Leaving Cold Sassy: The Unfinished Sequel to Cold Sassy Tree

by Olive Ann Burns, Katrina Kenison

Fifteen chapters of an unfinished sequel to the best-selling novel Cold Sassy Tree are drawn to a conclusion by Burns's editor who also reflects on the inspiring life of Olive Ann Burns. 75,000 first printing.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Southern, Adult Fiction, Coming Of Age, Historical, Classics

290 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

FROM GEORGIA ENCYCLOPEDIA WEBSITE:
Olive Ann Burns was a professional writer, journalist, and columnist for most of her life. She published two novels, one posthumously, and for many years was a staff writer for Atlanta newspapers and the Atlanta Journal Magazine. Her most notable achievement was "Cold Sassy Tree", a novel that describes rural southern life and a young boy's coming-of-age at the turn of the century.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I hadn't read it. It was a little depressing. It was Will, as an adult. Instead of just the one summer of his youth, it was compressed version of his adulthood and had a dark tone. Also, it is half book, half about the author. She died while she was trying to finish it. It was told in the second, that she was is bed, practically the entire time she was writing it. I'm sure that is the reason it was so drastically different. However, it is worth reading Cold Sassy Tree. If you are happy to leave with ??? and imagine a great ending, I wouldn't read Leaving Cold Sassy. I found it sad.

[Becky Marietta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled with how to rate this. How do you rate a novel that is far from finished, written by a master storyteller who, given time, would probably have rewritten even the chapters available? How do you rate where the story might've gone, based on notes, knowing that the nature of fiction means things in the story would've changed as the author continued writing? Of course I was happy to spend a few more chapters with Will Tweedy, since Cold Sassy Tree has long been a favorite of mine--the book I still give as gifts to other book-loving friends. It was obvious in the reading that things needed sharpening--but again, this was a polished rough draft of the first 15 chapters of many. How can one judge that? I was dismayed at places Olive Ann Burns had thought of taking her characters later on--the bit about Will's dad having an affair was horrific me to me, since it was so out of character--but then I calmed down and remembered that Burns was just spit-balling ideas, and I have confidence she would've done her characters right in the end. I made up my mind to give this book three stars for the effort.

Then I read the "Reminiscences" of Olive Ann Burns's life by Katrina Kenison, Burns's longtime editor and friend, and cried for an entire afternoon. As much as I loved Cold Sassy Tree, I LOVED who Olive Ann Burns was. Her joy in the face of trials, her cheerful, kind attitude, her gratitude for every minute of her life inspired me more than anything I've read in a long, long time. Kenison is a great biographer and a lovely writer herself, and the stories she tells of Olive Ann and her husband, Andy, were just perfect. It meant so much, too, that Kenison knew Olive Ann, had worked with her and loved her (at one point, Olive Ann remarks that Katrina is a like a daughter) and wasn't just some random biographer hired so she and the publishers could make some money off of Olive Ann's fame. The description of Olive Ann's funeral and what her children did to honor her and their father broke me. And so I'm giving this book four stars--three for what could have been, and five for who Olive Ann Burns was.

[Ebookwormy1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is half fiction, half biography.

The fiction consists of the unfinished sequel that Olive Ann Burns wrote, but was unable to finish before her death. The biography is written by her publisher, who developed a close relationship with Burns and her husband, Andy Sparks.

As expected, the fiction of the unfinished work, is good, but not as polished as Cold Sassy Tree, and despite Olive Ann Burns' efforts, still leaves the reader with a lack of completion regarding what happens to Will Tweedy and Cold Sassy.

The nonfiction was a bit slow, but challenging. Burns' struggle with cancer, her husbands struggle with cancer, and their deaths, are recounted. Cancer became Burns' muse, but in the end the muse took her away before she could finish her work. In spite of tremendous suffering and encroaching old age, I was challenged by the Sparks/Burns positive outlook, as were all who knew them. Personally, Olive Ann Burns' story highlighted the isolation of illness, and detailed how this isolation was a necessary motivation for Burns' writing. I understand this from personal experience. It helped me to come to another level of accepting chronic illness, and challenged me to embrace the solace by doing something I wouldn't have the focus to do otherwise - i'm still thinking about what that might look like. For now, it is reading - lots of it.

For Olive Ann Burns masterpiece (if you haven't already read it), see
Cold Sassy Tree, Burns, 1982
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Numidica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am so sorry Ms. Burns died before she could finish this book.

[William Guerrant · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 15 chapters of Olive Ann Burns' unfinished sequel to Cold Sassy Tree, followed by a touching reminiscence from one of her editors, this book may disappoint readers hoping for something else. But taken for what it it is, it's a fine book. The reminiscence is illuminating and enjoyable, and the beginning of what would have been an excellent novel is a delight to read. The dialect and mannerisms are familiar to me, dear to my heart, and seemingly bound for extinction. Ms. Burns captured them brilliantly. Every page drew a smile. In the reminiscence she is quoted as having said that if an author gets the characters' words right, then there's no need to go on and on about their personalities. That's well said, I think.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've finished reading the unfinished part of this novel and am reading the part about the author now. She passed away before finishing the novel and it was her wish that what she'd written be published. I found the story fairly interesting, but I definitely prefer books that end. I enjoyed Cold Sassy Tree, but have to say I was disappointed with how Will turned out. Mention of an affair and not truly loving his wife just made me sad. This was all in the notes, and not in the finished portion, but the idea of it was just saddening.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made me sad. Really only about a third of it was written by Olive Ann Burns because she died before she could complete the sequel to Cold Sassy Tree. The rest of the book is a reminiscence about Burns, written by her editor. She sounds like she was an amazing person who had the gift of acceptance, of making the best of things as they are - like beginning to write a novel as a way to take her mind off being diagnosed with cancer. Who does that? Inspiring but still so sad.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really a tribute to the author Olive Ann Burns and the way that she decided to live her life.

While this was a re-read for me, I thoroughly enjoyed the story again. And now, of course, I have to read Cold Sassy Tree again. My copy is coming to me in the mail on Friday. Can you believe that my library, which is awesome, doesn't have a copy of Cold Sassy Tree? Unbelieveable!!

What a great book to read - either this one or Cold Sassy Tree.

Highly recommended!!

[Shari Slaughter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boy this book wasn’t like Cold Sassy Tree Whatsoever.
I didn’t finished the book it’s verily rare that I stop reading a book in the middle but this book was very very very disappointing compare to the first book. I wouldn’t
recommend this book to anyone I gave this book a one⭐️.

There is one thing about this book I found interesting it had actually Photos of the people in the first book Cold Sassy.

[Sarah B · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I did enjoy reading this book I did not find it as interesting as the first one. I think this is in part because Will is now grown up and he's not having the adventures he had in the first book. The plot was also very different. In the first one you had the huge scandal about grandpa getting remarried to Miss Love, which was a huge deal and that created a lot of turmoil. But there really wasn't any big thing going on in this one...

The plot revolves around Will trying to get this one school teacher to date him. I really don't find that too interesting...the book had a few tidbits here or there but the whole feel of it was very different.

Also this story is unfinished because the author had passed away. The one chapter in the book did give us a peek ahead at Will's future so in a way we do know what will happen to him when he is older.

The second half of the book is about the author. I found is very interesting that the character of Will was based on her father and that lots of the details including the language was based on family stories she had written down previously.

[Toni Wyatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best part about my copy of Leaving Cold Sassy is the second half written by Olive Ann’s editor about Olive Ann’s life, writing, and final years. I found it completely interesting and heartbreaking all at the same time.

I wasn’t impressed with the 15 chapters Olive Ann completed. They were okay, with the exception of the racial crap that was thrown in for no reason. Having heard all of that mess in Cold Sassy Tree, there was absolutely no reason to keep perpetuating it.

I was disappointed with Olive Ann’s notes and plans on where she planned to take these characters. I wish I hadn’t read them. Especially about Will Tweedy’s father. Just a gut punch. Although we will never know, I’d like to hope that she could have turned it all into something good, and worth more than scandalous, cheap soap opera stuff.

4 stars, mainly for the biographical last half of the book which made the whole thing worth reading as it was more interesting than the fiction by far.

[Erin Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this was exciting but also frustrating and disappointing because it is unfinished. I enjoyed the chapters that Olive Ann Burns was able to finish, as well as her notes and chapter suggestions, even though the I can tell that this is not a finished draft of the chapters. I'm glad her editors decided to honor her wishes and publish these chapters for her readers to enjoy and remember her. The memorial was a bit long, and I was thinking of skipping it and sticking with only Olive Ann Burn's chapters, but it was nice to get to know the author behind the books. I almost feel guilty wishing the sequel had been finished, but Olive Ann herself wanted it to be finished for herself and her fans alike.

[Giancarlo Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leaving Cold Sassy picks up with Will Tweedy as he looks back on his childhood and faces the challenges of growing up in early 1900s Georgia. The story brings readers back to Cold Sassy, where family, love, and change are the main thing of everything. Sadly, the book was never finished because the author passed away, but it still has the same heart and humor as Cold Sassy Tree.

Burns’s writing feels real and full of life. The town and its people are so easy to picture, and Will’s story is relatable and heartfelt. I loved the funny moments she added, even in the middle of more serious topics like loss. But it’s hard not to feel disappointed that the story ends abruptly. The notes about what Burns planned to write are interesting but leave you wishing for more.

If you loved Cold Sassy Tree, this book is worth reading just to spend a little more time with Will and the town. Just know that it’s unfinished, so it may leave a little intrigued.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had Olive Anne Burns lived to finish it, I imagine this book would have been at least almost as good as Cold Sassy Tree. What she did write is good but had she lived, no doubt even that would have been better. Though we have access to her notes for more of the book, they are just random ideas that need fleshed out. The biography half of the book is interesting.

[Caleigh J. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book falls into the same category as the sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird in that the characters you respect and appreciate in the first book develop into the ones you dislike in the sequel. It has the lovely narration Ms. Burns provides just not worth the read.

[marianne donato · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn’t need to be written. So so.

[norah]

DNF at 77%. had i known over half of this was a retrospective biography, i probably wouldn’t have picked it up.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I didn't feel like this book was as good as Cold Sassy Tree, I did enjoy it. It just wasn't the same, but that's ok. I believe that if Olive Ann had lived longer, it would be an undoubtedly better story since she'd have had time to fine tune everything. I wasn't too thrilled with how Will turned out-or his father. That made me a little sad. I also had hoped Love would be in the story more. But, it IS an unfinished work, so who knows what it would have been had she lived longer.

I love that so many of the people in the book-specifically, her parents-were what influenced the characters in both books. I think the reason people love Cold Sassy so much is because the characters are real. They are genuine people who don't live lives that are far-fetched and out of touch with reality.

Olive Ann was also, I think, one of those people who has that way with words. I don't think all writers really have this, at least not in the way she did. She was a person who really understood people and paid attention to who they were, therefore I think it gave her this insight which allowed her to create these believable characters. Sanna is a character I can understand and sympathize with, in a way. Honestly, I think many mothers and wives are a lot like Sanna.

I wasn't sure I'd enjoy the last half of the book, but I really enjoyed learning more about Olive Ann. She was an extraordinary person, and I think it would have been wonderful to know her. I found the relationship between Olive Ann and her husband very touching-the way they took care of each other and never gave up on living. It was interesting how she tirelessly edited and worked on the stories, and even, at one point, lacked confidence and didn't think she could write a novel.

Cold Sassy Tree was a favorite book of mine since I read it at age 14, and I know it always will be. Leaving Cold Sassy will always hold a place in my heart as well. Both books are displayed on book shelf, and one day when my children are older, I hope they will read them and find in them the gifts that I did.

Oh, and one of the best parts of the book was when she'd said that most worriers tend to worry about time, dirt, and money. She really hit the nail on the head with that one. I think the book should have been titled that, instead of Leaving Cold Sassy.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the beginning of the unfinished book however I'm not sure about the rest of the plot. The final outcome of the plot I like but getting there I'm not crazy about. I liked the reminiscence about the author Olive Ann in some ways more than her unfinished second book.
I really liked her father's (Will's model) advise and it sounded a lot like grandpa "Olive proudly proclaimed herself a liberal and was adamant about her opinions, which she aired at every opportunity. Her father told her she was going down a one-way street and had lost sight of the fact that some people have to go the other way. The criticism hit home. ""He wasn't a philosophical man, but he made me realize I was prejudiced against people who were prejudiced, and that my prejudice was as bad as theirs. And this freed me to live among all kinds of people and accept them as they are.""

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the unfinished sequel to Cold Sassy Tree and gets off to a charming start with Will Tweedy falling in love with a young schoolteacher at the age of 24. At chapter ten, the story takes a sudden jump to 17 years later where Will is trying to understand just where their love story went sour and to rekindle the spark by re-reading old love letters. He and Sanna now have 4 children and have lost the farm. He travels to earn a living, leaving Sanna alone for long stretches of time.
The notes Olive Ann Burns made for the rest of the story seem rather dark and unhappy, less charming and entertaining. It is interesting to learn from the editor's notes that Will's story is based on Olive Ann's father's life and her parents' marriage--how they met, fell in love and raised their family during the depression.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was disappointed with this book. I didn't like where the author took some of the characters from Cold Sassy Tree and was discontented with the fact that there was no ending. However, reading the second half of the book- a reminiscence from the author's editor- was delightful. She explains the theme that the author had planned to instill in the book and how the characters would end up. She also shares the family history of the author and the real-life people who the characters were patterned after. She also details much of the author's life. Reading about Olive Ann Burns' strong marriage and her wonderfully positive outlook on life was enough alone to make this book worth the read.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leaving Cold Sassy by Olive Ann Burns (Ticknor & Fields 1992) (Fiction). This is the sequel to Olive Ann Burn's beloved first novel of a small town in Georgia Cold Sassy Tree. Burns was dying as she wrote the sequel; when she ultimately realized that she would run out of time before she could finish writing the book, she directed that after her death the completed chapters were to be published along with her notes about the rest of the story. This is what was published; it is nowhere near as satisfying as the original. If only she'd had more time! My rating: 6/10, finished 1993.

[Lori Keeton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the fact that Olive Ann Burns passed away before completing the sequel, the editor’s remembrance at the end was lovely to read. She was able to shed much light on the author’s life and the challenges and successes Olive Ann faced while writing these books. I was enlightened by her strength and endurance.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unfinished sequel, well, it leaves you feeling unfinished. What I really liked about this book was reading the "reminiscence" from the editor. What an amazing woman Olive Ann Burns was! I'd read another book just on her.

[Renee Kahl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this--having loved the original book. But there just wasn't enough of it written before Ms.Burns died. Just a few chapters and some sketchy notes. Too bad.

[Denise · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so disappointed in this book.

[June · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you loved Cold Sassy Tree do yourself a favor and do not read this book. It will break you heart.

[Jeff Lyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like countless readers, I was smitten with Olive Ann Burns' Cold Sassy Tree. I ran across Leaving Cold Sassy in a used book store and snapped it up to see how Will Tweedy turned out. I paid little attention to the cover until I got around to reading the book.

Olive Ann's sequel Time, Dirt and Money drew me into 1917 and brought Will Tweedy back to life with all the honest humor, deep appreciation for the historic scenes, and wonderfully colorful characters that populated her first best-selling novel. Her attention to detail and spot on renditions of southern colloquialisms and manners were still the hallmarks of her exceptional writing.

I was sad to find the story unfinished, but appreciated her Notes and Papa and the Bull entries after Chapter 15. The real treat for me in this book was the Olive Ann Burns Reminiscence by Katrina Kenison. What a treasure trove of detailed background.

I did not know about Olive Ann's battles with cancer alongside her husband Andy's struggles with lymphoma. The descriptions of the often ailing couple's continued charming outlooks on life and refusal to let their afflictions bring them down should be required reading for any family facing similar battles with cancer.

No matter how bad things got, Olive Ann possessed the ability to see the bright side of her and Andy's predicaments and soldiered through. She never loses her relentless drive for perfection and refused to use their maladies as excuses for giving up working toward their goals. They took care of each other, often when they were both deathly sick at the same time.

Olive Ann worked as hard, if not harder, than any writer for the accolades Cold Sassy brought her and reveled in the adoration of her fans without letting it got to her head. She answered every fan letter and tackled an unbelievable number of speaking engagements to give back to her supporters, while remaining bewildered by all the fuss her book had caused.

As a writer, I am in awe of Olive Ann's dedication to her craft and willingness to undergo countless rewrites without complaint. Achieving her level of commitment to her craft is a worthy goal for any author. I finished the book with a profound respect for Olive Ann Burns and renewed resolve for upping my own writing efforts.

[Joyce A. Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picks up right where it left off--well, 10 years later, but the characters are just as abhorrent as before, even in a limited number of chapters. This time, a touch of homophobia is added, as well as a development of the author's disdain for fat people: that all gets combined in the description of a main character's son, who is overweight and predicted to get picked on at a military boarding school for not being enough of a boy--the narrator's conclusion being that all of the boy's "issues" are due to his being raised by women. It's like a Bingo card of '--isms.'
Burns is clearly an exceptionally talented writer, even what is a partial piece in draft form. And she does capture a time period, as she did in her first novel. But the time period and the town still come across as utterly terrible, neither a when or a where anyone would want to be (one would hope....).
The notes that are included make this a very valuable teaching resource for students of literature and/or writing, documenting the complexity of the writing process. The biographical information (about half of the book) is quite interesting: Burns sounds like a hoot to have known, even if one tempers the rather gushing tone--and it is pretty over the top, especially as it goes on.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Cold Sassy Tree, I saw that there was an "unfinished sequel" -- and thought, how intriguing to read a book, knowing it would be incomplete. I knew that Olive Ann Burns had written her first book during treatment for cancer, and that readers had begged for another to continue the story of Will Tweedy and his family. So I went into this book expecting to get a half-story. But by the end I felt like I'd gotten much more than that.

Yes, the story of grown-up Will (10 years after the end of Cold Sassy Tree) is unfinished and there are a lot of little things mentioned that are never fully explained. But the second half of the book, essentially a biography of Olive Ann Burns, gives a rich background for both books and takes us through the process of getting the first one published. We learn about her family (inspiration for characters) as well as what kind of person Olive Ann was as she dealt with fame and cancer -- both her own and her husband's -- after the success of CST. I thought this was fascinating and through the story of her parents' lives it was possible to imagine how Will's story would have come out. I enjoyed it more than expected!