What Looks Like Crazy On An Ordinary Day

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Book
Review: Every once in awhile do I read a book that grabs me from the first page and I am sad to see it end. This is one of those books. I love it! A zillion thanks to the author for writing it and I look forward to more.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!!!!
Review: This was one of the best books I have ever read. It was a joy to read - I could not put it down! From the description, I thought this book would be depressing, but it truely showed me how positive life can be even when things aren't working in your favor. Cleage should not be compared to McMillan, because Cleage has her own, distinct writing style.

Rating:
Summary: "Oprah Should Change her Name to 'Soaprah'!"
Review: Only in the malevolent late 1990s could such a book with more built-in "social ills" than those that slap us in the face daily via headlines and the evening news (a.) make a best-seller list, and (b.) make light fun of so many dreadful things all in one fell swoop! This book is "garnished garbage": the worse ills of our times, sprinkled with the grand endorsement of the "La Dame Matron of the Literati," Oprah!?! (a.k.a., "Soaprah"!) Both women overreach themselves with this book -- one, a playwright attempting to write what she apparently considers to be oh-so-realistic, relevant prose; and the other a talk-show host/actress/reviewer/defendant, etc., who would have us believe she is the "Renaissance Woman" of the '90s , and her opinions the stuff of spun gold! I know one thing for certain: when young people are asked why they dress in all black, listen to suicide rock, why they pierce unspeakable parts of their persons, the answers are often due to a sense of "hopeless" they feel about the state of our world and the dark prospects for their personal futures! This hopeless book runs up some inglorious flagpole the very worse our society has to offer, and as such is just another contribution to the very dung heap that has brought our society to the brink at which it now finds itself. Don't buy this dribble...for any reason...even if "Sopahrah" tells you to!

Rating:
Summary: We can recover from our mistakes.
Review: Ienjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The main character begins to live life to the fullest, even though she is suffering from a fatal illness. The man she falls in love with also learns to put his past behind him, and get in touch with his spiritual self. God really does give us second chances, we just have to forgive ourselves.

Rating:
Summary: Perception is reality in a crazy mixed-up world.
Review: I happened onto this book by browsing the Internet as usual and I must say Cleage skillfully handled every problem facing the inner city communities nationwide. However, I do realize this took place in a tiny town; these issues are taking roots in very similar places around the country. I am very pleased with the her depiction and storytelling ability. Pearl please keep writing, I finished the book in a day.

Rating:
Summary: Incredibly moving real life drama!
Review: This first book is a "pearl"! Pearl Cleage has you from page one, making you feel all of the emotions experienced by Ava. It will open your eyes to some of the misgivings still associated with Aids. I can't wait to see what Pearl has in store for us next.

Rating:
Summary: POORLY WRITTEN, SHALLOW CHARACTERS, ABSURD PLOT
Review: I realize this is Ms. Cleage's first novel, but I would suggest she stick with playwriting. When the idealistic heriones (Joyce, Eddie, Ava) suggested possibly hurting or killing the two troubled teenage boys (Frank & Tyrone), I was appalled. Even though their intent was not made specifically clear, my take on it was that they were tentatively planning to murder those boys! If this should even be fictionally stated that this is how the black community deal with their own, let's just pray that a white supremist not get hold of this book!! Considering violence against children (even fictionally) is scary. Obviously we have problems as a society but when the good guys start talking about hurting children, I cannot believe that things have become so distorted. Sorry Oprah, I will have to go back to friends and associates recommending my reading material.

Rating:
Summary: What a literate romance book!
Review: This was a book that I had not expected to enjoy as much as I did! The trials and tribulations I lived through Ava were astounding. I felt her heart beat while she was watching Eddie practice tai chi. I could feel Joyce's patience when confronting Gerry concerning the Sewing Circus. All the emotions explored were all so real and exposed in such a manner to relate to the reader. Ms. Cleage is so precise in her depiction of real emotions and real love that you have to believe she has experienced some thing familiar to what Ava is experiencing in the book. I read this book in a quick flurry simply because I could not put it down.

Rating:
Summary: Truly extraordinary
Review: What an extraordinary and well-written novel! The loving family that was created between Joyce, Ava, Eddie, and Imani is proof that unconditional love and acceptance is possible despite the many human trajedies that these characters faced. Kudos to Ms. Cleage. PLEASE, PLEASE write another novel SOON!!

Rating:
Summary: Predictable, trivializes an interesting story line.
Review: This book starts out well, but quickly deteriorates into predictable outcomes. The main character takes several chapters to realize she is interested in a man, by that time the reader is tired of the premise. The evil characters are completely transparent, but it takes these intellegent women being hit over the head before they understand the problem. This is the first of Oprah's recommended books that I have been disappointed in. It is a far cry from the excellence of Stones in a River. It seems like a cheap attempt to write a story with headline grabbing issues. It could have been much better with more consistent character development and less predictability.