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Straight Up
They are living lives they were never meant to live.
Georgia Bishop, a could-be jazz great, has thrown away her life, her marriage, and her talent for her drinking habit. Her cousin, Fairly Godfrey, is living the good life in New York but wonders if deeper meaning exists beyond the superficial world in which she finds herself.
It takes a Congo refugee, a soul food chef, a persistent husband, and one desperate night on the brink of freedom for Georgia and Fairly to realize how far they have come from their God-given purposes. When they face the most difficult choices of their lives, only the power of grace can bring them to true healing.
Georgia Bishop, a could-be jazz great, has thrown away her life, her marriage, and her talent for her drinking habit. Her cousin, Fairly Godfrey, is living the good life in New York but wonders if deeper meaning exists beyond the superficial world in which she finds herself.
It takes a Congo refugee, a soul food chef, a persistent husband, and one desperate night on the brink of freedom for Georgia and Fairly to realize how far they have come from their God-given purposes. When they face the most difficult choices of their lives, only the power of grace can bring them to true healing.
285 pages, Paperback
First published September 19, 2006
13 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Samson
63 books194 followersThe Christy-award winning author of nineteen books including the Women of Faith Novel of the Year Quaker Summer, Lisa Samson has been hailed by Publishers Weekly as "a talented novelist who isn't afraid to take risks." She lives in Kentucky with her husband and three kids.
Also, published under the name L.L. Samson
Also, published under the name L.L. Samson
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 30, 2007
This review was first published on Christian Book Preview's site.
A unique, gripping novel, Straight Up breaks a lot of CBA "rules." The main characters are Georgia--a jazz musician who has neglected her "gift," and Fairly--an interior designer. They were cousins and abandoned by their parents through death. They were subsequently abandoned by their spouses. Fairly's died and Georgia's "found religion."
Both main characters went "looking for love in all the wrong places." Georgia found comfort in alchohol, and Fairly dealt with her loss through her relationships with men. Georgia continues to deteriorate until tragedy occurs. She entered "pink." Without giving you a spoiler, I'll just say that it's a very interesting place where Georgia learns a lot about herself. A minor character, Clarissa, was interspersed throughout the story, but her point of view was in the third person, rather than the first person like Georgia and Fairly's point of view. Clarissa was adopted and somewhat detached from life. She lived in a chronic survival mode and was pretty much rejected and abused by everyone. I felt so sorry for her.
For the longest time I wondered how Clarissa would finally connect with the rest of the "cast," but I won't spoil it and tell you how that happens. Let me just say that it's one of those endings that leaves you thinking for hours.
Straight Up was a gourmet meal for my finicky pallet. Let me explain why. The author gives you a blend of varying dates and characters to begin with to whet your appetite. Now I have to say at first this confused me, but once I got the feel and texture of each main character I savored the meal. Parts of Straight Up had me grieving, other parts had me wanting to slap the characters, yet I also admired them for being honest with themselves even if they weren't as honest with others. A-hem. It's called pride.
In Straight Up, the author "told it like it is." No fluff here. She gave me a glimpse into the lives of some pretty heartbroken people who looked okay--for the most part--to the rest of the world. I cared so much about them that I entered their lives. I must say the story made total sense to me. I loved how the author slipped a bit of God's perspective into the mix. What an incredibly creative way to explain things too difficult to understand outside of Christ, and then introduce Him in a way that actually attracts the reader. The author literally prepared some wounded souls for the banquet table, and you ate right along with them.
Straight Up is real, it's honest, and it's one of those life-changing stories that sticks with you for a long time. The message? You can't go back and fix the past. But you can make a difference today. I enjoyed every minute of this insightful story. Straight Up comes with my highest recommendation.
A unique, gripping novel, Straight Up breaks a lot of CBA "rules." The main characters are Georgia--a jazz musician who has neglected her "gift," and Fairly--an interior designer. They were cousins and abandoned by their parents through death. They were subsequently abandoned by their spouses. Fairly's died and Georgia's "found religion."
Both main characters went "looking for love in all the wrong places." Georgia found comfort in alchohol, and Fairly dealt with her loss through her relationships with men. Georgia continues to deteriorate until tragedy occurs. She entered "pink." Without giving you a spoiler, I'll just say that it's a very interesting place where Georgia learns a lot about herself. A minor character, Clarissa, was interspersed throughout the story, but her point of view was in the third person, rather than the first person like Georgia and Fairly's point of view. Clarissa was adopted and somewhat detached from life. She lived in a chronic survival mode and was pretty much rejected and abused by everyone. I felt so sorry for her.
For the longest time I wondered how Clarissa would finally connect with the rest of the "cast," but I won't spoil it and tell you how that happens. Let me just say that it's one of those endings that leaves you thinking for hours.
Straight Up was a gourmet meal for my finicky pallet. Let me explain why. The author gives you a blend of varying dates and characters to begin with to whet your appetite. Now I have to say at first this confused me, but once I got the feel and texture of each main character I savored the meal. Parts of Straight Up had me grieving, other parts had me wanting to slap the characters, yet I also admired them for being honest with themselves even if they weren't as honest with others. A-hem. It's called pride.
In Straight Up, the author "told it like it is." No fluff here. She gave me a glimpse into the lives of some pretty heartbroken people who looked okay--for the most part--to the rest of the world. I cared so much about them that I entered their lives. I must say the story made total sense to me. I loved how the author slipped a bit of God's perspective into the mix. What an incredibly creative way to explain things too difficult to understand outside of Christ, and then introduce Him in a way that actually attracts the reader. The author literally prepared some wounded souls for the banquet table, and you ate right along with them.
Straight Up is real, it's honest, and it's one of those life-changing stories that sticks with you for a long time. The message? You can't go back and fix the past. But you can make a difference today. I enjoyed every minute of this insightful story. Straight Up comes with my highest recommendation.
November 10, 2008
Interesting characters running into events that might face any of us make Straight Up an enjoyable read that leaves one wanting to know more about what happens to the group of people whose lives are intertwined with two thirty-ish cousins who come to Lexington Kentucky from faster paced lives on the east coast.
Looking for more meaning in a modern life, facing challenges and making community are themes that run through Straight Up and although spiritual themes are touched on, especially as the story comes to a close, this is not a preachy overtly religious book.
Although well written and comfortably paced, the book could have benefited by more straightforward presentation of storylines that are connected tangentially to the main characters and keep the reader slightly off balance and wondering about the connection until the last pages.
Looking for more meaning in a modern life, facing challenges and making community are themes that run through Straight Up and although spiritual themes are touched on, especially as the story comes to a close, this is not a preachy overtly religious book.
Although well written and comfortably paced, the book could have benefited by more straightforward presentation of storylines that are connected tangentially to the main characters and keep the reader slightly off balance and wondering about the connection until the last pages.
February 20, 2009
I do not like this author's manner of switching narrators every few pages. This book was extra annoying in that there was a character that kept appearing throughout the book that never really got 'fit' into the story. Plus, her birth mother was totally abandoned as a character. I didn't like this book as much as "Embrace Me" by the same author. I'm not fond of the rotating narrator method; to me, it seems like a way of distracting the reader from flaws in writing. (Kind of how rapid editing can make anyone look like an awesome dancer!) I still would recommend Jamie Langston Turner as the epitome of great fiction writing.
BUT I like the way this author makes me think. Am I really living for Christ? Or is He just icing on my comfortable life? I'd love to be involved in the kind of community ministry presented in both of these books. It would really stretch me in a good way!
BUT I like the way this author makes me think. Am I really living for Christ? Or is He just icing on my comfortable life? I'd love to be involved in the kind of community ministry presented in both of these books. It would really stretch me in a good way!
March 6, 2017
Did not like this book at all. It isn't that it ends sadly, I found lots of other things I disliked throughout the book.
I found both the main characters to be mostly unlikeable, although in the end they do redeem themselves somewhat. The parts where Georgia sees her Mom and grandson were long and boring. I understand what the author was trying to do - she needed someway to change Georgia, and since she was in a coma that she would not come out of, this was the way she did it. But I hated those chapters.
And what was with Clarissa? Not part of the main story until the very very end where she gets tied in very loosely to Fairly.
I found both the main characters to be mostly unlikeable, although in the end they do redeem themselves somewhat. The parts where Georgia sees her Mom and grandson were long and boring. I understand what the author was trying to do - she needed someway to change Georgia, and since she was in a coma that she would not come out of, this was the way she did it. But I hated those chapters.
And what was with Clarissa? Not part of the main story until the very very end where she gets tied in very loosely to Fairly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2020
This Inspirational Fiction book was a very realistic story.
November 7, 2007
I'm torn as to what I thought of this book. It was written from three perspectives. I really liked one of the stories, as the lady was learning how to not be so materialistic after her husband's death. The second perspective was the story of an adopted daughter who was treated terribly by her parents. This part was never fully developed. And the third perspective was from a woman who (SPOILER ALERT) drinks herself into a coma. I was confused by what kind of message this writer was making. I have liked her other books, and parts of this were really good, but I had a hard time agreeing with the theology behind some of it. Anyway, as far as Christian reads go, it was okay. A little jumpy in parts, but the description was good, and it never sounded too "Christian-y" if you know what I mean. I would recommend her other books before this one.
March 2, 2010
Let me first off say that Lisa Samson is probably one of my favorite Christian fiction writers. Her books are real, strong, thoughtful and surprising....all features I think are usually missing in contemporary Christian fiction.
I wanted to love this book, but it was too raw for me. I wanted to be able to recommend it without reservation, to all my friends, but I hesitate to do so without re-reading it. (The book clips right along; a fairly fast read, so I may have missed some integral points in the pace!)
Food for thought? Full table, here. Grief, talent, family relationships misinterpreted, what is the meaning of life....all those are addressed in Straight Up. I struggled with the characters. I struggled with the eventual path to Heaven, the way it's portrayed in this piece of writing.
I wanted to love this book, but it was too raw for me. I wanted to be able to recommend it without reservation, to all my friends, but I hesitate to do so without re-reading it. (The book clips right along; a fairly fast read, so I may have missed some integral points in the pace!)
Food for thought? Full table, here. Grief, talent, family relationships misinterpreted, what is the meaning of life....all those are addressed in Straight Up. I struggled with the characters. I struggled with the eventual path to Heaven, the way it's portrayed in this piece of writing.
June 6, 2007
This has to be the most amazing book I've ever read. Not only is her writing poetic, stirring and unbelievable but it deeply challenges the heart and subtly forces Christians to examine their faith in the context of their own world perspective. I cried, was deeply moved and have decided that Lisa Samson is my new favorite author! If you are a person (Christian or not) that believes it is time for the Church in America to FINALLY embrace people with the love of Jesus instead of religion then I promise this will be a book that will forever leave an impression on your heart.
March 4, 2011
The story switches back and forth between narrators, cousins, one of whom married a guy many years her senior who has since died and is trying to cope with life without him. The other cousin has great musical talent but she is dealing with a husband who went off to join a monastary and lots of childhood trauma. She is squandering her life with drinking and her other relatives try to help her but she may be beyond help.[return]This is definitely a thinking book, one that sucks you in and makes you examine the characters. It was good but something that you have to be in the mood for.
August 30, 2009
Can't say I loved it but I won't say I didn't like it. This book just had a lot going on for me. Samson switches back and forth between characters, which I usually appreciate, but there were so many characters with so many conflicts it got a little cumbersome at times. I've liked others that I've read by Samson more, but still worth the read.
April 17, 2009
This is the best book I have read in a long time. It was just amazing. It found me in just the right place and it did not hide the ugly in life like some Christian novels do. I truly recommend this to anyone who is searching.
September 13, 2012
Wonderful read! The chapters alternate between 3 related characters. What starts out as just an interesting ends as a story about finding faith and using the gifts you've been given. I'd like to read more of Lisa Samson.
June 10, 2014
I did not like the way this book was written. I did not care for the poetic and third person sorting all in the same story. There was some characters that did not fit into the story and made no sense why they were added in. It was an odd book and I could not finish it.
September 12, 2014
So much incredible food for thought. Two cousins--one an alcoholic--and how God deals with them. Glimpses of the glorious future God has planned for us if we let Him have control. This is a keeper for me.
February 12, 2015
This book was very "off-course" and not predictable as I had thought it would be in most Christian fiction books I've read lately. Jumping between different points of view was a little annoying, but the food descriptions made me hungry.
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October 11, 2007So far this is a very good book, I will update once I am finished.
I was a very good book, once I got going I couldn't put it down.
I was a very good book, once I got going I couldn't put it down.
March 31, 2008
More great characters, also reminiscent of "Thin Blue Smoke". I like that Samson portrays all varieties of the Christian experience with equal affection, and non-judgmentalism.
October 17, 2008
I do not like her style of writing; at least in this book. It's an odd book; jumps around a lot.
September 25, 2009
Too many characters with too much angst.
May 11, 2010
I LOVED this book when I began reading it, but then it got lost trying to deal with death and God and eternity. It's a Christian novel, but the answers to the questions just weren't here.
December 29, 2011
I didn't finish this book
July 1, 2019
I really like this book. One of my favorites by this author. It has some moralism in it that I don't like, but overall it is a wonderful story of redemption and grace.
July 5, 2013
Not really my kind of book - not sure what drew me to it...
July 8, 2015
Love this book. I need to read it once a year.
I had trouble keeping people straight at first, but it didn't stop me from finishing the book, which can happen.
Loved the ending.
I had trouble keeping people straight at first, but it didn't stop me from finishing the book, which can happen.
Loved the ending.
February 12, 2016
wasted potential of a life b/c of alcoholism
January 5, 2017
Lisa's books have never disappointed. Another one that causes soul-searching. ❤️
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews