Some Days There's Pie: A Novel

by Catherine Landis

Ruth Ritchie elopes with a stereo salesman, thinking that she has found her ticket out of Summerville, Tennessee where her future means selling pies at Durwood's Hardware. But Chuck "gets religion," and Ruth, who cherishes her freedom more than safety, buys a used car and heads north.When Ruth faints from hunger at a North Carolina five-and-dime, Rose, a feisty elderly reporter, rescues her. A friendship stronger than family ties blossoms; for all her bravado, unsentimental Ruth can never quite disguise her need for a mother's love. In Ruth, Rose finds someone who refuses to see old age as a handicap, and gives her life new purpose.With spirited humor and empathy, Landis beautifully intertwines the unforgettable stories of Rose, in stubborn denial of lung cancer, and Ruth, who possesses the energy and conviction of Rose in her younger days.

Genres: Fiction, Southern, Friendship, Contemporary

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 20, 2002

About the author

Catherine Landis was born in Birmingham, Alabama but grew up in Chattanooga. Technically, she grew up on Signal Mountain just outside of Chattanooga. It's a place a little like Summerville in Some Days There's Pie, her first novel. She graduated from high school in 1974 and went to Davidson College in NC, graduating from there in 1978 with a BA in English. Landis was the first woman editor of the college newspaper -- Davidson had just gone co-ed when she started there and she was in the second graduating class of women. Landis went on to work as a newspaper reporter in New Bern, North Carolina for four years, got married and moved to Lexington, Kentucky, where she worked for a public television station -- first in promotion, then as an assistant producer, "which was a glorified secretary, really," she says. She covered the Kentucky state legislature for the station plus assisted with an update of its GED instructional series.

Landis and her family moved to Augusta, Georgia, after that, where she had her first child. Although she had been writing all her life, she started taking it more seriously in Augusta, which continued after they moved to Knoxville in 1987. Landis wrote short stories, "mostly unsuccessfully" in her words, although one of them won the Leslie Garrett Award from the Writer's Guild.

Landis says, "Finally I got the gumption to start a novel -- this was around 1995 -- and that novel was Some Days There's Pie, which was published in May, 2002." Landis' second novel, Harvest was published in October of 2004. She likes to run and hike and read a lot.

Reviews

[Karen White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happened upon this book at the library and loved, loved LOVED it! Such dense, complex characters, such a detailed sense of place (both small town Piedmont NC and the mountains of TN). The relationship between the young, somewhat lost heroine and her elderly mentor completely charmed me. Will be checking out her second novel, Harvest as soon as I can.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the best quotes from this book

“And Rose never told which over the years helped her grow into a person who did not do things like other people did. And there’s an awful lot of freedom in that.” pg. 169

“For everyone dead and gone there is a next day for the rest of the world.” pg. 181

“You know what I hate most about dying, Rose? It’s like you get cut off in mid-sentence, you know what I mean? Maybe I won’t mind to die when it comes, but I don’t want to be cut off mid-sentence.” pg. 265

“Because I am worth a story. Everyone is.” pg. 290


I love this book! It’s a lot of different things. It’s a story about a woman who is running away. It’s a story about an elderly lady looking to stay relevant. It’s about living and dying. It’s about friendship, and it does all of those things incredibly well.

At the center of the novel, is Ruth. The story is told from her point of view, and in her voice, we hear how she has been running for most of her life. First, it was fleeing her unhappy home in the small town of Summerville, Tennessee. After her father die, Ruth was left in a trailer with her distant mother, who took in wealthy people’s laundry to make ends meet, her flashy, vain, and cruel sister, Margret, and her intellectually disabled brother, William. Never happy, Ruth meets a young radio salesman when he returns to his hometown for his brother’s funeral. She decides to marry Chuck and run away with him. The pair is happy until Chuck meets some new friends with strange religious beliefs, and Ruth decides that she has to run once again.

Rose is an elderly woman with a colorful past. She hid from Pancho Villa as a girl. She was an intrepid newspaper reporter who was famous for standing on a corpse once. She’s a pillar of the community who has helped pretty much everyone in town. She has been married twice, once to a guy who won her by pitching a baseball through a hole. She has raised two daughters. But not in her older age, she is battling cancer and wishing for just one more big story to take her out of the advertising department and back to her career.

The two meet in the aisle of a store, and Rose quickly takes Ruth under her wing and helps her to create a new life for herself. She helps her find a job, an apartment, and provides her with friendship. Rose truly teaches Ruth about life. Ruth for her part, accompanies Rose on her crazy adventures, and gives her a reason to live.

This novel teaches some important lessons about life and paints a movie picture of friendship. I think everyone should read it.

[Jen B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one wasn't quite what I was expecting. I think I was hoping for a sweetly Fannie Flagg-ish story about two women in small-town North Carolina; but I never really developed a liking for either of the main characters (or the supporting ones, for that matter). Quirkiness is a great characteristic of Southern lit, but I couldn't help but feel like the author was trying just a little too hard to be quirky...and rambling in the process. Not a bad book, but definitely not one I'll be revisiting any time soon.

[Ronnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I made decent enough grades in school, but it seemed to surprise the teachers, because I did not look like somebody who would be good in school. I looked like somebody who would just as soon shoot you the bird."

This book has a lot of heart. It comes mainly from its memorable narrator, Ruth, a straight-talking, beer-swilling, cigarette-smoking young woman from the sticks who's felt "out of the loop" her whole life (several times noting things such as "It was this not knowing what everyone else seems to know that kept cropping up on me") until fate introduces her to Rose Lee, an elderly woman who's also a straight-talker and doesn't "do things like other people." Ever colorful, Rose has a certain wisdom earned through experience that Ruth respects, and the two become not just best friends but kindred spirits, sort of a young and old version of the same down-to-earth soul. They share an appreciation for the smaller things in life--like pie--and Jiffy Pop. The story's set mainly in the late 1970s--so no cellphones, computers, etc.--but because Landis' interest here is primarily on relationships, the book has a timeless element to it. Because of the novel's very first line, there's no real surprise about where the story is going, but it's a satisfying, heart-tugging journey.

First lines:
"Rose is dead. I am sorry for it but not surprised; she's been dying for years now."

[Donna Arcara · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my notes in 2003: "This story is about a sweet friendship between a nineteen-year-old girl running away from her old life and an elderly, feisty woman who was dying of cancer. The story wasn't at all sappy, and was not overtold-- it was simple and quirky, and a little humorous. The ending was expected and satisfying. The main character quietly matured into a more confident person, gaining more assurance of her place in the world. This is Landis' first novel-- I will definitely look forward to more."

[Judah Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn't a romance novel. It isn't a mystery or a thriller or an action novel.
It's just a novel, and sometimes that's enough.

[Terry Tschann Skelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I"d like to give this book 4.5 stars. I knew I was going to love this story because of the writing in the first few paragraphs (which is rare for me). There's good writing and then there's writing that grabs me and Catherine Landis is one on a short list. The characters are true. Dialogue great. The secondary characters are believable. You know the ending from the start so the only suspense is how it came about, how the relationship grows between the 2 women and how Ruth matures during that time. I'm very disappointed that Catherine Landis hasn't written a dozen or more novels. But I"m glad at least that I found this one!

[ELDEE · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had not read Catherine Landis before but being a fan of southern fiction I could not pass it up. The dialect did not disappoint and also the southern culture and way of life. It in brief is a story of a single twenty something from Tennessee befriending an older single lady and her escapades and zest for life. You will fall in love with Rose and also her new friend Ruby and their exploits alone and together despite Carol, Roses daughter and her overbearing ways. It brought me back to living in N. Carolina but it did drag some at times.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young Ruth meets senior Rose after she leaves her stereo salesman. Ruth has never been away from home but decides enough is enough and off she goes. Rose befriends Ruth when Ruth finds herself in a new town. Rose is feisty, loving and a good friend.

Some Days There's Pie is about Ruth and Rose's friendship; the importance of friendship, loyalty, love and how complete your life can be when you have all three.

The writing has a few memorable passages.

[Dorrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book about a beautiful friendship between an elderly woman, Rose, and a young woman named Ruth. Ruth runs away from a difficult life in Tennessee and ends up homeless in a small coastal town in North Carolina. Rose, who works at the local newspaper office, takes the young woman under her wing, as she has done for other lost souls in the past, and helps Ruth heal. I read this for my library's book club and enjoyed every minute of it.

[Sandym24 · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for an action driven book this is not for you but the writing is excellent and reads like a great southern novel. This is a quiet story of the friendship between Ruth, a young drifter and Rose, an elderly woman looking for purpose in her life that age has taken away. I found this to be a very sweet novel and loved the friendship between these two women.

[Melissa Lee-Tammeus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Sat on my shelf for years. Pulled it down and it took me a long time to get through it. It's written well and the plot about a young woman who befriends an older woman, while a great plot, has been done so many times. There wasn't much here and it was quite predictable. Would make a sweet movie, but really? No surprises here.

[Kay Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. The characters were complex and endearing. The story moved along. It was tightly written and well done!!!

[Marni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruth and Rose tell their stories. An unlikely pair.

[Kali · Rating 3 out of 5]

So sad!

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing is fine...the characters are good...but this was just too sad a book for me.

[Robin Willis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Borrrrring

I would rather be locked in a room for 3 days with nothing to do but sleep than to ever read a book this boring.
Nothing interesting about it.

[Rita Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming, Southern, friendship, life changes. Wonderful read!!

[Mary Czan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruth young
Rose old
Me and nini - friends with daughters on side
Bond
Ruth rethinks her own relationship with mom

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

A feel-good book about family and friendship. I cried at the end. No major dramatic question. No real plot. But two solid characters who meet later in life and stick together until the end.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting cast of characters but the plot laboured in the second half.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the relationship between Rose and our main character. The ending “mystery” felt very rushed and made me not like the book as much as I had been enjoying it.

[Sidna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally a book I enjoyed readng! This book was recommended by a friend and I enjoyed it.

The two main characters are Ruth, a young woman trying to find her place in the world,and Rose, a fiesty 80-year-old who gets still works for a living even though she is dying from cancer. The friendship of these two women sets Ruth on the right path.

Ruth's childhood was bleak. Does anyone ever have a happy childhood? Her mother is a grim woman who irons other people's clothes for a living and her father disappeared when she was born. She has an older sister who is never on the same wave length with her and a handicapped brother. I don't blame the mother for being grim. Ironing all day and taking care of a handicapped child does not give her much reason to be happy.

This book was written 9 years ago and I had to ask my bookseller to order it for me. I am going to see if the author has written other books since then. I would like to read more about Ruth's life since she has found a place for herself.

Probably not everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed it.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book on a whim because my childhood friend who lives in Springfield, Mo and I had just decided to meet annually, mid-way between our homes and have a piece of pie, someday. SOME DAYS THERE'S PIE: A NOVEL fit right into that theme . Although it's a pretty lightweight read, one can't help but like the two main characters. Rose is 80 and Ruth is 20. Rose is an old newspaper woman and Ruth is a too-young-married trying to make sense of it all. They are supportive of one another and complement one another.They are sweet women, but not necessarily sweet talkers. As a matter of fact Ruth is pretty tough and kind of talks out of the side of her mouth. The wyas in which they help one another out is very disarming. This is a first novel and out of the South. There are funny little Southern sayings and lore galore. It was worth my time to read it.

[Jasmin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book some days theres pie is about this girl who runs away from her family and gets married but endes up divorcing him and she meets this old lady named rose who helps her out and gives her a home and job to go to she is hepling rose becuase rose is very stuborn she dosent belive she has cancer when she does and things get hectic some times.

I picked this book because the title looked interesting and I thoght is was alright but I guess I wouldent recommened it to someone who likes drama.

[Jespera · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books with a title that I've liked for a long time, so I finally read it.The pie of the title is fried pie and it refers to the fact that the lady who made them sold them in the hardware store, only when she felt like it.
The story is about a young woman named Ruth who, after running away from home to get married, leaves her husband as well and is befriended by an older lady named Rose who helps her get a job, find a place to live and leads her on a couple of adventures,even as she herself is dying. Ultimately, Rose helps Ruth find her place in the world.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book a few years ago. Honestly, I can't recall much about the story. I do remember enjoying it and thought it was a good read. I gave it 3 stars for the simple fact that Ms Landis has some good quotable lines in the book, namely from where the title comes from. I still quote "some days there pie, some days there not" to myself quite often. A good beach read or anyone who likes chick lit with a southern flavor.

[AJ LeBlanc · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like Billie Letts' work (Where the Heart Is; The Honk and Holler Opening Soon) you'll like this. I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of the two main characters - one at the end of her life and one just figuring out her beginning.

[Book Concierge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of an intergenerational friendship between octogenarian Rose and barely 20 Ruth. The writing is vivid. The characters have their flaws but we love them anyway. It's about learning to do what is right in the face of adversity, and about knowing when to quit - and when not to.

I'd like to read more of this author's works.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't want to put this book down. It was an easy, light read. I enjoyed the glimpse into someone's life and the lessons they learn during that time. It reminded me that all is not what it appears at first look and that those who have walked the road ahead of us have much to teach us. I would definitely recommend this book.