Reviews

15 poignant stories. The somewhat preface was fun and enticing -- are these 15 short stories short autobiographies mixed with folklore, fantasy, fiction, and myth? We'll never know as Toni Cade Bambara writes, "So I deal with straight-up fiction myself, cause I value my family and friends, and mostly cause I lie a lot anyway."

I love the astrological components that Bambara brings into discussing in "Maggie of the Green Bottles" -- that was memorable to me.

"Happy Birthday" made me sad and I thought that was relatable. A small child crying in the middle of the street wailing that having a birthday in the summer was the worst because everyone forgets about you.

Bambara's writing style is unmatched. In all of the short stories, you piece together the setting. Sometimes you are perceiving the situation through the character, observing as though you are in the character's shoes. And other times, you're viewing through a guided narration, though it's still loose and requires imagination. This is my favorite type of fiction, the kind that feels real and one that requires you to also think, imagine, dream, be inspired by the dialogue and transports you through time and space.

I highly recommend.

atomicookie's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

patriciaxh's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

steller0707's review against another edition

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5.0

This collection of stories are evocative of the world of the mid-twentieth century, which is when they were written, and, therefore, somewhat innocent, but also sometimes sassy. Most are written in the first person with authentic voices, especially those of the adolescent girls growing up and trying to make sense in their world. Beautifully written, and sometimes in dialect, with vivid descriptions, apt wisdom (" . . . gonna speak on your life and drop the truth in your lap"), and with great effort to set the frame of mind of the narrator, as in the long "train of thought" at the start of The Basement. In addition to that story, I especially liked Mississippi Ham Rider, The Lesson, The Johnson Girls, and, of course, Gorilla, My Love.

hikarieka's review against another edition

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1.0

Impossible text, just cant read it physically.

tuhmeeyur's review against another edition

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4.0

this book is a gorgeous sneak peak into the lives of black people - especially black women in the 60s in new york. toni cade bambara's writing style is so simple, so easy to grasp, so real, yet so poignant. it's truly unique in that way. i love her depiction of the intelligence of children and their oppression at the hands of adults as well as the way women lean on their friendships with one another when confronted with similar oppression from the men in their lives.

"somebody has opened a wet umbrella in my chest" - a line on the very last page of this book which i think perfectly summarizes the unique voice toni has, the way she gets you viscerally involved in the story, for who cannot relate to that feeling? and yet who else has put it so succinctly?

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