What do you think?
Rate this book
The Cooper Family Saga #3
Do Not Open For 50 Years
The world turns upside down when Hurricane Katrina hits New Orleans, blasting apart three generations of women in the final installment of the The Cooper Family Saga. Darby Cooper, the daughter of Bernie and Letty whom we met in Too Jewish and came of age with in Too Jewish: The Next Generation, has become a bestselling New Orleans author, drawing on the tragedy of her father’s life.
But despite her success, family, as always, is complex and problematic. Letty, so loving in Too Jewish, has morphed into a self-centered and willful woman—far from the kind of wise bubbeh Darby expected for her daughter Honor. But it turns out Honor is very much Letty’s girl. However, Letty’s gone missing after the storm, leaving her daughter perplexed and ambivalent. Although not yet sad. Because Letty's pretty indomitable--your classic Tough Old Babe in designer clothes and teetering heels,
Still the traumatic search for Letty would be Darby's main post-storm event if Honor hadn’t come back from evacuating to Florida with the boyfriend from hell. Sciutto claims he's a mobster and, in all other ways (let's start with crude and intolerant), is a betrayal of every core value Darby has rescued from her tragic and treacherous family history. Furthermore, as she struggles in temporary quarters in shattered post-Katrina New Orleans, Darby also has to confront the same long-lost high-school classmates whose cruelty played a nasty role in her father’s death decades before. Fortunately for the reader, her grief and bewilderment are tempered by her quick wit and humorous take at even the darkest moments.
Fans of the trilogy will eat this one up, as the Cooper women, so often so far from each other emotionally, draw ever closer, finding just how strong the bonds of family and love can be. Having followed them this far, we know and love all their quirks, all their neuroses, almost all their jokes (but there are so many!). But here’s what we don't know--will they manage to overcome their differences and finally pull together? We’re betting on them!
Who will like it: Fans of Jewish fiction, especially quirky family life fiction, like The Royal Tenenbaums, the works of Jonathan Tropper, early Philip Roth (Good-bye Columbus), and those who appreciate humorous fiction and a witty turn of phrase in women’s fiction. The Cooper women are nothing if not sharp—and capable of trading the kind of barb that’s so true-to-life you almost don’t laugh. As always, Patty Friedmann’s sly, dark humor and knowing take on families—especially distressed ones—combine with her smooth, quirky writing for a witty and satisfying read.
But despite her success, family, as always, is complex and problematic. Letty, so loving in Too Jewish, has morphed into a self-centered and willful woman—far from the kind of wise bubbeh Darby expected for her daughter Honor. But it turns out Honor is very much Letty’s girl. However, Letty’s gone missing after the storm, leaving her daughter perplexed and ambivalent. Although not yet sad. Because Letty's pretty indomitable--your classic Tough Old Babe in designer clothes and teetering heels,
Still the traumatic search for Letty would be Darby's main post-storm event if Honor hadn’t come back from evacuating to Florida with the boyfriend from hell. Sciutto claims he's a mobster and, in all other ways (let's start with crude and intolerant), is a betrayal of every core value Darby has rescued from her tragic and treacherous family history. Furthermore, as she struggles in temporary quarters in shattered post-Katrina New Orleans, Darby also has to confront the same long-lost high-school classmates whose cruelty played a nasty role in her father’s death decades before. Fortunately for the reader, her grief and bewilderment are tempered by her quick wit and humorous take at even the darkest moments.
Fans of the trilogy will eat this one up, as the Cooper women, so often so far from each other emotionally, draw ever closer, finding just how strong the bonds of family and love can be. Having followed them this far, we know and love all their quirks, all their neuroses, almost all their jokes (but there are so many!). But here’s what we don't know--will they manage to overcome their differences and finally pull together? We’re betting on them!
Who will like it: Fans of Jewish fiction, especially quirky family life fiction, like The Royal Tenenbaums, the works of Jonathan Tropper, early Philip Roth (Good-bye Columbus), and those who appreciate humorous fiction and a witty turn of phrase in women’s fiction. The Cooper women are nothing if not sharp—and capable of trading the kind of barb that’s so true-to-life you almost don’t laugh. As always, Patty Friedmann’s sly, dark humor and knowing take on families—especially distressed ones—combine with her smooth, quirky writing for a witty and satisfying read.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2015
11 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Patty Friedmann
35 books36 followersPatty Friedmann is a darkly comic New Orleans novelist whose dozen works include the Amazon perennial bestseller Too Jewish and the celebrated Secondhand Smoke. Her essays, short stories, and reviews have appeared in Newsweek, Publishers Weekly, New Orleans Noir, Short Story, and Oxford American, among other places. A novel titled An Organized Panic and a collection of her stories titled Where Do They All Come From are 2017 releases. Patty has had two husbands, two children, and three grandchildren, and currently lives with an annoying philodendron.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 4, 2015
My favorite author ever!
I've never been sadder to finish reading a book as I am when I finish a Patty Friedmann book. I feel like I'm saying goodbye to my best friend. I fell in love with her novels as soon as I read her first book "Eleanor Rushing" and my love has grown with every new book she publishes.
I feel like I personally know Darby and Letty. I don't know if it feels the same in every city but they feel like they are my New Orleans friends and neighbors and after reading about them for the past couple of years it's going to feel like they moved away and I'm so sad to finish this series. I hope Mrs. Friedmann continues this saga in some way so we can get to know Honor and baby Werner as we have Darby and Letty.
If you haven't read Patty Friedmann you need to get all of her books today because you are definitely missing out! I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars.
I've never been sadder to finish reading a book as I am when I finish a Patty Friedmann book. I feel like I'm saying goodbye to my best friend. I fell in love with her novels as soon as I read her first book "Eleanor Rushing" and my love has grown with every new book she publishes.
I feel like I personally know Darby and Letty. I don't know if it feels the same in every city but they feel like they are my New Orleans friends and neighbors and after reading about them for the past couple of years it's going to feel like they moved away and I'm so sad to finish this series. I hope Mrs. Friedmann continues this saga in some way so we can get to know Honor and baby Werner as we have Darby and Letty.
If you haven't read Patty Friedmann you need to get all of her books today because you are definitely missing out! I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars.
July 18, 2022
nice way to end
Great characters. Great story. I enjoyed the trilogy. The author demonstrates a knowledge of how people think. I’m hooked. Sign me up for more.
Great characters. Great story. I enjoyed the trilogy. The author demonstrates a knowledge of how people think. I’m hooked. Sign me up for more.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews