Dieses Buch ist ein typisches Beispiel dafür, dass der deutsche Titel und das deutsche Titelbild sehr irreführend sind. Der Originaltitel lautet „Downtown“ und trifft den Inhalt wesentlich besser. Denn es geht um das junge Mädchen Smokey, das in den 1960er Jahren nach Atlanta kommt um dort bei der Zeitschrift Downtown zu arbeiten. Das Buch erzählt von der Wandlung Smokeys. Zunächst ist sie ein unbedarftes, katholisches, irisches Mädchen, doch mit ihrer Arbeit als Reporterin verändert sie sich. Sie wird politisch aktiv, sie wird sich ihrer selbst bewusst, sie löst sich von ihrer Familie. Die Zeitschrift Downtown wird für sie eine neue Heimat, ihre Kollegen dort ihre neue Familie. Und an ihrem Beispiel erzählt das Buch die Veränderung einer ganzen Generation. Ich mochte das Buch sehr und fand es ausgesprochen interessant, ganz anders als ich mir aufgrund der Aufmachung gedacht hatte. ( )

Not my usual fare, but a generally good read. A sometimes sentimental look at Atlanta during the late 60's. The author captured some of the flavor of the idealism and subsequent harsh reality of the civil rights movement. The heroine of the piece was a bit Pollyanna-ish for my taste, but there was a good cast of supporting characters. ( )

The year is 1966, a time of innocence, possibility, and freedom. And for the city of Atlanta, Georgia, the country, and one woman making her way in a changing world, nothing will ever be the same.

After an airless childhood in Savannah, Maureen 'Smoky' O'Donnell arrives in Atlanta, a naive young woman, dazzled and chastened by this hectic young city on the rise. Even though Smoky has to literally earn her wings as a female reporter on the staff of the male-dominated magazine, she gains membership into an intimate family of dedicated staff members headed by Matt Comfort, a flamboyant and charismatic editor who is known everywhere in the city. Her new job as a writer with the city's Downtown magazine introduces her to many unforgettable people and propels her into the center of momentous events that will irrevocably alter her heart, her career, and her world.

More than any of her previous novels, Downtown mirrors the facts of Anne Rivers Siddons' own life. She got her start as a writer for Atlanta magazine - one of America's first city magazines. Atlanta magazine was founded by Jim Townsend - a revered mentor to an entire generation of writers. The magazine was just coming to life during the exciting decade of the '60s, when Atlanta was emerging as a political center for the civil rights movement and redefining itself as the metropolis of the future. Downtown captures the energy of the city at this amazing turning point in history.

While I did enjoy this book very much, I found that it started off sort of slow for me. Although, it picked up immensely about halfway through the story and I was really drawn into the plot. However, to be totally honest, I thought that the book was about 100 to 150 pages longer than it needed to be. Overall though, Downtown was really good and I give it an A! ( )

Boy does Smokey O'Donnell cry a lot. Despite that I have a soft-spot for this southern, coming-of-age novel. Partly because she's the kind of person I could not be and partly because of the time setting. One shot with ground-breaking history and events which was before my time. Also the southern mystique. I couldn't live there, but it is interesting to read about. ( )

Rivers is a master wordsmither! I just enjoy reading her for the pure magic of her writing ability. Simply the best! ( )