Jazz

Rating:
Summary: extraordinary
Review: stunning, incandescent...like the best jazz, no commentinreview is adequate to describe a work that is so unique and remarkable and complete...in some club booth waiting for the band to start up whoever has heard them before is compelled to introduce with praising explanation of that which can not be explained except on its own terms, and ultimately resigns with a laugh and the command to "just listen"....and so, just read.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant.
Review: There's a certain kind of awareness one needs to possess, I think, in order to really 'get' Toni Morrison's Jazz. She hits meaning spot-on. The exchange between Golden Gray and his father, True Bell walking into the shack and laughing 'to beat the band', Golden Gray's 'smile-less smile' passers-by helping Violet up from the street when she sat down because they knew she was 'just tired': all this is plain meaning in a couple of sentences. I'm glad Toni Morrison doesn't feel the need to go into long drawn out explanations of why it is her character's behave the way they do. If you understand Slavery, the African-American experience and all the nuances, complexes, attitudes, counter-attitudes, feelings and suffering it produced, then you will get exactly what she means when she says 'smile-less smile' and her description of Golden Gray's father telling him to draw up his manhood 'quicklike' if he intends to be a black man.

Toni Morrison's sentences carry a world behind them. It's a world of slave dungeon's on the West African coast, misery down in the hold of a ship, chain-gang rythms, whippings and lynchings, cotton picking, tears, diasporas and the amazing ability to LIVE and to create a vast, wide wonderful and amazing Black world in the face of all this crap. For me, True Bell's laughing in the face of that can-fire and hungry children just summed it up. Toni Morrison's writing is about Spirit. That unknown and undefinable 'something' that keeps Black people upright and moving on and laughing and just getting by.

Rating:
Summary: Pure genius!!
Review: This book is aptly titled JAZZ, as it's entire rythm is full of trilling notes and lyrical phrases. I lost myself several times in the unmatchable prose and style of Ms. Morrison. Only to find myself mired in the deep bass and trembling crescendos of black love. Ms. Morrison's descrptions of under-the-covers love felt right. Anyone ineterested in going for a musical ride that begans in the deep south and ends in Harlem should jump aboard!

Rating:
Summary: BEAUTIFUL work of literature!!!
Review: This book just sends shivers up and down my spine every time I read it. So very elegant it is written, to say the least. Ms. Morrison's novel touches on every emotion within the human realm, and with each new reading I find it new and invigorating. I am an avid reader, and I must say that this is a DEFINITE favorite!!! A must-read!!!

Rating:
Summary: Difficult to read
Review: I had to read this book for my English class. I am studying Secretary-Languages. I found it very difficult to read. Maybe it is because I am Dutch speaking. I almost finished the book when I realised it was about black people. It also took me a long time to find out what the book was all about and I think I still don't understand it totally. But, all considered, I think the book is quite nice. It didn't take me long to read it, so that is a sign that is was quite good.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant, complex, and empty
Review: Toni Morrison has a great literary mind, of that there's no doubt. She skillfully weaves a tapestry of plot lines and uses great description.

But WHY? What is one supposed to get out of this book? All I got is that we should stop being mean to black women and that you shouldn't let life pass you by, because life is short, man. There is a great picture of an historical age, but very little that happens to the characters seems meaningful; Morrison uses psychology and manipulation of characters seemingly more to show off her ability to do so than to make any enduring comments about the human condition.

This is a novel that impressed me with its craft but left me completely unchanged-- a novel that speaks artfully but says little. If someone knows of deeper themes that I'm missing, please email me, but I haven't seen anyone speak of anything that makes it worth reading except "A beautiful picture of an age" or similar stuff. To me, a book should be more than well written; it should make some kind of statement.

Rating:
Summary: Jazz is my favorite book, it is truly mesmerizing.
Review: This book is the greatest! Violet's pain and sense of betrayal causes her to stab "the appearance of the end" as Dorcas lies in the coffin..Oh but isnt Toni just so brilliant, Violet's pain is not content with this death. Violet, Joe and Dorcas's lives form an ironic triangle but one whereby through Toni's love of humanity in all its imperfections; I could not discount any of these characters as ones that are unforgivable...which is so ironic because they do what would be perceived by most, "unforgivable acts" but Toni in my opinion, shows me how we are more than our mistakes, and this enlargement comes by way of forgiveness for Joe and Violet. ... Man, just to go into it, would take me more than a 1000 words...all I can say is that this book is the greatest, more earth shattering book...the symbolism, the romanic language that is so starkingly beautifully that it literally trumpets off the pages; and if you allow yourself become open to Toni's beat, you can become a sole beneficiary of "the JAZZ concert" complete with its complexity, irony, sadness, redemption...you will be never, ever, be sorry. Can yall tell that I like, no man, I dig Toni...oh man, I am her biggest fan.....please email me at [e-mail] for your comments.

Rating:
Summary: Memorable, but not Toni's best
Review: Like the other reviewer before me, it has been a while since I have read Jazz. I remember the book as being very good at points and then at others it lost me. I have read all of Toni Morrison's novels and I would would not rank this one as one of her better books. I purchased the book on the strength of her other novels and remember feeling a bit disappointed when I finished. Still I believe that Morrison's novels are terrific. I would start with Song of Solomon, I believe that is her best book. I plan on purchasing the audiocassette book of Jazz. That sounds interesting to hear the book with the music. I'll listen to that and tell you guys what I think.

Rating:
Summary: Good Book
Review: Well, let me tell my story.

It's been a while since I read this book, so I decided to read the reviews to jog my memory. Imagine my surprise when I saw only one person had reviewed the book before me. I figured my 2 cents should be put in for anyone thinking about buying it.

Again, I admit, it has been a while, but as with all the other Toni Morrison books - BEAUTIFUL. I had to dock it a star simply because it's not my favorite of her books. I'd recommend that anyone interested picking up a Morrison book begin with Song of Solomon. It's in depth but not quite as challenging as Beloved or Jazz. It would be a pity to let the complexity/pace of her books discourage anyone from reading them so I definitely would recommend reading Jazz one or two books down the line.

As I recall, MOST of the story is kind of "Peace?". I know that sounds silly, but that's the mood I remember getting. Anyways, a good critic is something I am not, but I always love to talk about good writers. Right now, Morrison seems to me to be the best.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I expected much more from a Nobel deserving author. Morrison failed to grab my attention. This was my third of fourth attempt at reading this novel, and I finally finished. I loved her style and technique. I also thoroughly enjoyed the characters and imagery. But I found the plot to be quite unenjoyable. I don't think that a theme ever developed. If you want to read something by Morrison, DO NOT choose Jazz. Thus far, Song of Solomon is still my favorite. This warning comes from a Morrison fan who has also read Beloved and Sula. I decided to share this with others since so few have obviously submitted reviews. Morrison is a great authour, but Jazz is far from a great book.