More than a decade after its first publication in 1984, Cold Sassy Tree's popularity continues to grow. Its broad-based appeal has made it a regular selection for book clubs and coteries. Claiming both the territory of a coming-of-age novel and regional fiction it offers a rich range of topics for exploration. The book's thematic treatment of love, death, jealousy, and faith can be utilized to probe the values of yesteryear and those of modern society. The novel lends itself to discussing many aspects of family and marriage.

The dominant theme of love and marriage can be examined through the subthemes of expectations, tolerance, and support of the extended family.

The framework of the extended family itself in Cold Sassy Tree shows the value and the impact of transgenerational relationships.

Burns believed that her fiction of small town life contained a universality, demonstrating the networking of individuals, families...