Someone, I can’t remember who, recommended this author to me. And I chose Firefly Lane to read because it looked to me as if it was her “break-out book,” the one that made her a best-selling author. I also found hat a lot of the book was set during the same time period when I grew up, so I was familiar with all of the pop culture references, and that fact made the reading a lot of fun for me.

Kate Mularkey and Tully Hart met in 1974 when the two girls were in eighth grade. (I was in eighth grade in 1970, so I’m only a few years older than these two friends.) The book chronicles the ups and down of their friendship over the years. Of course, their lives go in opposite directions, but they manage to stay friends through thick and thin. Well, almost. They remain friends until self-centered and impetuous Tully does something so outrageous and hurtful that Kate can’t bring herself to forgive or forget.

I’m pretty much with Kate on this one. I can’t believe that someone as insensitive as Tully is in the book would be able to sustain a friendship with anyone, or that anyone could be as understanding as Kate is throughout the book until the straw finally breaks the proverbial camel’s back. So my first question to you is a serious one: what would it take to break up a lifelong friendship? Do you have such a girlfriend relationship in your life? I don’t, and I’m sorry. I have some old friends that I’ve reconnected with via Facebook, but no one has been my “best friend” since high school or junior high or even college. I don’t really make friends easily, and even when I do, I have found that most of my close friendships have remained intense for several years until the two of us grew apart and moved on to other places and interests. If I really had a friend in my life who had been my close confidante since childhood, I suppose it would take a lot of betrayal to break that friendship. However, the stunt that Tully pulls in the book would do it. Curious?

Second question, which of these songs, Tully and Kate’s Soundtrack of Life, are songs that you recognize? For how many of them could you sing the lyrics from memory? I found this list at Kristin Hannah’s website, and I did think it was fun to revisit the musical past, both as I read and through this list.

Dancing Queen
Daydream Believer
Stairway to Heaven
Taking Care of Business
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road–Elton John. One of my daughters really likes Elton John. I can’t decide if that’s good or disturbing
American Pie– Don Maclean. I once spent a goodly part of a summer analyzing the lyrics of this song with my friend, Julia.
Don’t Give Up on Us – David Soul. Wow, that’s a blast from the past. Does anyone remember David Soul as Hutch? Or even before that as one of the brothers along with Bobby Sherman on Here Come the Brides? I’m really dating myself, but my friend and I used to play Here Come the Brides and argue over who got to marry Bobby Sherman.
Thank God I’m a Country Boy – John Denver–I loved John Denver, and I can still listen to him if I’m in the right mood.
Shout!
Brick House
Twistin’ the Night Away
Louie, Louie Hate this song.
Here we start getting into the 80’s and the disco era, I’m guessing. I quit listening to pop music in about 1980.
Love is a Battlefield
Jessie’s Girl
Purple Rain– Prince
You Can’t Always Get What You Want– Rolling Stones. Everyone knows the Rolling Stones, even if they’re not to my taste.
Call Me– Blondie
Sweet Dreams (are made of this)
Do You Really Want to Hurt Me
Here Comes the Bride
Crazy for You– Madonna
I’m Every Woman– Whitney Houston
Hey Little Girl is Your Daddy Home– Springsteen
Desperado– Eagles This one seems out of place. Desperado is vintage 70’s, and the eagles were another favorite band of mine as a teen and as a college student. I can sing every word of this song.
A Moment Like This– Kelly Clarkson
Didn’t We Almost Have it All – Whitney Houston. I remember this one, but don’t know why.
Papa Don’t Preach– Madonna. No Madonna in my life ever, ever, ever.
Bohemian Rhapsody– Queen. I only know this song because my children were introduced to it via Glee.
Linda Ronstadt. Who didn’t listen to Linda Ronstadt back in the day?
You’ve Got a Friend James Taylor, of course. Sweet baby James. And Carly Simon. And Carole King. Those were the days.
One Sweet Day

In spite of some incidents in the book of sexual promiscuity (Tully, of course) that I could have done without, I liked the story well enough that I may try another of Ms. Hannah’s books someday. It’s chick lit, but not bad for a beach read or a spring fling.