When Colored Was Cool

Rating:
Summary: Fasinating Read!
Review:
This book is easy reading so I was able to finish it fairly quick. Actually I couldn't put it down because I was captivated by its subject, Bessie Smith, as well as by the other colorful characters that occupied her world. "When Color Was Cool" is not only entertaining, but also a look into a very significant part of American history that we don't often hear about. After finishing the book, I ran out to purchase a couple of Bessie Smith cds. What an amazing woman! What a delightful reading experience.


Rating:
Summary: Loved It!
Review: I could not put this book down! From start to finish, it held my attention. I could picture all the characters in vivid images and felt like I was right there watching every exciting moment take place. I enjoy reading about the Harlem Renaissance period and would definitely recommend "When Colored Was Cool."

Rating:
Summary: An intriguing world!
Review: I loved this book. It gave me the opportunity to enter a world I could never be part of and to see it from the inside. It took me places I never imagined and, as I read, the author's presence faded and I was swept into the world of the characters. I suffered, celebrated, laughed and cried with Bessie Smith and her entourage. I highly recommend the journey.

Rating:
Summary: This is not a sugar coated slice of Empress life
Review: Scandalous! But unlike the sound bite scandals of today, this is scandalous behavior which is also very provocative and thought provoking. Sparsely written in screenplay style, it amazed me how completely it took me into the scenes. It was like tumbling through a magnifying glass into those intriguing background scenes of colored speakeasies in "Fried Green Tomatoes" or "The Color Purple" with the lyrics of the blues moving the story line along.

Despite the title, this fictionalized history goes far beyond anything racial. Author Moncrief suggests that on one level this is a story of acceptance. For me it also stimulates thoughts and debate on many of today's situations: the complicated society of working women, sexual roles and identities, domestic violence, life on the road, the rap artists and the thugs and the players. . . and on and on. This book also inspired me to delve deeper into Bessie Smith research and I guess that is the greatest compliment that can be paid to any author.
"Blues on my mind . . . I said blues."


Rating:
Summary: I Am The Author
Review: This story chronicles the most critical time in blues singer Bessie Smith's life as seen through the eyes of Nora, a young, idealistic reporter who infiltrates Bessie's troupe to observe her chaotic life on the 'chittlin' circuit' as Bessie struggles to regain her former musical popularity. The story takes place during the Age of the Harlem Renaissance when there was an explosion of artistic expression from black writers, artists, and musicians which crossed racial lines. Black-owned speakeasies provided a place for them and people from every race and walk of life to congregate and imbibe illegal liquor, hear good music, and interact with people they would never have met otherwise. My hope is that the reader will come away from this story understanding how friendship and love can erase ethnic lines and that they will also learn how important it is to love and accept oneself.

Rating:
Summary: An impressive look into the life of the Empress of the Blues
Review: When Colored Was Cool is an amazing story, that with its flamboyant characters, brought tears to my eyes. The often comedic and frequently tragic lives of Bessie Smith and her troupe are woven together expertly by an obviously gifted author. Though a work of fiction, I feel as though I have now had very real glimpse into a time long before my own. I heartily recommend this book.