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Way Past Cool
Searing. Honest. Raw. Oakland, California. The 'hood is divided by invisible lines, but only those in the know can see them. The Friends and the Crew, two rival gangs, form an uneasy truce against Deek and his drugs, his Uzis and his Trans Am. Sixteen-year-old Ty is Deek's bodyguard, but hates Deek and what he represents. All Ty wants is to keep his kid brother safe and provide for his mom, but Deek is pushing him way past cool. As Deek expands his territory by breaking the Rules, Ty's brother, Danny, forges an alliance of his own with Lyon--a Friend and magic-boy. When Deek's double-dealing threatens not just the Friends but Danny's life as well, the smoldering tensions explode into a violent confrontation forcing Ty to face his own fears in order to claim his power--and decide what kind of a man he is destined to become.
310 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
8 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
About the author
Jess Mowry
32 books21 followersWhy do I write?
"After almost forty years of working with kids and raising four of my own, along with a few strays -- none of whom are in prison or collecting Welfare -- not to mention over twenty years of writing books and stories for and about kids, I've found that it's a lot easier for people to be "pro-child" about some kids than it is for them to care about and champion "other" kids. Perhaps, like the animals in George Orwell's Animal Farm, some kids are more equal than others?
"Almost all my stories and books are for and about black kids, who are not always cute and cuddly. My characters often spit, sweat and swear, as well as occasionally smoke or drink. Just like their real-world counterparts, some are "overweight," may look "too black," or are otherwise unacceptable by superficial American values. Like on the real kids, they often live in dirty and violent environments, and are forced into sometimes unpleasant lifestyles.
"And virtually no one writes books or stories about them -- at least seldom in ways that don't exploit them, and/or don't glorify gangs, guns, drugs and violence. I've learned from experience that few publishers, including black ones, will publish positive books about these kids... books that don't portray them in stereotypical roles, and thus only reinforce the negative aspects of their lives.
"The result is that there very few positive books about these kids. This leaves them with no role models except stereotypes of gangsters, rappers or sports figures. Worse, virtually the only books that "white" (or more fortunate) children have to read about most black kids are also filled with these negative stereotypes. About the only exception are books in which black kids play a supporting role to a white hero.
"I have devoted my career, such as it is, to writing positive but realistic books and stories, not only for and about black kids, but also for "white" kids so they will understand that the negative stereotypes aren't true... that most black kids have other interests besides guns, gangs, drugs, violence, becoming rap stars, or playing basketball.
"When I first began writing I wanted to write many different kinds of books; adventure novels, magic, ghost stories. These were the kinds of books I grew up reading, though I often wondered why there were no black heroes, such as ship captains or airplane pilots... no black Indiana Joneses, Hardy Boys or Hobbits. But mainstream publishers only want the stereotypes: if not blatantly negative stereotypes, then only stereotypical positive images. Only what "good black kids" are "supposed" to do. What the mainstream white world expects them to dream about and aspire to be.
"I often write about violence because the U.S.A. is a violent country in a violent world and pretending it isn't doesn't help anyone. Most of my kids aren't angels, but they are being as good as they can be... which is a lot better than most people seem to think they are.
"To me, being pro-child includes all children, even kids whom it may be hard to like... especially kids who are hard to like."
"After almost forty years of working with kids and raising four of my own, along with a few strays -- none of whom are in prison or collecting Welfare -- not to mention over twenty years of writing books and stories for and about kids, I've found that it's a lot easier for people to be "pro-child" about some kids than it is for them to care about and champion "other" kids. Perhaps, like the animals in George Orwell's Animal Farm, some kids are more equal than others?
"Almost all my stories and books are for and about black kids, who are not always cute and cuddly. My characters often spit, sweat and swear, as well as occasionally smoke or drink. Just like their real-world counterparts, some are "overweight," may look "too black," or are otherwise unacceptable by superficial American values. Like on the real kids, they often live in dirty and violent environments, and are forced into sometimes unpleasant lifestyles.
"And virtually no one writes books or stories about them -- at least seldom in ways that don't exploit them, and/or don't glorify gangs, guns, drugs and violence. I've learned from experience that few publishers, including black ones, will publish positive books about these kids... books that don't portray them in stereotypical roles, and thus only reinforce the negative aspects of their lives.
"The result is that there very few positive books about these kids. This leaves them with no role models except stereotypes of gangsters, rappers or sports figures. Worse, virtually the only books that "white" (or more fortunate) children have to read about most black kids are also filled with these negative stereotypes. About the only exception are books in which black kids play a supporting role to a white hero.
"I have devoted my career, such as it is, to writing positive but realistic books and stories, not only for and about black kids, but also for "white" kids so they will understand that the negative stereotypes aren't true... that most black kids have other interests besides guns, gangs, drugs, violence, becoming rap stars, or playing basketball.
"When I first began writing I wanted to write many different kinds of books; adventure novels, magic, ghost stories. These were the kinds of books I grew up reading, though I often wondered why there were no black heroes, such as ship captains or airplane pilots... no black Indiana Joneses, Hardy Boys or Hobbits. But mainstream publishers only want the stereotypes: if not blatantly negative stereotypes, then only stereotypical positive images. Only what "good black kids" are "supposed" to do. What the mainstream white world expects them to dream about and aspire to be.
"I often write about violence because the U.S.A. is a violent country in a violent world and pretending it isn't doesn't help anyone. Most of my kids aren't angels, but they are being as good as they can be... which is a lot better than most people seem to think they are.
"To me, being pro-child includes all children, even kids whom it may be hard to like... especially kids who are hard to like."
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
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August 31, 2011Way Past Cool was the first -- perhaps the only -- novel of urban American black life in the early 1990's: the era of collapsed structures, lost dreams, dashed hopes, agonizing violence, and a level of rage that for white America is simply unfathomable. But, have things gotten any better?
Way Past Cool is the story of 13-year-old boys who live alone in abandoned buildings, of 16-year-old single mothers, and of lives that make kids old by the time they graduate from junior high... if they live that long.
This novel stars Gordon, who at the age of 13, leads his gang through the deadly streets of West Oakland, California. He carries a gun, has seen more people die than a Vietnam platoon leader, and can out-swear a dozen sailors. Gordon is backed by Lyon, a fragile-looking soft-spoken boy whose forays into mysticism have given him a spirituality that belies that fact that he'll blow your head off if he has to. Gordon's gang, known as The Friends, live in a state of tense coexistence with The Crew. The tenuous peace of their neighborhood is broken by Deek, a drug dealer whose bodyguard, Ty, is trying to protect his own little brother from the street life. Deek is trying to sell guns to each gang in hope of escalating their turf rivalry into real war... for his benefit. On the sidelines sit the police. The ones who aren't actually on the take are happy to let the kids kill each other off.
Throughout this story of despair, violence, and hopelessness, runs a thread of human feeling and power that prevails even over the horrific reality of the characters' lives. The connection between the members of the gang is one of mutual survival, and of kids trying to meet each other's emotional needs without "proper parental guidance" or decent societal role-models. These young boys are violent, vulgar, and perceived by most of mainstream society as a lost cause, yet there is something uniquely human about them... all children are born knowing how to love, but must be taught how to hate. In a way that many "kinder and gentler" people will never understand, they love each other, and in each other they find hope.
This 20th year Special Edition includes a forward by the author.
Way Past Cool is the story of 13-year-old boys who live alone in abandoned buildings, of 16-year-old single mothers, and of lives that make kids old by the time they graduate from junior high... if they live that long.
This novel stars Gordon, who at the age of 13, leads his gang through the deadly streets of West Oakland, California. He carries a gun, has seen more people die than a Vietnam platoon leader, and can out-swear a dozen sailors. Gordon is backed by Lyon, a fragile-looking soft-spoken boy whose forays into mysticism have given him a spirituality that belies that fact that he'll blow your head off if he has to. Gordon's gang, known as The Friends, live in a state of tense coexistence with The Crew. The tenuous peace of their neighborhood is broken by Deek, a drug dealer whose bodyguard, Ty, is trying to protect his own little brother from the street life. Deek is trying to sell guns to each gang in hope of escalating their turf rivalry into real war... for his benefit. On the sidelines sit the police. The ones who aren't actually on the take are happy to let the kids kill each other off.
Throughout this story of despair, violence, and hopelessness, runs a thread of human feeling and power that prevails even over the horrific reality of the characters' lives. The connection between the members of the gang is one of mutual survival, and of kids trying to meet each other's emotional needs without "proper parental guidance" or decent societal role-models. These young boys are violent, vulgar, and perceived by most of mainstream society as a lost cause, yet there is something uniquely human about them... all children are born knowing how to love, but must be taught how to hate. In a way that many "kinder and gentler" people will never understand, they love each other, and in each other they find hope.
This 20th year Special Edition includes a forward by the author.
December 28, 2011
I read this book as a teenager. Thought it was a great book and still do years later.
June 14, 2010
In Way Past Cool, a group of poor black kids in Oakland, California fight to keep their neighbourhood safe from the systemic rot of drug dealers and corrupt cops. Jess Mowry handles the subject with an adept balance of thoughtfulness and grit, but Mowry inescapably feels like a novice writer and, as a result, the milleu ends up poorly-realized.
Cool is filled with compelling characters (teenage single mom Markita, in particular, breaks out of her cliche, feeling warm and fully-formed) and unflinching commentary on society, racism and coming-of-age. Mowry's prose is frequently sharp and engaging, and his inspired use of Malapropisms is the novel's literary highlight.
However, Cool is a tough read -- for reasons that have nothing to do with the brutal subject matter. Mowry scarcely uses summary narrative, instead 'enacting' all the storylines through overlong scenes. Both plot points and moments of poignancy get lost amid mindless chatter between the characters. (It's no exaggeration to say that most scenes literally begin with, "hi, what's up?" and end with "well, I guess I'd better be going... bye.")
Similarly, the action sequences are hard to follow and, thus, frequently unexciting. I literally did not realize that one character had died during a street fight until the next scene when the other characters began memorializing him. Sure, I can be a lazy reader at times, but it's bad writing that brings out that inclination in me.
Cool, in the end, is a novel that I wanted to like, but it was so fraught with narrative messiness that I found I was glad to finish it.
Cool is filled with compelling characters (teenage single mom Markita, in particular, breaks out of her cliche, feeling warm and fully-formed) and unflinching commentary on society, racism and coming-of-age. Mowry's prose is frequently sharp and engaging, and his inspired use of Malapropisms is the novel's literary highlight.
However, Cool is a tough read -- for reasons that have nothing to do with the brutal subject matter. Mowry scarcely uses summary narrative, instead 'enacting' all the storylines through overlong scenes. Both plot points and moments of poignancy get lost amid mindless chatter between the characters. (It's no exaggeration to say that most scenes literally begin with, "hi, what's up?" and end with "well, I guess I'd better be going... bye.")
Similarly, the action sequences are hard to follow and, thus, frequently unexciting. I literally did not realize that one character had died during a street fight until the next scene when the other characters began memorializing him. Sure, I can be a lazy reader at times, but it's bad writing that brings out that inclination in me.
Cool, in the end, is a novel that I wanted to like, but it was so fraught with narrative messiness that I found I was glad to finish it.
June 8, 2019
Daphne
“You let it keep eatin you all by yourself, you gonna be spendin a lot of lonely nights holding that there gun to your head.”
In the book Way Past Cool you will get to know the characters of Oakland and how they live and continue to strive for survival and leadership. The characters of this book, the Friends crew, The Crew, and a leading drug dealer along with his bodyguard, continue to battle for not only physical freedom, but also freedom from societal pressures.
I personally enjoyed this book because of the many thrills of the plot. For a person who had no experience of the situations inside the book, I think it was a very eye opening way of bringing to light situations some children have had to go through. This book will open your mind and change the way you think of “tough situations”
A character I enjoyed in this book was Ty. I think Ty shows a light through the darkness throughout the plot. Through many situations Ty has shown courage and has had a strong-willed mindset. In the book Ty seems to make bad decisions, but he is a very kind character and he has a positive attitude towards his family and removing himself from being in these burdensome situations. I absolutely love the way Ty shows his appreciativeness towards his family throughout this book. He, as a human, is very respectable and knows right from wrong.
A theme I think is fitting for this book is, “don’t change yourself, and live to be who you are” because, during the time I spent reading this book I took a look at what I have learned in life and my personal privileges, and it made me feel incredibly grateful to have what I have and be who I am today. Many of the characters, such as Gordon, the leader of the Friends Crew, go through a detrimental time in their life, where they would continually get into gang fights and end up in many conflicts that changed all their lives by making them grateful for having a small friend group that can feel like family.
If you love thrilling action, drama, and sappy love stories, you will love the book Way Past Cool by Jess Mowry. This book and others, such as, Babylon Boys, Six Out Seven, and, Phat Acceptance, are fantastic and exciting young adult books that can completely change your point of view on life and society. I can guarantee you will enjoy this book if you’re looking for an eye opening view on life in Oakland California and a story to show you the life in the streets as young children and adults.
“You let it keep eatin you all by yourself, you gonna be spendin a lot of lonely nights holding that there gun to your head.”
In the book Way Past Cool you will get to know the characters of Oakland and how they live and continue to strive for survival and leadership. The characters of this book, the Friends crew, The Crew, and a leading drug dealer along with his bodyguard, continue to battle for not only physical freedom, but also freedom from societal pressures.
I personally enjoyed this book because of the many thrills of the plot. For a person who had no experience of the situations inside the book, I think it was a very eye opening way of bringing to light situations some children have had to go through. This book will open your mind and change the way you think of “tough situations”
A character I enjoyed in this book was Ty. I think Ty shows a light through the darkness throughout the plot. Through many situations Ty has shown courage and has had a strong-willed mindset. In the book Ty seems to make bad decisions, but he is a very kind character and he has a positive attitude towards his family and removing himself from being in these burdensome situations. I absolutely love the way Ty shows his appreciativeness towards his family throughout this book. He, as a human, is very respectable and knows right from wrong.
A theme I think is fitting for this book is, “don’t change yourself, and live to be who you are” because, during the time I spent reading this book I took a look at what I have learned in life and my personal privileges, and it made me feel incredibly grateful to have what I have and be who I am today. Many of the characters, such as Gordon, the leader of the Friends Crew, go through a detrimental time in their life, where they would continually get into gang fights and end up in many conflicts that changed all their lives by making them grateful for having a small friend group that can feel like family.
If you love thrilling action, drama, and sappy love stories, you will love the book Way Past Cool by Jess Mowry. This book and others, such as, Babylon Boys, Six Out Seven, and, Phat Acceptance, are fantastic and exciting young adult books that can completely change your point of view on life and society. I can guarantee you will enjoy this book if you’re looking for an eye opening view on life in Oakland California and a story to show you the life in the streets as young children and adults.
April 10, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. Brought me right put there on the streets of Oak Town along with them.
July 2, 2023
I've been trying to re-find this book since I read it in the 90s. Awesome.
February 13, 2017
Writers of Color Challenge #7
This book is excellent but really stressful. As a white girl from Wisconsin I was really disturbed by the (albeit realistic) portrayal of 13-year old gang members in Oakland with guns. But the character building, story, and commentary on race/poverty all really resonated with me.
The author, Jess Mowry, grew up in Oakland and was a voracious reader, but there were never any kids like him in the books he read, so now he writes books with those kids in them. Those kids are awesome, and he writes them well, I really liked all of the kids in this book. But their struggles, their reality, damn it's heartbreaking. Hunger, missing parents, just trying to get to and from school without getting shot, trying to get a buck without succumbing to drug dealers. They really have no choice but to join a gang, it's all they've got. When they hang out they're just regular kids, they're fun! Doing kid things! Then they break open beers and I'm like whoa. But they are smart - realizing that the drug dealer is no good, that they're better off joining forces with rival gangs than giving in to his pressure - I really liked these kids.
At times the author lays on the racial commentary a little thick, but this book was written in the 90's, when such commentary wasn't really being made as strongly as it is today. (Or maybe it was, I was a teenager in Wisconsin and had no idea really.)
This book is excellent but really stressful. As a white girl from Wisconsin I was really disturbed by the (albeit realistic) portrayal of 13-year old gang members in Oakland with guns. But the character building, story, and commentary on race/poverty all really resonated with me.
The author, Jess Mowry, grew up in Oakland and was a voracious reader, but there were never any kids like him in the books he read, so now he writes books with those kids in them. Those kids are awesome, and he writes them well, I really liked all of the kids in this book. But their struggles, their reality, damn it's heartbreaking. Hunger, missing parents, just trying to get to and from school without getting shot, trying to get a buck without succumbing to drug dealers. They really have no choice but to join a gang, it's all they've got. When they hang out they're just regular kids, they're fun! Doing kid things! Then they break open beers and I'm like whoa. But they are smart - realizing that the drug dealer is no good, that they're better off joining forces with rival gangs than giving in to his pressure - I really liked these kids.
At times the author lays on the racial commentary a little thick, but this book was written in the 90's, when such commentary wasn't really being made as strongly as it is today. (Or maybe it was, I was a teenager in Wisconsin and had no idea really.)
March 17, 2010
Way Past Cool was a great Fictional novel on how African American kids struggled throughout the 1990's in Oakland California. These struggles include drug dealing, gang bangin, murder, and both social and poverty problems. These terrible struggles all occur during these kids' middle school year. My favorite element of Way Past Cool is how it is a great way to get a first hand look on what really happens in the Oakland, CA "hood". This is demonstrated through the language, events, and culture of the main characters of the novel. This book also reminds me very much of The Outsiders by S.E Hinton, since it too is about the struggles of povertous young adults in gangs. I definitely recommend this book and give it a Thumbs-Up!
August 7, 2007
this book was sort of like a young adult novel, since its tone was a little parochial. but i think that is part of its strength since it is telling a young adult story. a bit like the outsiders in that sense. however, the elements of magical realism that the book adopts from afro-caribbean traditions was really something special and why this book has always stuck with me.
April 11, 2011
the book revolves around the life of a small drug gang trying to make it big. they then start to face bigger gangs fighting for terf dispite having no real guns. they then come into some help, this dude gave the gang soem uzi's.they edventualy go fight the other gang.
the book wasnt good. i mostly read it becuase i needed too. i recomend it to no one.
the book wasnt good. i mostly read it becuase i needed too. i recomend it to no one.
September 25, 2012
Jess Mowry amazes me with the compassion with which he writes. His characters, Oakland gang members and drug dealers, are humanized in a way that I've never seen done by any other author. This book is not quite as masterful as his later novel Six Out Seven because he occasionally indulges in a bit of preaching, but I still highly recommend it, even 20 years after it was published.
July 24, 2009
Man, this was a heartbreaker! But it is really engaging--Mowry creates unforgettable and accessible characters. It does take place in the '80s, though, so it might seem kind of outdated to young readers. The Oakland setting still seems really fresh, though. Grades 8 and up.
November 15, 2012
A tough, gritty novel about teens trying to survive violence and drugs in an Oakland, CA neighborhood in the early 1990s. Suggested for high school and adult readers. -- Steve Fondiller, Irvington Teen Librarian
June 2, 2008
Provided me with a different look of inner-city (Oakland) issues. Realistic, not preachy, just good.
November 18, 2008
This is one of my favorite books because it kept me interested and always wondering what was going to happen next.
November 26, 2008
this book is reallly weird
February 15, 2010
tough story, but worth it
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June 29, 2013While Giancario Esposito performs an excellent reading, buyers should be aware this is an abridged version of the book.
December 27, 2011
Beautiful story. Some of my students who hate reading LOVE this book and bragged about reading it to their peers.
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October 21, 2013Cool, way past.
June 13, 2014
I think probably my most favourite book ever. Hope fear love freidship and hard lives. So well written, so real. So recommended.
September 29, 2015
Wow. Raw and powerfully written about African American boys growing up in Oakland in the 90's. Beautifully written and full of sorrow and strength. Highly recommended.
May 2, 2016
this book was beautiful the characters shouted at you to love them and couldn't help but do that. the story line was tragic and made you love the characters even more
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews