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Idlewild #1
What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day
Acclaimed Playwright, essayist and columnist Pearl Cleage breaks new ground in African American women's literature--with a debut novel that sings and crackles with life-affirming energy as it moves the reader to laughter and tears.
As a girl growing up in Idlewild, Michigan, Ava Johnson had always heard that, if you were young, black, and had any sense at all, Atlanta was the place to be. So as soon as she was old enough and able enough, that was where she went--parlaying her smarts and her ambition into one of the hottest hair salons in town. In no time, she was moving with the brothers and sisters who had beautiful clothes, big cars, bigger dreams, and money in the bank.
Now, after more than a decade of elegant pleasures and luxe living, Ava has come home, her fabulous career and power plans smashed to bits on one dark truth. Ava Johnson has tested positive for HIV. And she's back in little Idlewild to spend a quiet summer with her widowed sister, Joyce, before moving on to finish her life in San Francisco, the most HIV-friendly place she can imagine.
But what she thinks is the end is only the beginning because there's too much going down in her hometown for Ava to ignore. There's the Sewing Circus--sister Joyce's determined effort to educate Idlewild's young black women about sex, drugs, pregnancy, whatever. . .despite the interference of the good Reverend Anderson and his most virtuous, "Just say no" wife. Plus Joyce needs a helping hand to make a loving home for Imani, an abandoned crack baby whom she's taken into her heart.
And then there's Wild Eddie, whose legendary background in violence combined with his Eastern gentility has stirred Ava's interest. . .and something more.
As a girl growing up in Idlewild, Michigan, Ava Johnson had always heard that, if you were young, black, and had any sense at all, Atlanta was the place to be. So as soon as she was old enough and able enough, that was where she went--parlaying her smarts and her ambition into one of the hottest hair salons in town. In no time, she was moving with the brothers and sisters who had beautiful clothes, big cars, bigger dreams, and money in the bank.
Now, after more than a decade of elegant pleasures and luxe living, Ava has come home, her fabulous career and power plans smashed to bits on one dark truth. Ava Johnson has tested positive for HIV. And she's back in little Idlewild to spend a quiet summer with her widowed sister, Joyce, before moving on to finish her life in San Francisco, the most HIV-friendly place she can imagine.
But what she thinks is the end is only the beginning because there's too much going down in her hometown for Ava to ignore. There's the Sewing Circus--sister Joyce's determined effort to educate Idlewild's young black women about sex, drugs, pregnancy, whatever. . .despite the interference of the good Reverend Anderson and his most virtuous, "Just say no" wife. Plus Joyce needs a helping hand to make a loving home for Imani, an abandoned crack baby whom she's taken into her heart.
And then there's Wild Eddie, whose legendary background in violence combined with his Eastern gentility has stirred Ava's interest. . .and something more.
244 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
371 people are currently reading
12176 people want to read
About the author
Pearl Cleage
42 books585 followersPearl Cleage is an African-American playwright, essayist, novelist, poet and political activist. She is currently the Playwright in Residence at the Alliance Theatre and at the Just Us Theater Company. Cleage is a political activist. She tackles issues at the crux of racism and sexism, and is known for her feminist views, particularly regarding her identity as an African-American woman. Her works are highly anthologized and have been the subject of many scholarly analyses. Many of her works across several genres have earned both popular and critical acclaim. Her novel What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day (1997) was a 1998 Oprah's Book Club selection.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 812 reviews
April 8, 2009
I picked this book up at a thrift store just because I liked the title. I almost quit reading after the first two pages, but I am glad I stuck with it. The plot is flat at times and it can be raw to the point of vulgarity, but hope shines through it all. This is definitely not the sort of book I normally read, but I liked it because of that.
Quotes I enjoyed:
"Sometimes you meet yourself on the road before you have a chance to learn the appropriate greeting. Faced with your own possibilities, the hard part is knowing a speech is not required. All you have to say is yes."
"And we danced too wild, and we sang too long, and we hugged too hard, and kissed too sweet, and threw back our heads and howled just as loud as we wanted to howl, because by now we were all old enough to know that what looks like crazy on an ordinary day looks a lot like love if you catch it in the moonlight."
Quotes I enjoyed:
"Sometimes you meet yourself on the road before you have a chance to learn the appropriate greeting. Faced with your own possibilities, the hard part is knowing a speech is not required. All you have to say is yes."
"And we danced too wild, and we sang too long, and we hugged too hard, and kissed too sweet, and threw back our heads and howled just as loud as we wanted to howl, because by now we were all old enough to know that what looks like crazy on an ordinary day looks a lot like love if you catch it in the moonlight."
March 9, 2008
Normally I run like crazy from an 'Oprah's book club' selection - finding them self-righteous and/or overwritten. What a nice surprise to discover that this book was neither!
I found myself emotionally engaged by Ava's situation and relationships and didn't tire of the narrative at all.
I guess I've learned a little about my own particular literary prejudices by enjoying this book much more than I expected!
I found myself emotionally engaged by Ava's situation and relationships and didn't tire of the narrative at all.
I guess I've learned a little about my own particular literary prejudices by enjoying this book much more than I expected!
August 17, 2015
Told in the first person, main character Ava Johnson returns to her hometown of Idlewild, Michigan. Ava up until recently lived in Atlanta, GA. However, after finding out that she is HIV positive, she ends up having to shut down her business after losing customers when her status is found out.
Ava is blunt, funny, and at times sad when she reminisces about growing up/being raised by her older sister and brother in law. Ava has plans to stay with her sister for just the summer before heading to San Francisco to live. She feels like her HIV status there won't be a problem and she can start anew.
However, returning home brings its own trials and tribulations.
Besides Ava, we have her big sister Joyce, their long-time friend Eddie, and a whole cast of younger women that live in Idlewild trying to do what they can to get by raising their young children. I liked the character of Joyce, who even though her own life had been hit with non-stop tragedy, was still doing what she could to make things better for those around her.You have Joyce doing her best to bring a sense of order to Idlewild by heading up her group that talks to young mothers about safe sex and how to protect themselves from assault.
I come from a small town that reminds me of Idlewild. No it, not solely black. However, the town is dying. It physically hurts me when I go home these days, because the houses that used to be full of parents and kids are now all boarded up. We have a large amount of crime and drug use is through the roof. It used to be that I could walk anywhere I wanted and I would know everyone and everyone would know me. Now there are strangers in every house that I pass, and most of them would not think twice about trying to rob me if they think I have anything expensive on me. It makes you sad to think of a place that was so alive starting to fall into disrepair. Idlewild is very much a town like this and to see all of the characters trying to do their best to keep the place alive feels frustrating since you know that they are not going to be able to do much to stem the tide.
I thought that Ms. Cleage's writing style was effortless. Everything flowed together so nicely that I found myself reading and reading and reading without taking breaks. In one sentence you would have something heart breaking said by Ava or another character, and in the next I would find something so funny that I would laugh out loud.
The setting of Idlewild comes alive to you and you can picture every house, the lake, the people in your head as you read. I thought that the ending was perfect and I was surprised to see that there was a sequel to this book, I Wish I Had a Red Dress (Idlewild #2). When I get some more free reading time, I will definitely read this sequel to see what happens to Ava, Joyce, Eddie, and everyone else in Idlewild, I Wish I Had a Red Dress (Idlewild #2).
Ava is blunt, funny, and at times sad when she reminisces about growing up/being raised by her older sister and brother in law. Ava has plans to stay with her sister for just the summer before heading to San Francisco to live. She feels like her HIV status there won't be a problem and she can start anew.
However, returning home brings its own trials and tribulations.
Besides Ava, we have her big sister Joyce, their long-time friend Eddie, and a whole cast of younger women that live in Idlewild trying to do what they can to get by raising their young children. I liked the character of Joyce, who even though her own life had been hit with non-stop tragedy, was still doing what she could to make things better for those around her.You have Joyce doing her best to bring a sense of order to Idlewild by heading up her group that talks to young mothers about safe sex and how to protect themselves from assault.
I come from a small town that reminds me of Idlewild. No it, not solely black. However, the town is dying. It physically hurts me when I go home these days, because the houses that used to be full of parents and kids are now all boarded up. We have a large amount of crime and drug use is through the roof. It used to be that I could walk anywhere I wanted and I would know everyone and everyone would know me. Now there are strangers in every house that I pass, and most of them would not think twice about trying to rob me if they think I have anything expensive on me. It makes you sad to think of a place that was so alive starting to fall into disrepair. Idlewild is very much a town like this and to see all of the characters trying to do their best to keep the place alive feels frustrating since you know that they are not going to be able to do much to stem the tide.
I thought that Ms. Cleage's writing style was effortless. Everything flowed together so nicely that I found myself reading and reading and reading without taking breaks. In one sentence you would have something heart breaking said by Ava or another character, and in the next I would find something so funny that I would laugh out loud.
The setting of Idlewild comes alive to you and you can picture every house, the lake, the people in your head as you read. I thought that the ending was perfect and I was surprised to see that there was a sequel to this book, I Wish I Had a Red Dress (Idlewild #2). When I get some more free reading time, I will definitely read this sequel to see what happens to Ava, Joyce, Eddie, and everyone else in Idlewild, I Wish I Had a Red Dress (Idlewild #2).
“What looks like crazy on an ordinary day looks looks a lot like love if you catch it in the moonlight.”
September 21, 2009
Not sure about this one. Started off boring enough to make me fall sleep. I knew it being an Oprah book I wouldn't be all about it. The story clunked along with not much to go on. It was very predictable, even in a world I'm not part of. I knew on every turn what was going to happen. Then the end happened....what the hell kind of ending was that? I felt like it just stopped.
I don't like when the epilogues explain quickly what should have been explained in more chapters. That bugged me. All of the writing was surface/generic. I didn't "care" about the characters...(except that poor baby at the end). It seemed like the author just wanted to get the story out there and didn't want to build on the characters except to tell you why they were/weren't bad.
It was a quick read anyway. :)
I don't like when the epilogues explain quickly what should have been explained in more chapters. That bugged me. All of the writing was surface/generic. I didn't "care" about the characters...(except that poor baby at the end). It seemed like the author just wanted to get the story out there and didn't want to build on the characters except to tell you why they were/weren't bad.
It was a quick read anyway. :)
March 13, 2020
This re-read from the '90s hit the spot: after living life as a successful, fun lovin' hairstylist in Atlanta, Ava Johnson tests positive for HIV. Word gets out, her clients dwindle, and soon Ava sells her salon with hopes to move to San Francisco, where people with the virus aren't stigmatized.
On the way, she stops in her hometown of Idlewild, Michigan to visit her recently retired and widowed sister, Joyce. A former social worker, Joyce runs a ministry at her church for young mothers who need support, sisterhood, and guidance. It's a hit for the women and their children, but the new pastor's wife hates it's popularity.
Throw in a decaying small town ravaged by drugs, church drama, an abandoned baby, unexpected love, and sisters who support each other no matter what, and you have a heartwarming story that you'll deeply wish was also a Netflix or Lifetime original movie so more could experience it's goodness.
What Looks Like Crazy on An Ordinary Day felt even better with age. I surely didnt understand the complicated reality in this book, nor did I understand its significance back in high school as I do now. Pearl Cleage packed her debut novel with fierce love for community, loyalty, purposeful living, intentional mentoring, self-care, and a whole lot of Black Girl Magic before we'd given it a name.
This was an Oprah Book Club selection in 1998. It's sequel, "I Wish I Had a Red Dress", followed in 2001.
I really, really want this to be a movie. I see Nicole Beharie as Ava, Angela Bassett as Joyce, and Mahershala Ali as family friend, Eddie 😉
On the way, she stops in her hometown of Idlewild, Michigan to visit her recently retired and widowed sister, Joyce. A former social worker, Joyce runs a ministry at her church for young mothers who need support, sisterhood, and guidance. It's a hit for the women and their children, but the new pastor's wife hates it's popularity.
Throw in a decaying small town ravaged by drugs, church drama, an abandoned baby, unexpected love, and sisters who support each other no matter what, and you have a heartwarming story that you'll deeply wish was also a Netflix or Lifetime original movie so more could experience it's goodness.
What Looks Like Crazy on An Ordinary Day felt even better with age. I surely didnt understand the complicated reality in this book, nor did I understand its significance back in high school as I do now. Pearl Cleage packed her debut novel with fierce love for community, loyalty, purposeful living, intentional mentoring, self-care, and a whole lot of Black Girl Magic before we'd given it a name.
This was an Oprah Book Club selection in 1998. It's sequel, "I Wish I Had a Red Dress", followed in 2001.
I really, really want this to be a movie. I see Nicole Beharie as Ava, Angela Bassett as Joyce, and Mahershala Ali as family friend, Eddie 😉
November 16, 2022
Um, where the hell did this book come from and why didn't anyone tell me to read it sooner?
What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day tells the story of Ava Johnson, a hair stylist who shuts down her salon after her HIV diagnosis gets to her clients. Considering this book was written and set in the 90s, the stigmatization of HIV/AIDS at that time made some people think that the virus could be spread through close contact (e.g., getting your hair cut) which is what ends up happening to Ava. She decides to move to a more inclusive place = San Francisco.. and on the way stops in her home town which is just north of Detroit.
So all of ^^ happens within a few pages and it is the remaining story takes place over the 3 months that Ava is staying in Idlewild. This book was gritty, real, and super freaking endearing. I fell in love with the characterization of Ava almost immediately: she was guarded, yet was able to eventually break down her walls. She was headstrong, passionate, and sure of herself. The other characters were also well created, from her sister, her love interest, and even the preacher/wife. The subject matter is still extremely relevant to today (which is honestly really sad... shouldn't we be further as a society?)
5 stars, fully deserved.
What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day tells the story of Ava Johnson, a hair stylist who shuts down her salon after her HIV diagnosis gets to her clients. Considering this book was written and set in the 90s, the stigmatization of HIV/AIDS at that time made some people think that the virus could be spread through close contact (e.g., getting your hair cut) which is what ends up happening to Ava. She decides to move to a more inclusive place = San Francisco.. and on the way stops in her home town which is just north of Detroit.
So all of ^^ happens within a few pages and it is the remaining story takes place over the 3 months that Ava is staying in Idlewild. This book was gritty, real, and super freaking endearing. I fell in love with the characterization of Ava almost immediately: she was guarded, yet was able to eventually break down her walls. She was headstrong, passionate, and sure of herself. The other characters were also well created, from her sister, her love interest, and even the preacher/wife. The subject matter is still extremely relevant to today (which is honestly really sad... shouldn't we be further as a society?)
5 stars, fully deserved.
February 10, 2017
This book has everything a good book should have: it's hilarious, the characters are people you'd want to hang out with for hours upon end, there's romance, and at least one character has devoted her life to making the world a better place. And I don't think it's much of a spoiler to say the plan is working. These characters are making their corner of the world a better place. And the whole book ends in a church, with everyone happy. The book is just perfect.
May 20, 2014
"Because what looks like crazy on an ordinary day can look like love howling if you see it in the moonlight"....this is the first cleage piece i read and it was supermoving...im already looking to collect all her work this was dope
June 19, 2015
What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day è un altro romanzo ricevuto tramite Bookmooch, su cui non avevo grandi aspettative e che non mi ha convinto completamente. Pearl Cleage affronta delle tematiche molto importanti con questo romanzo (l'HIV, la disoccupazione, la criminalità, le droghe, il sesso non protetto e le gravidanze indesiderate nella comunità afroamericana) e lo fa concentrandosi sul piccolo: le vicende della protagonista Ava, una parrucchiera di colore che torna al paese natale Idlewild, vicino a Chicago, dopo aver chiuso il suo negozio ad Atlanta, the black Mecca (così chiamavano una volta il ghetto di Harlem) a causa della diagnosi di HIV e del suo spargersi fra gli amici e soprattutto le clienti. Ad Idlewild è ospite della sorella, rimasta recentemente vedova dopo aver perso i suoi due figli, che solo ora sta ricominciando a credere alla vita, avendo deciso di lasciare il lavoro e di impegnarsi nel volontariato locale, grazie al premio assicurativo riscosso alla morte del marito.
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July 14, 2018
Fiery Ava Johnson's fast life as the owner of an Atlanta beauty parlor comes to a sudden end when she discovers that she is HIV positive. Shunned by her peers in Atlanta, Ava decides to start a new life in more broad-minded San Francisco--but first she visits her older sister, Joyce, at their childhood home in Idlewild, Mich. A former all-black resort, Idlewild is now just a small rural town crumbling fast under the weight of big city problems. Soon Ava's visit extends into something more permanent as she joins Joyce's efforts to teach teenage mothers. When one of the mothers abandons her baby, Joyce and Ava are granted temporary guardianship. Meanwhile, Ava meets Eddie, a tender-yet-tough introvert who has conquered his own demons and is willing to help Ava tackle hers. This work tackles serious subject matter with comedy and black sisterhood. The romance story line is a bit predictable, but given the protagonist's circumstances is entertaining and fulfilling. Great read!
March 25, 2012
An African American woman from a small town, living in a big city discovers something that changes her life and the way she views it forever…she was told she is HIV positive. Ava is a successful business woman, running her own salon in Atlanta. Her life may have been a bit full of sex partners, but she is a good woman and a hardworking woman. She feels, when told she is HIV positive, that the men she has had sex with deserve to know. So she sends out letters telling them all and telling them that they may want to get tested themselves to be sure they don’t have it too. She has no idea how long she has been carrying this disease, so she just sends out letters to any man she had sex with. She then continues on with life, dealing with the disease and trying to still run her salon. Which is working ok…until a man’s wife comes in screaming at her for sending out a letter like that to her husband and telling everyone that Ava has “the AIDS”. After this the salon goes under and Ava sells it for a wonderful price and moves back home to Idlewild, Michigan to be with her sister Joyce for the summer. Joyce (who has had rough times herself, losing her husband to an ice accident) is wonderful support for Ava and is more than willing to have her. While in Idlewild Ava has lots to deal with on top of dealing with her own sickness. Joyce is a “do-gooder” and “helper”, she thinks she can “fix” things just by caring enough to try to. Joyce has a club for young African American women/girls that is meant to help them better cope in life, called the Sewing Circus. This is a club through the local church.
While Ava is in Idlewild for the summer many things happen…Joyce is banned from having the Sewing Circus at the church because of a meeting that circled around ways to practice safe sex (by using jumbo hot dogs on chopsticks to practice putting condoms on). Also, a young mother addicted to crack has a baby with Joyce’s help, and leaves the hospital in the middle of the night…without the baby, never to come back again. The family of the girl doesn’t want the baby and is also a crack house, so Joyce gets temporary custody of the baby. Joyce and Ava come to love the baby and are bewildered when child services come out of the blue to take the baby back to give her to the family of the mother (because they found out there is money given to whoever takes care of the baby). On top of all that going on, the small town is now having break-ins, there is something weird going on with the Good Reverend and his wife from Chicago that just doesn’t seem right, the secret comes out in town that Ava is HIV positive and the boys in town make that news a living hell for Ava, AND Ava finds herself falling in love for the first time, but she is scared to because of knowing that her disease makes relationships hard and a future almost impossible. Ava and Joyce make it their goals to: keep the Sewing Circus together, even if it isn’t through the church; try to get an innocent baby out of the custody of a crack house on wanting her for the money; and digging in deeper to see what secrets the Good Reverend and his wife have. But can they do all that before it is too late? They learn that all of the goings on are connected to someone that they least expect. Can they save the baby before something bad happens to her? Can they keep the Sewing Circle together for supporting the women in it? Maybe there are some things that can’t be “fixed” by a loving woman who tries…or can they be? What about Ava and her new found relationship with Eddie? Will she tell him about her being HIV positive and risk losing yet another person in her life? If he doesn’t run from her and her disease can she bring herself to keep him in her life when she is doomed for death?
This book was amazing! I fell in love with the characters in this book. Ava was an exceptional character and woman in this book. She is strong in the face of her illness. She is determined not to let it beat her down. Ava has such strong support from her sister Joyce and friend Eddie that she decides Idlewild is where she is meant to stay, not move on after the summer. They help her see that things are worth fighting for and that love is a beautiful thing, no matter how short it may be. To give a summary of this book in a short version would be impossible, so much happens in this book. Even in my summary above I had to leave some things out. So much happens and so much is addressed. This book may be fiction, but it has a very true story plot and feel to it. As I read this book I found myself forgetting that is was indeed fiction. This was a very touching and enlightening read for me. I love that it’s main component was a disease that you hear about, but never really hear about as far as the lives of those that have it. This book has touched me in a way that is not easily described. I would highly recommend and have recommended this book to anyone.
5/5 Stars!
While Ava is in Idlewild for the summer many things happen…Joyce is banned from having the Sewing Circus at the church because of a meeting that circled around ways to practice safe sex (by using jumbo hot dogs on chopsticks to practice putting condoms on). Also, a young mother addicted to crack has a baby with Joyce’s help, and leaves the hospital in the middle of the night…without the baby, never to come back again. The family of the girl doesn’t want the baby and is also a crack house, so Joyce gets temporary custody of the baby. Joyce and Ava come to love the baby and are bewildered when child services come out of the blue to take the baby back to give her to the family of the mother (because they found out there is money given to whoever takes care of the baby). On top of all that going on, the small town is now having break-ins, there is something weird going on with the Good Reverend and his wife from Chicago that just doesn’t seem right, the secret comes out in town that Ava is HIV positive and the boys in town make that news a living hell for Ava, AND Ava finds herself falling in love for the first time, but she is scared to because of knowing that her disease makes relationships hard and a future almost impossible. Ava and Joyce make it their goals to: keep the Sewing Circus together, even if it isn’t through the church; try to get an innocent baby out of the custody of a crack house on wanting her for the money; and digging in deeper to see what secrets the Good Reverend and his wife have. But can they do all that before it is too late? They learn that all of the goings on are connected to someone that they least expect. Can they save the baby before something bad happens to her? Can they keep the Sewing Circle together for supporting the women in it? Maybe there are some things that can’t be “fixed” by a loving woman who tries…or can they be? What about Ava and her new found relationship with Eddie? Will she tell him about her being HIV positive and risk losing yet another person in her life? If he doesn’t run from her and her disease can she bring herself to keep him in her life when she is doomed for death?
This book was amazing! I fell in love with the characters in this book. Ava was an exceptional character and woman in this book. She is strong in the face of her illness. She is determined not to let it beat her down. Ava has such strong support from her sister Joyce and friend Eddie that she decides Idlewild is where she is meant to stay, not move on after the summer. They help her see that things are worth fighting for and that love is a beautiful thing, no matter how short it may be. To give a summary of this book in a short version would be impossible, so much happens in this book. Even in my summary above I had to leave some things out. So much happens and so much is addressed. This book may be fiction, but it has a very true story plot and feel to it. As I read this book I found myself forgetting that is was indeed fiction. This was a very touching and enlightening read for me. I love that it’s main component was a disease that you hear about, but never really hear about as far as the lives of those that have it. This book has touched me in a way that is not easily described. I would highly recommend and have recommended this book to anyone.
5/5 Stars!
February 9, 2016
I loved the book I felt extremely bad for the character Ava Johnson who was HIV positive. She felt judged and unwanted by society. But through tough times she went back to her hometown to refresh her mind and spend time with her strong sister Joyce. She unknowingly found true love and a new life she grew fund of.
July 16, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. I had no idea what I was getting into from the description of the book. Really, the book is about two sisters, black women, who live in Idlewild, MI. The book focuses a lot on their personal journeys and one of the main themes is healthy sexuality, and teaching girls about how to find themselves - I loved it!
June 12, 2018
Review to follow.
February 16, 2010
I grabbed it after i saw the Oprah book club circle at the top. I am very naughty. I am not an Oprah worshipper (never watched her show in entirety EVER) but after picking up books with the 'O' in the corner over the years and thoroughly enjoying them, it's an easy sell for me.
Well, it's not one of those typical Black books 'cook out/'sangin' at church/story revolving around some Biblical parable. So that's an A+. It has some 'erotica' without being vulgar and disgusting. Another A+. All the book seemed to suddenly deflate at the end somehow. It wasn't terrible. Wasn't great, but wasn't terrible either.
(don't think it should be a book of the month club choice but hey i don't make that call).
It's probably the only story about an AIDs patient who has a 'happy ending' I've ever read. And somehow the whole:
AVA: I have AIDS...
EDDIE: Do you want to have sex with me?
AVA: Yes...
EDDIE: we just have to use a condom right?
*passionate sex*
Seems VERY unrealistic. She didn't say she had the clap she said she had a disease that is INCURABLE and TERMINAL. You'll die a pretty hideous death. No matter how much you like someone starting off in a relationship, I think you'd want to wait at least a couple of days after hearing that have AIDs to hop in the sack. Or maybe I'm just a self-righteous prude.... But I guess it's good of the author to dispel the many misconceptions of AIDs.
Second, wasn't eddie in the military when Ava was only 8? So he's at least 10yrs older than her if not more. That's kinda gross having a relationship with best friend's wife's baby sister who he watched grow up... Man I am destroying this book! but it wasn't too bad, not too bad...
It did show Black men in wonderful light (by way of Eddie) and that dashing bit where he goes "If I can't protect you I can't love you" *turns into puddle of goo* If a man would say that to me earnestly, he could roll me home in a barrel (i'm probably joking)
I'm done!
Well, it's not one of those typical Black books 'cook out/'sangin' at church/story revolving around some Biblical parable. So that's an A+. It has some 'erotica' without being vulgar and disgusting. Another A+. All the book seemed to suddenly deflate at the end somehow. It wasn't terrible. Wasn't great, but wasn't terrible either.
(don't think it should be a book of the month club choice but hey i don't make that call).
It's probably the only story about an AIDs patient who has a 'happy ending' I've ever read. And somehow the whole:
AVA: I have AIDS...
EDDIE: Do you want to have sex with me?
AVA: Yes...
EDDIE: we just have to use a condom right?
*passionate sex*
Seems VERY unrealistic. She didn't say she had the clap she said she had a disease that is INCURABLE and TERMINAL. You'll die a pretty hideous death. No matter how much you like someone starting off in a relationship, I think you'd want to wait at least a couple of days after hearing that have AIDs to hop in the sack. Or maybe I'm just a self-righteous prude.... But I guess it's good of the author to dispel the many misconceptions of AIDs.
Second, wasn't eddie in the military when Ava was only 8? So he's at least 10yrs older than her if not more. That's kinda gross having a relationship with best friend's wife's baby sister who he watched grow up... Man I am destroying this book! but it wasn't too bad, not too bad...
It did show Black men in wonderful light (by way of Eddie) and that dashing bit where he goes "If I can't protect you I can't love you" *turns into puddle of goo* If a man would say that to me earnestly, he could roll me home in a barrel (i'm probably joking)
I'm done!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2012
What looks like beautiful is an ordinary novel,
I was excited when I started reading this book. The author has a good voice, a beautiful voice, an honest voice. But that is all it is. The main character is well defined, strong and believable. The beginning is exciting and new. But then the plot. oh, the plot. so thin, so predictable, so boring. I knew from the first clue how the book would end. The other characters are one dimensional, either all good or all bad and did I say the plot was thin. ok, I did. The preacher and his wife come off like cartoon characters and the romantic lead man both too good and too bad to be true.
The book is well written. This is not a complement as all books should be well written and this writer has talent. She could have done much better. Her voice is the voice of a poet, a queen, a prophet, however novels are not easy to write and it is easy to use words to please yourself and not your readers. Who said "You must kill your darlings" oh William Faulkner. This is good advice for the author. She fell in love with her language. Hell, I fell in love with her language, her aura of truth, until I realized it was all a dream, so real you don't realize how false it is until you wake up: in this case toward the end of the book.
Yes, I finished it but I was angry and unsatisfied, like when you expected a toy for Xmas and were given socks or the ice cream you just ate was low sugar. Writing a novel is not easy. I would have loved this as a memoir. or a poem, but not a novel. At the end, there are truths about living a honest life in the moment but the author doesn't follow her own advice. I felt tricked. I wanted more. I expected more from such a talented woman. I guess I just expect a lot from novelists. Treat your readers with more respect. I am sorry if this is a harsh review because I didn't hate the book. I just wanted so much to love it.
I was excited when I started reading this book. The author has a good voice, a beautiful voice, an honest voice. But that is all it is. The main character is well defined, strong and believable. The beginning is exciting and new. But then the plot. oh, the plot. so thin, so predictable, so boring. I knew from the first clue how the book would end. The other characters are one dimensional, either all good or all bad and did I say the plot was thin. ok, I did. The preacher and his wife come off like cartoon characters and the romantic lead man both too good and too bad to be true.
The book is well written. This is not a complement as all books should be well written and this writer has talent. She could have done much better. Her voice is the voice of a poet, a queen, a prophet, however novels are not easy to write and it is easy to use words to please yourself and not your readers. Who said "You must kill your darlings" oh William Faulkner. This is good advice for the author. She fell in love with her language. Hell, I fell in love with her language, her aura of truth, until I realized it was all a dream, so real you don't realize how false it is until you wake up: in this case toward the end of the book.
Yes, I finished it but I was angry and unsatisfied, like when you expected a toy for Xmas and were given socks or the ice cream you just ate was low sugar. Writing a novel is not easy. I would have loved this as a memoir. or a poem, but not a novel. At the end, there are truths about living a honest life in the moment but the author doesn't follow her own advice. I felt tricked. I wanted more. I expected more from such a talented woman. I guess I just expect a lot from novelists. Treat your readers with more respect. I am sorry if this is a harsh review because I didn't hate the book. I just wanted so much to love it.
July 17, 2011
Ava Johnson is almost the exact opposite of me. Seriously, we have nothing in common--but I was drawn to her character in just the first page of the novel, when she discloses her big secret. It's also nothing I can relate to, but intriguing nonetheless. She has undergone change since escaping the tiny Idlewild community, but comes back to discover that maybe change isn't always good. Her growth and progress through the novel were captivating, and Cleage really sucks you in to feeling as though you know Ava and all the other characters. Cleage's descriptions, although minimal, are enough to clarify specifics, but leave the rest up to the imagination. My favorite quote from the book, and the only one that explains the interesting title, is this:
"...because by now we were old enough to know that what looks like crazy on an ordinary day looks a lot like love if you catch it in the moonlight"
Oprah did a great job in picking this novel for her book club. I highly recommend it to anyone--no matter how opposite you are from Ava.
More at: http://leahslitandcoffee.blogspot.com/
"...because by now we were old enough to know that what looks like crazy on an ordinary day looks a lot like love if you catch it in the moonlight"
Oprah did a great job in picking this novel for her book club. I highly recommend it to anyone--no matter how opposite you are from Ava.
More at: http://leahslitandcoffee.blogspot.com/
February 11, 2021
I read this one years ago
And it is still one of the most profound books I have ever read. It isn't easy to explain the appeal for a book with this subject matter, but, this story speaks to me. I'm just happy I had the chance to enjoy this one again. Some parts I had forgotten about, but again, this one is amazing.
And it is still one of the most profound books I have ever read. It isn't easy to explain the appeal for a book with this subject matter, but, this story speaks to me. I'm just happy I had the chance to enjoy this one again. Some parts I had forgotten about, but again, this one is amazing.
March 1, 2023
Read this in October and thinking about it fondly today. Love greatly
August 29, 2023
Can’t wait to read more by her. Was shocked at the love interest woven in
October 16, 2024
First book i’ve finished all school year. This was for a class but actually pretty fire.
September 21, 2022
Whoa. This book was fantastic. Pearl (and I’m using her first name in it’s highest honor), has a great way of storytelling. Making you feel involved. Yearning for every word- not trying to miss a beat. I couldn’t put the book down (hence it’s quick reading). Pearl is such a master at writing in a way that makes you feel like someone is retelling the story to you irl. I couldn’t ask for a better ending. A better plot. A better anything. Pearl has done it all + then-some .
The topics explored + discussed in this book is very deep + I only would recommend to mature minds. Topics such as HIV/AIDS, Black-on-Black violence, just to name a few. Pearl is able to dice into these subjects and serve them to us on a plate. Educating you while entertaining you in a story that will have you hooked. (Imma stop here b/c I don’t wanna give away too much- just read it sis/bro.)
This is definitely one of my most fav reads this year and I’m eager to try and get my hands on the sequel to this series. Bravo.
xx,
V.
The topics explored + discussed in this book is very deep + I only would recommend to mature minds. Topics such as HIV/AIDS, Black-on-Black violence, just to name a few. Pearl is able to dice into these subjects and serve them to us on a plate. Educating you while entertaining you in a story that will have you hooked. (Imma stop here b/c I don’t wanna give away too much- just read it sis/bro.)
This is definitely one of my most fav reads this year and I’m eager to try and get my hands on the sequel to this series. Bravo.
xx,
V.
November 24, 2023
It's not a complicated plot, and neither are the characters, but there are such beautiful turns of phrase throughout the book that I loved it. It was the kind of story that gets you so angry that you're shaking, but you keep reading because you know that your feelings will be avenged. (I don't think that's a spoiler exactly, as the whole time there wasn't a doubt in my mind that that was going to happen, and sometimes you just need to know that when you're reading a book.)
Ava must leave Atlanta as she found out that she had HIV, then was outed, and soon no one wanted to come to her salon anymore. She stopped back at home in Idlewild, only intending to stay for a few weeks, but the problems in the once idylic town had gotten so bad, that she had to stay and help her sister try and make things a little better.
I had only heard of Idlewild because of the arts school, Interlochen, I never knew about it's history. It was fascinating to learn about it and watch as it played it's own character in the story.
Ava must leave Atlanta as she found out that she had HIV, then was outed, and soon no one wanted to come to her salon anymore. She stopped back at home in Idlewild, only intending to stay for a few weeks, but the problems in the once idylic town had gotten so bad, that she had to stay and help her sister try and make things a little better.
I had only heard of Idlewild because of the arts school, Interlochen, I never knew about it's history. It was fascinating to learn about it and watch as it played it's own character in the story.
April 26, 2024
After setting aside my initial bias that this was Diary of a Mad Black Woman but with HIV instead of an abusive husband as the main chapter’s breaking point, this novel was insightful, filled with practical, simple joy & heartbreaking realities.
Written almost conversationally, this story follows Ava from her wild oat sowing days in Atlanta her the return to her hometown of Idlewild in Michigan. The contrasts between these two locales seems obvious, but on closer inspection of ‘the world we live in’ they are the same in all the wrong ways.
Cleage does a masterful job of detailing the struggles of young Black Americans without preaching or demonizing. She also weaves Ava’s story & that of her sister & new love as they work to restore dignity & hope to as many of the young people they can!
Inspirational but practical, Cleage’s novel has the perfect balance of laugh & cry that make life the roller coaster it is.
Written almost conversationally, this story follows Ava from her wild oat sowing days in Atlanta her the return to her hometown of Idlewild in Michigan. The contrasts between these two locales seems obvious, but on closer inspection of ‘the world we live in’ they are the same in all the wrong ways.
Cleage does a masterful job of detailing the struggles of young Black Americans without preaching or demonizing. She also weaves Ava’s story & that of her sister & new love as they work to restore dignity & hope to as many of the young people they can!
Inspirational but practical, Cleage’s novel has the perfect balance of laugh & cry that make life the roller coaster it is.
December 1, 2018
This story really had me second guessing if I'd ever been truly seen and deeply loved. I got a little teary in a few places (don't tell anyone though). Pearl Cleage has a gift for crafting three dimensional characters that you can visualize through her descriptions. The book definitely kept me engaged the whole time. Great storytelling. I will say at times it fell into conservative tropes about individual responsibility and dangerous black men, but thankfully it didn't distract from an overall good read.
July 21, 2008
I really liked this book. I bought it not knowing she came recommended from Oprah (I usually like Oprah's picks a lot) and just ended up loving it. Not a slow read by any means and I liked that it kept going without getting me bored at all.
August 5, 2017
This is not the type of book I would normally pick up, but it was a fun, quick beach/vacation read that addressed some serious topics (HIV/AIDS, child abuse, and the crack epidemic, among others).
January 8, 2019
Read this book in undergrad for an African American Pros class and loved it! Was not what I expected for a class read and a welcome change!
December 4, 2019
A surprising combination of beach read + gritty drama, but it worked.
August 18, 2021
Once you get that first glimpse of another way of looking at things, you can't get enough. p134
Faced with your own possibilities, the hard part is knowing a speech is not required. All you have to do is say yes. p149m
Considering I liked this book so much that I immediately ordered the sequel; and that I already read and returned it a few weeks ago, it seems fitting that I write this review before that one. It may be too late; the books conflate in my mind somewhat and even with different narrators, the story continues fairly seamlessly.
Idlewood was once a prosperous community for Black families but over the years the demographic has shifted and the community faces the same extremes and problems as any big urban centre in a crumbling system that does nothing to ensure the well being of those who live in poverty.
We had bought all this stuff to help us calm down and we were working ourselves into a frenzy just trying to figure out how to use it....I CONSIDER doing them all the time, but I rationalize by thinking they'd be so EASY to do if I ever really wanted to do them. Which is bullshit of course since one of them would require a major redirecting of energy. p60
One of the really good things about meditating is that it helps you spot your own bullshit must faster. The bad thing is, sometimes a little harmless b.s. is quite a pleasant diversion from what are invariably the much harsher realities.....p108
But Ava Johnson, who is a reliable if unconventional narrator and her sister Joyce , who gets to narrate the next book, are not the type to be content with self-care routines and no where to go.
Creating the Sewing Circus for the mostly Black and Brown teenage moms so they could stay in school, extended their community of care.
Lessons everywhere ...flying around like birds, but you ain't even take a minute to check 'em out 'cause you're moving too fast cutting you a path....you in here now...to slow your ass down. p119
Ten things Every Free Woman Should Know
1) How to grow food and flowers
2}How to prepare food nutritiously
3)self defense
4)Basic first-aid/sex ed/ midwifery
5) child care
6) basic literacy/math/computer skills
7)defensive driving/map reading/ basic auto and home repairs
8) household budget/ money management
9)spiritual practice
10) physical fitness/ health/ hygiene
p158
plus three addendums: Don't fuck with people you don't like
If it's hurting you, it shouldn't be exciting to him.
Don't fake, demonstrate p161
The biggest thing the young mothers are learning of course is a sense of agency and the power of sisterhood. Pearl Cleage has a rare ability to inject a lightness of being into the stories behind the statistics. Her optimism is perfectly balanced by her skepticism which makes for the kind of reading where the reader might find themself laughing helplessly and sobbing on the same page.
More laughter than tears, unless you are prone to cry over racism and systemic injustice.
They're training people to look at this for fun....They're going to make them love the shit, and once you learn to love it, it doesn't make any difference what it is. You just love it. p128
Faced with your own possibilities, the hard part is knowing a speech is not required. All you have to do is say yes. p149m
Considering I liked this book so much that I immediately ordered the sequel; and that I already read and returned it a few weeks ago, it seems fitting that I write this review before that one. It may be too late; the books conflate in my mind somewhat and even with different narrators, the story continues fairly seamlessly.
Idlewood was once a prosperous community for Black families but over the years the demographic has shifted and the community faces the same extremes and problems as any big urban centre in a crumbling system that does nothing to ensure the well being of those who live in poverty.
We had bought all this stuff to help us calm down and we were working ourselves into a frenzy just trying to figure out how to use it....I CONSIDER doing them all the time, but I rationalize by thinking they'd be so EASY to do if I ever really wanted to do them. Which is bullshit of course since one of them would require a major redirecting of energy. p60
One of the really good things about meditating is that it helps you spot your own bullshit must faster. The bad thing is, sometimes a little harmless b.s. is quite a pleasant diversion from what are invariably the much harsher realities.....p108
But Ava Johnson, who is a reliable if unconventional narrator and her sister Joyce , who gets to narrate the next book, are not the type to be content with self-care routines and no where to go.
Creating the Sewing Circus for the mostly Black and Brown teenage moms so they could stay in school, extended their community of care.
Lessons everywhere ...flying around like birds, but you ain't even take a minute to check 'em out 'cause you're moving too fast cutting you a path....you in here now...to slow your ass down. p119
Ten things Every Free Woman Should Know
1) How to grow food and flowers
2}How to prepare food nutritiously
3)self defense
4)Basic first-aid/sex ed/ midwifery
5) child care
6) basic literacy/math/computer skills
7)defensive driving/map reading/ basic auto and home repairs
8) household budget/ money management
9)spiritual practice
10) physical fitness/ health/ hygiene
p158
plus three addendums: Don't fuck with people you don't like
If it's hurting you, it shouldn't be exciting to him.
Don't fake, demonstrate p161
The biggest thing the young mothers are learning of course is a sense of agency and the power of sisterhood. Pearl Cleage has a rare ability to inject a lightness of being into the stories behind the statistics. Her optimism is perfectly balanced by her skepticism which makes for the kind of reading where the reader might find themself laughing helplessly and sobbing on the same page.
More laughter than tears, unless you are prone to cry over racism and systemic injustice.
They're training people to look at this for fun....They're going to make them love the shit, and once you learn to love it, it doesn't make any difference what it is. You just love it. p128
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