Like the small towns J. California Cooper has so deftly portrayed in her previous novels and story collections, Wideland, Oklahoma, is home to ordinary Americans struggling to raise families, eke out a living, and fulfill their dreams. In the early twentieth century, Irene and Val fall in love in Wideland. While carving out a home for themselves, they also allow neighbors Bertha and Joseph to build a house and live on their land. The next generation brings two girls for Irene and Val, and a daughter for Bertha and Joseph. As the families cope with changing times and fortunes, and people are born and pass away, the characters learn the importance of living one's life boldly and squeezing out every possible moment of joy, while being held up by a strong foundation of love and the ultimate realization that whoever you are, and whatever you do, life is short, but it is also wide.
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"As always, J. California Cooper brings her best to this genre. The characters are people you can actually envision living their lives while you watch from your front porch. Earthy and drama filled on the quiet tip. I highly recommend this book as well as all of her others!" — Joy (5 out of 5 stars)
"As always, J. California Cooper brings her best to this genre. The characters are people you can actually envision living their lives while you watch from your front porch. Earthy and drama filled on the quiet tip. I highly recommend this book as well as all of her others!"
" Yet another great story by the master story teller. Once again she takes on a family and its generations to show up how black people got over and were sometimes gotten over on. Loved the rich wisdom and organic insite to the ways of folks! "
" This was an absorbing read, but I found the main love story very frustrating in the same way as Bridges of Madison County--which I detested--and many years ago Gone With the Wind. "
" At first this book was hard for me to get into, but it was a great read. "
" I really enjoyed this book. It was full of emotion & reality & relationships that were intriguing. It was not always a happy tale, but it was a well written story. "
" Excellent book as usual from Cooper. It had a slow start trying to figure out who all the characters were. But as usual her character development was thorough. I still wasn't able to figure out exactly who the narrator was. "
" I enjoyed this book -- a sweet love story told over multiple generations. Cooper's style is distinctive and appealing. "
" An interesting tale of life and generations. If you're a J. California Cooper fan, you'll enjoy this as well. The ending for me was too preachy and off-putting. Cooper steps into the story and begins pushing her religion. :( "
" I liked this read and I've been using this title as a reminder of life "
" I did enjoy reading this book but once finnished, nothing remained. To remember or recommend a book, I need something that lingers in mind: as simple as a feeling, a thought, an attitude, that is my index for rating. "
" This book was different from what I expected, or maybe it's just that it's been so long since I put it on my list that I forgot what it was about! It kept me interested in the characters though :) "
" It was a sad and heart-wrenching story. It's about the human condition when in love and loss. She is an excellent author. "
" I give this story 3.5 stars. Very depressing at times and the timeline of story a little confusing. Maybe it was because I was listening as an audio book. Good lesson on love, family and loss love. In the wnd love wins out!! "
" An absolutely wonderful book about finding love later in life. I am a HUGE fan of J. California Cooper and this book did not disappoint. An excellent summer read! "
" Great book. I loved it. I haven't read J. California Cooper in years and this book helped me to remember why I loved her writing. "
" It was interesting to read about a different time and culture than my own. "
" Not one of my favorites by J.California Cooper. A tad uneventful... "
" Enjoyed the re-telling of the stories through conversation. I became attached to the characters and was amazed at their spirit and tenacity. The respect for education was a wonderful thread. "
" This one was hard for me to relate to. It was slow. It just wasn't a good fit for me, but I can see how it would appeal to others. "
" I enjoyed the read. I love J.California Cooper. "
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.
Adenrele Ojo is an actress, dancer, and audiobook narrator, winner of over a dozen Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for best narration in 2018. She made her on-screen debut in My Little Girl, starring Jennifer Lopez, and has since starred in several other films. She has also performed extensively with the Philadelphia Dance Company. As the daughter of John E. Allen, Jr., founder and artistic director of Freedom Theatre, the oldest African American theater in Pennsylvania, is no stranger to the stage. In 2010 she performed in the Fountain Theatre’s production of The Ballad of Emmett Till, which won the 2010 LA Stage Alliance Ovation Award and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Best Ensemble. Other plays include August Wilson’s Jitney and Freedom Theatre’s own Black Nativity, where she played Mary.
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