Critics have compared her work to that of Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, but J. California Cooper has a warm, witty style that's definitely her own. Each of her short stories is a gem of downhome wisdom, polished with a bit of gossip, some heartbreak, and lots of humor. In "Funny Valentines" a "simple" woman draws one heart on Valentine's Day and divides it among the people she loves, until all but one of them lies in the cemetery. "Living" portrays a man in midlife crisis who leaves his loving wife and pleasant country home for a taste of high city living and returns with a new perspective on life. "Spooks" is the tongue-in-cheek tale of a man who masquerades as a ghost in order to outsmart an unscrupulous suitor and win the heart of a vulnerable widow. Sometimes sad, sometimes funny, and always touching, J. California Cooper's characters enlighten us and enrich us as they find love in unlikely places. The warm narrations give readers a sense of chatting with nosy but well-meaning neighbors over the back fence.
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"The story in this one that stays with me was that woman minding someone else's business. Loved the way that piece was written. Full of sarcasm, even had me wondering if someone out here in this big mystifying world doesn't analyze or justify their snooping in the same way! Too funny! " — RYCJ (5 out of 5 stars)
"The story in this one that stays with me was that woman minding someone else's business. Loved the way that piece was written. Full of sarcasm, even had me wondering if someone out here in this big mystifying world doesn't analyze or justify their snooping in the same way! Too funny! "
" Beautifully written. Loved this book "
" Very funny, authentic, inspiring, an convincing book!!!! Great job Ms. J. California Cooper !!! "
" J.California Cooper teaches you how to become a better person with her great gift for storytelling. Her writing is powerful enough to change humanity if we allowed her to open up our minds and let go of the negativity that binds us together...to hate. "
" This book started my love of all things J. California Cooper. "
" All her books are excellent. I love the way she develops relationships in the books. The characters are full bodied and realistic. Not just cut and dried romance. You always learn something from Ms. Coopers stories. "
" The story in this one that stays with me was that woman minding someone else's business. Loved the way that piece was written. Full of sarcasm, even had me wondering if someone out here in this big mystifying world doesn't analyze or justify their snooping in the same way! Too funny! "
" Listened to this on audiobook. Loved that each chapter was a different story filled with life's lessons and love. I plan to listen to it again. "
" You can tell this is one of J.California Cooper's earlier books. The stories were not as polished or as interesting as the stories she has written in the past few years. "
" short stories, black country stories "
" Very good read, loved it. "
" Loved this book. Laughed out loud funny "
" Beautiful and fun stories. I enjoyed reading every one. "
" I believe this was my first J. California Cooper book, that made me fall in love with her writing!!!! "
" anything written by J is good. "
" Read this for a bookclub and thoroughly enjoyed every story. She has a wit and a way with words and tells stories that tear at your heart and then warms it up. "
" Love starts at home in your body, love yourself and everything else will fall into place. "
J. California Cooper (1931–2014) first found acclaim as a playwright. The author of seventeen plays, she was named Black Playwright of the Year in 1978. It was through her work in the theater that she caught the attention of acclaimed poet and novelist Alice Walker. Encouraged by Walker to turn her popular storytelling skills to fiction, Cooper wrote her first collection of short stories, A Piece of Mine, in 1984. Two more story collections followed, and in 1986 came Homemade Love, which won an American Book Award.
Susan Spain has appeared on stages in New York City, across the United States, and in Europe. Performances includes roles in an international production of The Best of Broadway and a staging of Little Shop of Horrors at the Smithsonian Institute’s Folklife Festival in Washington, DC. She has also appeared in Hair.
Peter Jay Fernandez is an accomplished audiobook narrator who has won three AudioFile Earphones Awards and an Audie Award in 2009. He has also appeared on television, film, and stage. His appearances include roles in Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and the musical Thunder Knocking on the Door.
Kim Staunton is an audiobook narrator and actress known for her performances in Heat, One Life to Live, Changing Lanes, and Law & Order. She is a graduate of the Juilliard School.
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