Rating: 
Summary: they're all dead
Review: I think I spent most of the time reading the book with tears running down my face. And then, when you realize the characters are all dead, it makes you want to think again and go back and re-read it. I tried to persuade my husband to read it, and he said "no thanks, I'm not up to handling such sadness - I saw you read it"
Rating: 
Summary: I wasn't moved.
Review: I typically determine which books I should bother to read by considering the ones I've read before. I had read Gloria Naylor's Mama Day and thought it to be a wonderful book: powerful in its mysticism and a wonderful warning about the behaviors of humankind. I was less impressed with this work.The main characters, Bailey and his wife Nadine, are underdeveloped and less than fully likeable. The short sketches of backstory provided to give the reader insight are...well...boring, to put it mildly. The plot is constructed by assigning secondary characters their own chapters and letting them tell the story of how they arrived at the "magical" cafe. There is no beginning, middle, or end so the reader comes away feeling like they've been preached at by a reverend who doesn't recount a parable well enough to make a point. The one device that moved me in the work was the Ethiopian Jewess whom was added to disrupt the flow of activity in and around the cafe. She arrives late in the work and inevitably proved to be all that I cared about. As a walking contradiction she made me think, but given the context of the surrounding novel, I was unsure of what I should be thinking about. Naylor was trying to make a point. As open as I was to receiving it, it never reached me.
Rating: 
Summary: Pull Up A Seat
Review: I was introduced to Gloria Naylor when the rest of the world was and that was with the production of The Women of Brewster Place as a made for TV movie. Since then, I avoided the hype that was heaped upon her and in doing so avoided her books. Well, I'm over that. Way over that. I'd heard someone mention Bailey's Cafe in passing and said, "It's good." I don't know what book they were reading, but this was nothing short of spectacular. It's been a long time since I've read a book with so many layers and complexities, to say nothing of the angst and tension that lived within each character. I find myself reflecting on it often. There is something so fantastic about each character and yet I feel as if I could pass someone like them on the street at anytime. Gloria Naylor is an excellent storyteller and I regret that I robbed myself of such an enriching experience. I have seldom been so moved by literature and I was sad when I finished it.
Rating:
Summary: Innovative presentation; eccentric characters
Review: Naylor mines the denizens of a neighborhood, most of whom eat at Bailey's Cafe, for this collection of short stories, each of which inter-relates some way to the others. There are wonderful characters in this book, and each gets an opportunity to tell his or her own story, each using a very unique voice.
This fairly recent technique of writing stories on a similar theme, set in a common location, is catching on. Did Naylor start the trend with Women of Brewster Place? Whatever. It's a good idea, and Bailey's Cafe is a welcome addition to the genre.
Rating:
Summary: sweet potato pie
Review: Read this book, and you will never think of sweet potato pie the same way again. No, really. It's a fine piece of magical realism for people who, like me, usually can't stomach excess
mysticism. Beautifully written. Tender to the neglected people
of the world. Read it a couple of years ago & the characters are still incredibly fresh in my mind.
Rating:
Summary: Not an easy read - but deep, engrossing
Review: This book came to me in a "book swap" with girl friends last year. What a gift! I finally picked it up this summer after suffering through a shallow and disappointing "book group" selection, and what a relief to encounter Naylor's lyrical writing and fascinating characters. This book is NOT all about sex, but be warned -- it IS earthy, and it will give the reader a hard, uncomfortable, beautiful glimpse of some women's lives. Gloria Naylor, you are a brilliant writer!
Rating:
Summary: Why I Loved The Cafe ...................
Review: This book made me want to jump inside and take a seat in the cafe. I mean, I am a college student and I missed some class trying to read this book. From the first page, Ms. Naylor sucks you in with what I call poetry in motion. The words were so beautiful that it was hard to belive you were reading stories of tragedy. From Mrs. Maple the transvestite to Sadie whose mother often referred to her as "the one the clothes hanger missed", it was hard to believe that there are people in the world going through these kinds of tragedies. I dont' want to give the storyline away, but if you want a different type of read, not the kind you read in an hour and forget about then this is the book. I am still sitting here wondering abotu the characters lives and what they would be doing.
Rating:
Summary: A Complex & Challenging Book
Review: This book's definitely not one that I'd put in the "easy-to-read" category. There were times when I was flat out lost as to what Gloria Naylor was trying to tell me when she was describing some of the things going on in some of the characters' lives. But, usually, by the end of the chapter, I figured out what it was that she was trying to tell me. If there were half-star ratings, I probably would have given this 3 and 1/2 stars instead of 4 but, since there isn't a half star to give, I went ahead and gave it 4 stars. This was a book that just kind of stayed "gloomy" and "sad" and it just never seemed to get out of that rut. I am not saying that every book has to be "happy", but, it would have been nice for ONE of the characters to have had a nicer story to tell. Nevertheless, fans of Gloria Naylor or people wanting to be mentally challenged ought to give this book a try.
Rating:
Summary: Bailey's It's what's for dinner!
Review: This is the first Naylor book I ever read. I have now read them all. This book, along with Mama Day and to some extent Linden Hills put her in my trinty of greatest living writers, along with Morrison and Kingsolver. The technique of introducing us to the "customers" at Bailey's is a great way to tie together so many wonderful stories. All of her characters are beautiful, sweet sad and doomed. Between the happy little wife who becomes a wino prostitute and the little delta girl who can never wash the delta dust off, I cried and I fell in love a hundred times (and I'm a big tough souther nwhite male). I notice some of the other reviewers had a hard time "following" Naylor at times. My suggestion is just ride the story, do not try to see what's coming or what she means. It is like the most wonderful meal in the world, put it in your mouth and savor it, don't spend too much time trying to figure out what the chef was thinking, its all about taste and feel. This is one of the 10 best books written since Faulkner died, in my opinion, and Mama Day is another of those 10. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: A rich read.
Review: This is, and has for a long time, been one of my favorite books. It is a complete package. Naylor's characters are chock full of depth, her writing is lyrical and her tales are down-right fascinating. While it's difficult to find an author these days who can provide the reader even *one* of those things, Naylor gives us the whole she-bang. Although written with humor, this novel is somewhat of a difficult read: there is an undeniable sadness surrounding many of the characters (even when re-reading it, I can hardly get through the chapter "Mood: Indigo"). Although it's easy to be saddened by the stories, it's important to note that hope, respect and recovery are common themes throughout the book. The Cafe itself is supposed to be a surreal bedrock of healing. I found this book more accessible than "Mama Day," and a little more heart-wringing than "The Women of Brewster Place." All and all, it's deeply satisfying and comes *highly* recommended. Bring on more Naylor, please!
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