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35th out of 41 books
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Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime: Stories
Whether through her stories or her legendary readings, J. California Cooper has an uncanny ability to reach out to readers like an old and dear friend. Her characters are plain-spoken and direct: simple people for whom life, despite its ever-present struggles, is always worth the journey.
In Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime, Cooper's characteristic themes of romance, heartbr...more
In Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime, Cooper's characteristic themes of romance, heartbr...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
December 29th 2010
by Anchor
(first published 1995)
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The collection of short stories by J. California Cooper was very inspirational and entertaining! She developed her characters with great ease and talent. She never told a dull story, or a story I couldn't relate to in some way... she did a fantastic job in setting the scene, and delivering the message in each story. All the stories had a way of seeming very familiar, and caused you to just delve right into the plot, not wanting to put the book down. Every story shared how love causes some pain, ...more
Shanae
rated it
This collection of short stories is brilliant. Cooper did a magnificent job capturing the lives, emotions, and problems of Black women in America. I found each story touching and compelling. The horror, the love, and the pain each of the women in these stories experienced is so gripping that I found myself completely lost in the stories. I enjoy each story so much, I don't even have a favorite - they are all so amazing!! The first story, "Femme Fatale" will hook you and you'll find you...more
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These were stories of people I knew. Of people I was related to. I laughed, I felt sad, but CHILE! I FELT.
Outstanding collection of stories that really serve as a reflection of black relationships. Love and loss, bad endings as well as good. Some people who can't get out their own way, and some people who figured out a way to go before life passed them by.
I imagine I'll read this over and over again...
Outstanding collection of stories that really serve as a reflection of black relationships. Love and loss, bad endings as well as good. Some people who can't get out their own way, and some people who figured out a way to go before life passed them by.
I imagine I'll read this over and over again...
Each story was wonderful and in every situation you think " I know a woman like that" or " I know a woman in that situation" It was hard for me to put this book down and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Oh what a learning experince for women young and old.
All her books are excellent. I love the way she develops relationships in the books. The characters are full bodied and realistic. Not just cut and dried romance. You always learn something from Ms. Coopers stories.
So far this book is so good. Short stories that are truly engaging and make you think about the pain you go through while loving. Yes, love can hurt so good (smile). I'm truly enjoying it, almost finished and will start Homemade Love probably tonight!
The best book of short stories to make you laugh, cry and think. J. California Cooper is my favorite author. You can read her books over and over and her short stories never get old.
Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime leaves you evaluating friendships, relationships, and life. I love the storytelling technique J. California Cooper uses to draw you into each story. A compilation of stories, Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime are not as short as the stories in A Piece of Mine, but the stories are somewhat similar.
J. California Cooper is a wonderful author, who exposes you to life lessons of others, which you can apply. Thanks to this book I evaluated my own life. Strivi...more
J. California Cooper is a wonderful author, who exposes you to life lessons of others, which you can apply. Thanks to this book I evaluated my own life. Strivi...more
a bit depressing and yet slightly inspiring... the characters start in very low places for various reasons, but they all seem to find themselves or what they've been searching for in life by the end of the stories. Searching for love- of self and with others seems to be the key them..... couldn't read all the short stories as they seemed in essence to be about the same thing.....
Jamesia
rated it
Recommends it for:
EVERYBODY
Recommended to Jamesia by:
Judge Thelma Wyatt Cummings Moore
I was first a bit turned off by the folksy narration but I am glad I got past that because this book has served as an excellent depiction of what real love is! It is one of the most influential books of my personal understanding of love outside of the Bible. It illustrates the most challenging element of love, "long-suffering." I think I learned a bit more about how to better love and protect myself and to look for love in peoples' actions and not just in what can be hollow meaningl...more
The tone of this book is as warm and comforting as a large mug of hot coffee with lots of sugar and milk in the kitchen of your best friend's house. Cooper speaks to the reader so she's completely engaging. I'm charmed.
Very good book. Some characters were very relatable or reminded me of someone close to me. Very real, plain and entertaining.
coffeedog
added it
Sometimes even your best friend hesitates to tell you when she/he knows you're playin' a fool, but in this book of rollicking stories, you may see yourself in a few, and Ms. Cooper will be your new best friend for pointing things out to you. Even after 20+ years of marriage, I could still find useful insights ("wake up, girl!") into life, love, and perseverance. You can sink real low, but nobody can KEEP you there but yourself. Ms. Cooper gives literary voice to a large number of Afric...more
written in plain language, good short stories.
I learned that J California Cooper is a great writer.
I learned that J California Cooper is a great writer.
Precious Williams
marked it as to-read
Read this some time ago. Remember loving it and need to re-purchase and re-read
1st book I read by this author and I kept wanting more.
Real talk!!! Who says you can't judge a book by its title.
Kira
added it
I love her books. So soulful and sometimes funny.
Again - she satisfies my thirst to read!
Very good book! I suggest that every woman read this book. This book points out many issues that women go through. I just loved it! ALL of J California Cooper books for that matter!
I thought I had read this short story collection by my favorite author J. California Cooper - but apparently I had not. Again, Ms. Cooper delivers in only a way she can! She writes in such a way that you feel as though you are sitting down on the front porch with a neighbor as they point out the going ons in the life and loves of other neighborhood folks. I loved the opening story, Femme Fatale and felt the ending story A Will and A Way was the perfect ending to the bittersweet tales. Another jo...more
Judith Scott
added it
I love all of her short stories.
Diana
added it
Wonderful!!!!!!
Gosh, She's great!
What a fun book! Reminded me a little bit of Zora Neale Hurston in both the style and the feminist overtones, but Cooper's touch is more conversational and intimate. Usually reading short stories turns me off, but each of hers felt so "full" and colorful that you didn't feel prematurely severed from the plot (which is usually my gripe); I felt like I was always stepping in and out of a well developed character's life. Very nice!
This is just one of many collection of short stories by J. California Cooper. Her method of story telling and character development speaks to my life, experiences, history, womanhood and so much more. These stories our timeless and the characters could be many of the people I know and love. I feel as though I'm sitting at my grandmother's feet listening to her tell me stories.
this book was fabulous. the stories were so real and so "everyday"---for lack of a better description. i saw pieces of myself and a lot of women i know in every single story. the one drawback is that the stories were all very similar. there weren't any stark contrasts. overall, i love this book and have added it to my list of personal favorites.
I originally took this book out from the library, not knowing what to expect. It became like a good friend. I felt like the author was my mother (and I need one). It gives good advice and good instructions for living. Books like this are rare. This would make a good gift.
This book was my first introduction to J. California Cooper and it was enough to whet my appetite. These short stories made me chuckle, cry and everything in-between. Not as engaging as her other novels, but worth reading nonetheless.
Anarda Nashai
added it
If you are looking for introspection with entertainment, you can't go wrong with this one. Cooper is a master at serving wisdom while engaging your imagination. Great read indeed!
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J. California Cooper first found acclaim as a playwright. The author of seventeen plays, she was named Black Playwright of the Year in 1978. It was through her work in the theater that she caught the attention of acclaimed poet and novelist Alice Walker. Encouraged by Walker to turn her popular storytelling skills to fiction, Cooper wrote her first collection of short stories, A Piece of Mine, in ...more
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