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A review by arisbookcorner
A Piece of Mine: Stories by J. California Cooper
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
"She didn't really know she was gossiping, she thought she was just telling a friend the truth about what she thought. But people can take your truth and stretch it, twist it, tear it apart, turn it inside out and when you get it back, you are making enemies and when you try and straighten it out, you talk a whole lot more and give the people new ammunition to shoot back at you and then you have made more enemies!" ('Sins Leave Scars', 16)
I think I'm going to try and read all of J. California Cooper's fiction this year (the distinction is being made because I do not think I can read 17 plays as well, but wow her talent) so I decided to start in order. These stories are easily digestible in length but heavy in topic matter. Cooper underscores the violence Black women face over and over again. It's a lot and initially I could only read one story a day because the stories were so traumatic. Child sexual abuse, domestic violence, rape, unhappy marriages, these issues are present in almost every story with an undercurrent of racism. 'Loved to Death' was particularly heartbreaking, one of the lines that will stay with me comes from young Zalina, "Cause I don't think mama like me to do it either, so I must hafta...if we both don't like it and still she tell me to" (31) as she details sexual abuse. Also present in these stories is a critique of the institution of marriage, Cooper seems to take a dim view of marriage. One of my favorite stories bemoans the institution of marriage but also the ridiculousness of white women, "The woman told her she would never be happy married to a poor black man being used as a baby carrier and slaveworker woman. Ain't that somethin! Middy thought a moment about that and knew that she wasn't really liberated anyway, the only difference between James and the white woman was makin love! Other than the makin babies, everything else was the same. And making babies could be fun!" ('Liberated, 103) but the rest take an equally dismal view of marriage. There's also an emphasis on religion which was somewhat unexpected but it's not moralizing, it adds flavor to the characters or narrator. Or the stories that do have a moral to them are not presented in a wildly specific Christian context, the message is more so about treating women respectfully. Additionally even with religion present in each story sexual innuendo and ribald jokes abound. There's even a friends to lesbian lovers story which shocked me (that's what I get for stereotyping religious Black writers in my mind!) but is nicely done although the conclusion is also sad.
While all of the stories are depressing, some do involve men receiving their comeuppance. '$100 and Nothing?' started off miserable but did become funny, though I wish a tragedy hadn't been needed for the humorous ending. And while the stories are not preachy, those with good morals do ultimately come out on top in some way shape or form. Occasionally the narrators are unnamed but what they all have in common seems to be that they're women and they share a gossip-y tone. II've seen others say it but this collection reads as though being told by a well meaning neighbor who urges you to pull up a chair so she can share some tough truths with the occasional levity thrown in. It's interesting and tough to pull off for stories that are so dark but Cooper handles her characters carefully and writes well. Her writing style is uncomplicated and effortless and she tells the story in a Black vernacular. The stories almost all take place in the South as well so it's really a Southern Black vernacular that peppers the dialogue and narration in the stories. It was also hard to believe Cooper wrote this in the '80s and some of the dialogue felt like conversations I still have today. 'Color Me Real' in particular, although passing seems less prevalent today (I guess we'll never really know though), when Era tells off her Black husband for preferring white women I stood up and cheered, "Black women don't care if you like white women. What we really resent, and what makes us so disgusted with you, is that you have to stand on our shoulders, tear us down, make us look like nothing to make yourself big enough to do what you want to do! Just go on and like em if you want to, only stop tearing us down to do it!" ('Color Me Real', 72). It also echos every single argument I've had with Black male friends and see on Twitter, a testament to how universal and relevant (unfortunately) these stories still are in the 21st century.
A PIECE OF MINE is a quiet but powerful collection of short stories about Black women written in an austere, folksy style with a very distinctive voice. The stories aren't too different from each other, covering similar themes of right and wrong, domestic troubles, violence against women, racism and poverty but each story stands on its own. It was almost impossible for me to pick a favorite but I would say 'Liberated' and 'Funeral Plans' made me laugh the most which was no small task given how disheartening these stories were initially (and sometimes until the end, only death bringing relief). I didn't dislike any which is rare for me to say about a collection and they're all the perfect length, neatly wrapped up or running their natural course. I look forward to reading my next Cooper short story collection, HOMEMADE LOVE is next and that seems to be a favorite. I hope it's a little more uplifting or at least cheerful but we'll see!
Other favorite lines:
"She loved learning but she couldn't do any reading cause everybody loved her wouldn't let books stay in her hands! I did all the reading cause nobody loved me enough to bother me!" ('Loved to Death', 28)
"Seemed like I was always just between life and death. Scared of life and scared of death. Call me Ms. Scared, cause that's the way I was runnin then." ('Funeral Plans', 47)
"I love my children....but to hell with them kids! They still gonna have plenty when I die! And the most important thing they will have is BREATH! To fill their own dreams and plans" ('Liberated', 111)
I think I'm going to try and read all of J. California Cooper's fiction this year (the distinction is being made because I do not think I can read 17 plays as well, but wow her talent) so I decided to start in order. These stories are easily digestible in length but heavy in topic matter. Cooper underscores the violence Black women face over and over again. It's a lot and initially I could only read one story a day because the stories were so traumatic. Child sexual abuse, domestic violence, rape, unhappy marriages, these issues are present in almost every story with an undercurrent of racism. 'Loved to Death' was particularly heartbreaking, one of the lines that will stay with me comes from young Zalina, "Cause I don't think mama like me to do it either, so I must hafta...if we both don't like it and still she tell me to" (31) as she details sexual abuse. Also present in these stories is a critique of the institution of marriage, Cooper seems to take a dim view of marriage. One of my favorite stories bemoans the institution of marriage but also the ridiculousness of white women, "The woman told her she would never be happy married to a poor black man being used as a baby carrier and slaveworker woman. Ain't that somethin! Middy thought a moment about that and knew that she wasn't really liberated anyway, the only difference between James and the white woman was makin love! Other than the makin babies, everything else was the same. And making babies could be fun!" ('Liberated, 103) but the rest take an equally dismal view of marriage. There's also an emphasis on religion which was somewhat unexpected but it's not moralizing, it adds flavor to the characters or narrator. Or the stories that do have a moral to them are not presented in a wildly specific Christian context, the message is more so about treating women respectfully. Additionally even with religion present in each story sexual innuendo and ribald jokes abound. There's even a friends to lesbian lovers story which shocked me (that's what I get for stereotyping religious Black writers in my mind!) but is nicely done although the conclusion is also sad.
While all of the stories are depressing, some do involve men receiving their comeuppance. '$100 and Nothing?' started off miserable but did become funny, though I wish a tragedy hadn't been needed for the humorous ending. And while the stories are not preachy, those with good morals do ultimately come out on top in some way shape or form. Occasionally the narrators are unnamed but what they all have in common seems to be that they're women and they share a gossip-y tone. II've seen others say it but this collection reads as though being told by a well meaning neighbor who urges you to pull up a chair so she can share some tough truths with the occasional levity thrown in. It's interesting and tough to pull off for stories that are so dark but Cooper handles her characters carefully and writes well. Her writing style is uncomplicated and effortless and she tells the story in a Black vernacular. The stories almost all take place in the South as well so it's really a Southern Black vernacular that peppers the dialogue and narration in the stories. It was also hard to believe Cooper wrote this in the '80s and some of the dialogue felt like conversations I still have today. 'Color Me Real' in particular, although passing seems less prevalent today (I guess we'll never really know though), when Era tells off her Black husband for preferring white women I stood up and cheered, "Black women don't care if you like white women. What we really resent, and what makes us so disgusted with you, is that you have to stand on our shoulders, tear us down, make us look like nothing to make yourself big enough to do what you want to do! Just go on and like em if you want to, only stop tearing us down to do it!" ('Color Me Real', 72). It also echos every single argument I've had with Black male friends and see on Twitter, a testament to how universal and relevant (unfortunately) these stories still are in the 21st century.
A PIECE OF MINE is a quiet but powerful collection of short stories about Black women written in an austere, folksy style with a very distinctive voice. The stories aren't too different from each other, covering similar themes of right and wrong, domestic troubles, violence against women, racism and poverty but each story stands on its own. It was almost impossible for me to pick a favorite but I would say 'Liberated' and 'Funeral Plans' made me laugh the most which was no small task given how disheartening these stories were initially (and sometimes until the end, only death bringing relief). I didn't dislike any which is rare for me to say about a collection and they're all the perfect length, neatly wrapped up or running their natural course. I look forward to reading my next Cooper short story collection, HOMEMADE LOVE is next and that seems to be a favorite. I hope it's a little more uplifting or at least cheerful but we'll see!
Other favorite lines:
"She loved learning but she couldn't do any reading cause everybody loved her wouldn't let books stay in her hands! I did all the reading cause nobody loved me enough to bother me!" ('Loved to Death', 28)
"Seemed like I was always just between life and death. Scared of life and scared of death. Call me Ms. Scared, cause that's the way I was runnin then." ('Funeral Plans', 47)
"I love my children....but to hell with them kids! They still gonna have plenty when I die! And the most important thing they will have is BREATH! To fill their own dreams and plans" ('Liberated', 111)