. She meets some fascinating characters living in rural Florida who were in Rawlings’ world and have amazing life stories of their own. This is where the inspiring part comes in. Many of them do make you feel that life is for the taking and I need to get out from behind my computer more and enjoy it. I really did love that about the book. I love seeing the process of someone re-imagining their life.
The puzzling and “you’ve got to be kidding” aspects of the book came in relation to Rawlings herself. I’m not a fan of The Yearling. I didn’t enjoy it so the amount of adulation and sheer hero-worship heaped upon its author seems very unrealistic. Every time the characters encounter anything she owned or any place she had been they are so overcome with emotion that I just want to slap them. I understand being fans of an author but this was so over the top that it really distracted from the story. She wrote a good book, she didn’t cure cancer or solve world hunger and even if she did, should sitting on her back porch send adult, intelligent women into such paroxysms of delight, completely giddy? I think it would be cool to see where Agatha Christie lived but that’s it. Just cool. Not life-changing.
It’s a good read. It’s very well-written. It’s a good use of your time. Just be prepared for the over-the-top adulation of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.
I received this book through the Goodreads giveaway program and I gave it an honest review.
September 1, 2016
A wonderful 4 star read, review to come just as soon as I check out Kris's other books!
I very much enjoyed this book
One day some years ago I stumbled upon the movie on TV "Cross Creek" seeing that Mary Steenburgen & Peter Coyote were in it, I decide to watch, not really paying attention to who the movie was about until almost the end when I got that it was about the author Marjorie Rawlings. The movie had been in the back of my mind since then until I saw Kris's book and decided I really needed to read it!
I like the idea for the book...what if? What if someone just disappeared, dropped off the map for awhile or even forever? Why do it, how to do it, who would help? I love the idea of solitude, unlike most people I get energised by being alone, I tend to recharge. This is just my kind of book to escape and to get lost in.
The story is about Emily Weaver who takes a wrong turn one hot summer day down a dusty country road in a Florida bayou and her life is forever changed. She comes upon an old house where there seems to be a sale of some kind going on, she has an encounter with some old boxes that are calling her name, they have a dated manuscript in them from Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings who could not possibly have written it as she was long dead at the time it was written…or was she?
Emily meets some colorful, fun and very private people in this small Florida town where it seems the famous and beloved author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings who won the Pulitzer prize for her book "The Yearling" back in 1938 came to live and find some solitude until she died years later in 1953...or did she?
Next thing you know Emily is being stalked by an angry man in a red truck, she meets up with a
Loud, flamboyant gal named Silver who will become a lifelong friend and this is just the beginning of a wonderful story full of possibilities and what if’s.
I had never heard of Kris Radish before (how much do I love her name?) I am very glad that I found her, I will be reading more of her books in the future.
I won this on goodreads for a fair and honest review
I very much enjoyed this book
One day some years ago I stumbled upon the movie on TV "Cross Creek" seeing that Mary Steenburgen & Peter Coyote were in it, I decide to watch, not really paying attention to who the movie was about until almost the end when I got that it was about the author Marjorie Rawlings. The movie had been in the back of my mind since then until I saw Kris's book and decided I really needed to read it!
I like the idea for the book...what if? What if someone just disappeared, dropped off the map for awhile or even forever? Why do it, how to do it, who would help? I love the idea of solitude, unlike most people I get energised by being alone, I tend to recharge. This is just my kind of book to escape and to get lost in.
The story is about Emily Weaver who takes a wrong turn one hot summer day down a dusty country road in a Florida bayou and her life is forever changed. She comes upon an old house where there seems to be a sale of some kind going on, she has an encounter with some old boxes that are calling her name, they have a dated manuscript in them from Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings who could not possibly have written it as she was long dead at the time it was written…or was she?
Emily meets some colorful, fun and very private people in this small Florida town where it seems the famous and beloved author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings who won the Pulitzer prize for her book "The Yearling" back in 1938 came to live and find some solitude until she died years later in 1953...or did she?
Next thing you know Emily is being stalked by an angry man in a red truck, she meets up with a
Loud, flamboyant gal named Silver who will become a lifelong friend and this is just the beginning of a wonderful story full of possibilities and what if’s.
I had never heard of Kris Radish before (how much do I love her name?) I am very glad that I found her, I will be reading more of her books in the future.
I won this on goodreads for a fair and honest review
May 14, 2013
Once again Radish writes a books that is both interesting and relatable. I fell in love with Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral and went on to read a few other amazing reads by Radish. My favorite to date is Tuesday Night Miracles. Is is simply amazing! In A Grand Day to Get Lost Radish keeps up with her brilliant writing of female characters, friendship, family and life in general. She takes you on an adventure to find truths, discover oneself and find a new way to live life to the fullest! I really enjoyed this book and rate it 4 stars!
April 14, 2014
Kris Radish's story completely absorbed me with its humor, suspense, and wisdom. She completely drew me into the Florida setting. Ms. Radish always creates lovely friendships between women, friendships that are honest and empowering. Emily and Silver formed a beautiful bond and I very much enjoyed going along with them on their adventure. I also appreciate that Ms. Radish doesn't "bash" men- there may be a bad man or two, but there are also good men in her stories. And how wonderful it is that this story is wrapped around a terrific tribute to Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.
June 28, 2016
I once attended a writing conference where Kris Radish was one of the speakers. Her very personable way was what got me to read one of her books. I forget which one I read first, all these years later, but I was hooked. Ms. Radish has such a graceful way of writing the female friendship. I love surrounding myself with her characters as they enjoy each others company and hold each other up through the bad times.
Be careful though - you might lose sleep, sitting up all night reading straight through till morning. :)
Be careful though - you might lose sleep, sitting up all night reading straight through till morning. :)
August 15, 2015
My Kindle version wasn't edited well. Although I liked the interaction of the character, who were very well drawn, the story covered the same ground over and over. It was worth reading to learn about The Yearling author Marjorie Kennan Rawlings and her adopted home in north central Florida, but there were obvious hazards to wandering in the bush and constantly ignoring good advice. Good story, but sometime irritating.
September 18, 2017
Kris Radish is one of my favorite authors and she never disappoints. This book, like most of her works, highlights the power of women, either in the present time or in those she highlights from the past. Age is no barrier to the power of change. You can see rural Florida clearly in your mind as it was in the early 1900's as well as the current day. Thank you, Kris, for another great read....going to order her newest book right now!!!
May 6, 2025
One of her best. I have read them all, favorite was Annie Freeman's... This book was touching, as all of Kris' books are, this one is about a woman that unintentionally discovers / rediscovers herself. How she gets there is a remarkable story. If you haven't read Kris' books START NOW! Part of the story deals with The Yearling which I have not read, but will soon!
August 8, 2013
This is the first book that I have read by Kris Radish and I really enjoyed it. She does a wonderful job with character development and drawing you in to the story. What an interesting concept about the author of the Yearling. I liked how the author wove portions of non-fiction into the fictional account. Hope to read more books by this author.
May 3, 2013
This is the second Radish book I've read and it's overwhelmingly a chick book - but since I'm a chick I guess that's ok. Some just a tad too ditzy. But now I want to visit Central Florida for a few months. I wish the characters in the book were as strong and gritty as the person the characters were researching.
May 24, 2013
Loved this book! I may have found a new favorite author in Kris Radish. From my perspective, this book had it all: librarians, books, friendship, history, and mystery. Lovely characters, a wonderful tribute to Marjorie Kinnan Rowlings and an intriguing story line. I was engrossed from beginning to end.
September 10, 2014
Read it for my book club. I do not Ike Kris Radish writing style and this was the worst of the three I've read. It came out in paperback so the library didn't carry it. I found it to be a shallow plot with mindless characters. Couldn't wait to finish it and it took everything I had to not just skip to the end, although I don't think I would have missed much.
March 3, 2015
I loved the way this book transported me to a lush, sticky, hot, alive, undisneyfied Florida that still exists but is rarely experienced except by those who live there and the hearty outdoorsy folk who brave its jungle. The story was engaging, smart and well-written, and has inspired me to check out Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' work.
July 12, 2015
I would have given it 5 stars, but the poor editing drove me crazy. Not sure how so many mistakes were missed.
I totally got wrapped up in the story...Kris Radish is a very colorful storyteller. I plan on reading more of her books- but hope the editing is better. It annoyed me to re-read a sentence 3 times & then realize it just was wrong.
I totally got wrapped up in the story...Kris Radish is a very colorful storyteller. I plan on reading more of her books- but hope the editing is better. It annoyed me to re-read a sentence 3 times & then realize it just was wrong.
May 6, 2013
I give this book 4.5 stars. Love, love, love Kris Radish. Her stories grab you right from the beginning and her characters are so endearing, interesting, and colorful that you want to know these people or have these kind of people in your life. I couldn't put this book down. Highly recommend.
May 23, 2013
This one was intriguing. The characters are colorful, the writing is engaging for the most part, and the plot is believable. I found the grammar in places distracting, however; "then" is always used in place of "than" and "every" in place of "ever".
May 23, 2013
You are right there in the setting with the book's characters. The author writes about feelings so well, I can relate to each one of these women. Makes me feel like I can do anything! Can't wait for the next book!
June 22, 2013
I usually love Kris Radish books, but not this time. Although I could see that she did extensive research for it, I simply do not like books written in the the third person. The was the first time that I was not enthused by the subject matter, and didn't even finish it.
June 21, 2013
This book is difficult to describe, but it gripped me from start to finish. I really related to the main character on many levels, and I had to laugh when I discovered that we're the same age. This poignant book has a lot of laughs and some great, human characters.
August 20, 2013
A bit of a departure in some respects for Kris Radish but in the end it does have the elements of self discovery and change for middle age women she is so great at! However this book is a bit of a mystery in the story itself. A great read...I wanted it all to be true.
October 13, 2013
Kris Raddish is one of my favorite authors. This is not my favorite book but still a good read. Two downsides: it took a little to get into in and when I finally did the story ended too fast. I felt it was a quick wrap up. I was left wanting more.
June 15, 2014
I love this book. One of the best I've read in a long time. I couldn't put it down. And now I want to go back and reread some Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Why didn't I know about Kris Radish before now?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews