Bailey's Cafe

Rating:
Summary: Painfully Beautiful
Review: Umph. That's about all I can say. This is far from what people would consider a Christian novel, there is cursing, violence and sorts of goings on. Yet there's more scripture in it than a few Christian novels I read lately and more truth too. Bailey's Cafe isn't defined by just one character, but rather it's world, a way station on the edge of any city anywhere, the place before there's no more places. Each day only one thing is offered, chicken one day, corn beef hash the next. There are no menus. Each customer decides whether to stay or go. Bailey is careful not to cook too carefully or people might actually think they're coming for food. They're not.

These folks, churchy Miss Cassie who comes to doom everyone to hell, Sugar Man the short pimp, Sadie [...] who carries herself with such class the glass mugs turn to china in her hands . . . And we aren't even going to start on the maid, Miss Maple, a straight man who finds comfort in summer dresses.

These are the folks of Bailey's Cafe. And that's just the beginning of it. Across the street there is a Jewish pawn shop that never opens except to tell people to go elsewhere and a blossoming home for women called Eve's, which one can only find if you know what to ask. "No woman finds this place until she's ready for it," Eve says. And she's right. God didn't let me read this book until I was ready. And thankfully, I will never recover. Use your discretion on this one. It ain't for the faint of heart.


Rating:
Summary: Amazing!
Review: Wow, I wish I could give more stars than five! Nalyor does a tremendous job explaning the characters and their background! The implications, symbolism, and allutions to the Bible are outstanding! This is definitely one of the more intense books when it comes to analyzing society. Even the last couple chapters themselves causes us to question are religious foundation! Naylor brings in teh virgin birth of a Black Hebrew! This, in effect, depicts a black Jesus! What an interesting and sociologically shattering topic to introduce. This book is for everyone. It is easy to read for those who don't want to get into the symbolism and meaning, and at the same time can be studied exhaustively by others. Wow!

Rating:
Summary: One of the best contemporary novels I have ever read
Review: Wow. That is all I can say. The imagery is this novle is both apparent and subtle, classical and new age. I can hardly write a review on this book. All that I cans ay is that this is one of thebest books I have ever read, but to truly "get it" requires many rereadings of it.