Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime: Stories

by J. California Cooper

Whether through her stories or her legendary readings, J. California Cooper has an uncanny ability to reach out to readers like an old and dear friend.  Her characters are plain-spoken and simple people for whom life, despite its ever-present struggles, is always worth the journey.

In Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime, Cooper's characteristic themes of romance, heartbreak, struggle and faith resonate.  We meet Darlin, a self-proclaimed femme fatale who uses her wiles to try to find a husband; MLee, whose life seems to be coming to an end at the age of forty until she decides to set out and see if she can make a new life for herself; Kissy and Buddy, both trying and failing to find them until they finally meet each other; and Aberdeen, whose daughter Uniqua shows her how to educate herself and move up in the world.

These characters and others offer inspiration, laughter, instruction and pure enjoyment in what is one of J. California Cooper's finest story collections.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, African American, Black Literature, Adult Fiction, Anthologies, Literary Fiction

273 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

J. California Cooper first found acclaim as a playwright. The author of seventeen plays, she was named Black Playwright of the Year in 1978. It was through her work in the theater that she caught the attention of acclaimed poet and novelist Alice Walker. Encouraged by Walker to turn her popular storytelling skills to fiction, Cooper wrote her first collection of short stories, A Piece of Mine, in 1984. Called "rich in wisdom and insight" and "a book that's worth reading," A Piece of Mine introduced Cooper's trademark style: her intimate and energetic narration, sympathetic yet sometimes troubled characters, and the profound moral messages that underlie seemingly simple stories. Two more story collections followed on the heels of A Piece of Mine. In 1986 came Homemade Love, winner of an American Book Award, and, in 1987, Some Soul to Keep.

Reviews

[Nilguen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evocative story-telling at its best!

Inspiring short stories wrapped in a creative, lively, fresh and mind-sticking writing style! Each short story is contains soulful characters touching one´s heart. ❤️

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[Nea · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with everything J. California Cooper writes, these stories have soul. You feel the joy, the pain, and everything in between. The characters jump off the page and right into your heart. Still, I must admit that one of the stories in this collection did not measure up.

It's the one about the man with a too big penis and the woman with a too big vagina. Hmmm. Was that story added just for comic relief? Was the author high? If so, she shared her drug of choice with the book publisher. The story's conclusion was obvious; and I felt nothing for the protagonist, a woman who spent her life looking for a man who could LITERALLY fill her up. WTH?!?!?!

To my relief, the other stories in this collection more than made up for the wacko one. My favorite was The Bank of Life, from which I withdrew this quote: "You got to pay your dues, too. So you be careful how you live and what goes in that Bank of Life. You are going to get it back … someday.”

I'll close this review with my absolute favorite quote from a story in this book: "There is always some beauty in life. Look up … and get on with it. Build you a rainbow. Do it yourself! If you can’t do that, build your mind near one. Learn how to fly. Then … soar a little."

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

These were stories of people I knew. Of people I was related to. I laughed, I felt sad, but CHILE! I FELT.

Outstanding collection of stories that really serve as a reflection of black relationships. Love and loss, bad endings as well as good. Some people who can't get out their own way, and some people who figured out a way to go before life passed them by.

I imagine I'll read this over and over again...

[Octavia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Collection of stories by J. California Cooper. I would read her books at any given time. My favorite was "Do-It- Yourself Rainbows" 🌈 . This author can articulate a story about faith, romance, hurt and pain to readers just like you are sitting with you face to face. And, she leaves your Heart so very Full with Joy each and every moment at the conclusion with her charcters ❤️.

[Darkowaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

!!! https://africanbookaddict.com/2016/08...
I kinda wish there was more variety to the stories. I can only remember 3 stories out of this collection. The rest were predictable and quite simple, without much depth- in my opinion. But I do look forward to reading her full novels, in the future. Maybe i'd enjoy those more.

[Sunny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read a few of these short stories and you’ve got the gist which is; if you are “respectable” you can get a good man who will love you and take care of you for the rest of your life or you will live a good life in the end.
Oh and you need to have socially acceptable dreams and ambitions to have a happy life such as completing college, buying or owning a home etc. According to the virtue signals in this book, a life isn’t worth life if it’s not done “right”. This messaging grated on my nerves. I could hardly finish it.
I pressed on because in effort to read through the lens of the times written by the author, considering her age and her background. That’s the only way I could get through all of the dogma.

3.0 🌟 from me because it’s recommendable.

Who would like this book?

-deeply religious folks who live life according to set rules

-people who really enjoy seeing others get their come uppence

-people who stand for J. California Cooper

-people who adhere strictly to rules and mores society has set before them and believe others should be punished for not abiding by these standards

-people who enjoy southern dialect and this time period (I enjoy southern dialect but it wasn’t done well in this book. Dialect was only depicted in misspellings (ie. “bliving” instead of believing ) or lengthening words (de…ter…mined) NOT pronunciation or idioms (ie. Horse of a different color)

-people who can’t get enough of Tyler Perry drama movie

So my mom would love this book!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are those times when you found and read a book you didn't expect to enjoy. I was bit apprehensive to read this book at first knowing that this book is a short story collection. I am not a fan of short story collection type of books because I thought they won't have that flow that I am looking for when I read a novel. I just pick this one up on a whim hoping that this will take me off my reading slump.

And yes, I was wrong about my judgement about short story collection type of books. I learned that instead of me looking into the specific stories of the book I must look into to the general theme the whole book wants to relay to its readers. Yes, the book will lack flow since each story is different but the overall impact of the stories as a whole didn't fall short.

I guess it's now becoming a trend for me that those books that I didn't expect to enjoy are the ones that really hits me hard after reading them and those that I have high expectations fall short.

The book is a collection of 10 short stories written from the perspective of black women's hard (but usually rewarding) life's journeys, living in the American South in the fifties. With love as the central theme, Joan California Cooper is very effective in letting me experience the lives of black women in America on that era. The author told her stories from an on-lookers point-of-view which I enjoyed because it seems like I'm one the character's new neighbors getting the story from a co-neighbor which also makes the story easier to understand and relate to. What the stories have in common is the presence of strong women who overcome obstacles and went through a lot of experiences in their lives and ended up far better than their previous situations. Each story is compelling.

The stories in the book are stories of real people, their struggles and their hope. It's very easy to connect to them because how it was narrated was wonderfully made. You feel down when they fall and celebrate with them on the characters' redemption and successes. It's like each story can be extended to become a novel itself.

The author writes flawlessly. The use of simple words made me feel the writing more. The author also did not fail to develop her characters, settings and scenes during the 50's era making the book have historical significance. It's like along the way I'm with the character's journey. Never was there a dull moment. The book is full of emotions and very engaging. Every story share how love causes some pain, some love sometimes and that life never ends until one dies.

I can't praise this book enough. Despite, the book, catering to woman, I as a man didn't feel awkward at all in reading it because the central them of the book caters to both men and women. That is love.

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would not call this a book of short stories - they read more like long form short stories. And yes, they are really about Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime. Each of the stories centered on Black women navigating love; love of men, love of children, love of control, and love of self. J. California Cooper has a style of writing that is so fresh that I am having a difficult time truly describing it. This book offers real life lesson - I've highlighted several passages in each of the stories. This book was a great follow up to Family. I would recommend it to a friend.

[Shanae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of short stories is brilliant. Cooper did a magnificent job capturing the lives, emotions, and problems of Black women in America. I found each story touching and compelling. The horror, the love, and the pain each of the women in these stories experienced is so gripping that I found myself completely lost in the stories. I enjoy each story so much, I don't even have a favorite - they are all so amazing!! The first story, "Femme Fatale" will hook you and you'll find yourself just like me: waiting for the chance to open the book and pick up where you left off. I definitely recommend this book because the writing, plots, and historical significance of these stories cannot be ignored. As a lover of women writers and African American fiction, I may be biased because Cooper writes stories that fit perfectly into my literary niche. But beyond my preferences, as an avid reader and one who drinks the English language like it water, I'm telling you that this is one of, if not the best, collection of short stories I have ever read.

[Sarah Swedberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

J. California Cooper could write the pants off any reader. Her stories were brilliant. For me, however, they didn't resonate despite the beautiful prose since the stories were so often about finding a man, a subject in which I have very little interest. I wanted to see her characters strutting around the page independently, doing all the things they were doing, without worrying about finding a lover man.

[Jacqueline O. Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Number one

Wow, this book is still very refreshing and dynamic. I have read it before but decided to read it again. She's my favorite author and I enjoy all of her books. Anything new out there?

[Winter Sophia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Empowering, Inspirational, Eye Opening & Heartwarming! An Awesome Read! I Loved It!

[Crystal (Melanatedreader) Forte' · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories are so rich. Easily one of my favorite short story collections. So good!

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The collection of short stories by J. California Cooper was very inspirational and entertaining! She developed her characters with great ease and talent. She never told a dull story, or a story I couldn't relate to in some way... she did a fantastic job in setting the scene, and delivering the message in each story. All the stories had a way of seeming very familiar, and caused you to just delve right into the plot, not wanting to put the book down. Every story shared how love causes some pain, some love, sometimes.

J. California Cooper told her stories from an on-lookers point-of-view. Which is unique because the stories come from friends or neighbors who had an invested interest or cared about the main character in each story. The main characters in this book were all young women trying to find love... however, it would be interesting to see the male perspective in finding love as well.

Overall, 5 out of 5! On my Top 10 list!

[Rambles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book narrated with a heavy American South drawl! The style of writing can cause problems and it took a while for me to pick up the meaning of some words, but I'm so pleased that I stuck with it.
In brief it's a collection of short stories written from the perspective of black women living, often hard, lives in the American South in the fifties. Each story could be considered a parable on what can happen if you make the wrong choices in the relationships you have.
Many of the men in these stories are negatively portrayed and there are few positive men in here.
What these tales do have in abundance though are strong women who overcome obstacles in their lives and end up in better places as a result of their experiences.
A wonderful book, that I wholeheartedly suggest that you read.

[Jamesia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was first a bit turned off by the folksy narration but I am glad I got past that because this book has served as an excellent depiction of what real love is! It is one of the most influential books of my personal understanding of love outside of the Bible. It illustrates the most challenging element of love, "long-suffering." I think I learned a bit more about how to better love and protect myself and to look for love in peoples' actions and not just in what can be hollow meaningless words.

This book changed my life and I think I read it at just the right time in my life...fresh out of college, living the single life in Atlanta.

[coffeedog]

Sometimes even your best friend hesitates to tell you when she/he knows you're playin' a fool, but in this book of rollicking stories, you may see yourself in a few, and Ms. Cooper will be your new best friend for pointing things out to you. Even after 20+ years of marriage, I could still find useful insights ("wake up, girl!") into life, love, and perseverance. You can sink real low, but nobody can KEEP you there but yourself. Ms. Cooper gives literary voice to a large number of African American women, and her writing is as meaningful (and maybe more so) to those who are not African American women.

[Cassandra Hawkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime leaves you evaluating friendships, relationships, and life. I love the storytelling technique J. California Cooper uses to draw you into each story. A compilation of stories, Some Love, Some Pain, Sometime are not as short as the stories in A Piece of Mine, but the stories are somewhat similar.

J. California Cooper is a wonderful author, who exposes you to life lessons of others, which you can apply. Thanks to this book I evaluated my own life. Striving to change some things, I can credit J. California Cooper with making it real for me!

What life lessons have you learned that had a huge impact on your life?

[Not Now...Mommy's Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I had read this short story collection by my favorite author J. California Cooper - but apparently I had not. Again, Ms. Cooper delivers in only a way she can! She writes in such a way that you feel as though you are sitting down on the front porch with a neighbor as they point out the going ons in the life and loves of other neighborhood folks. I loved the opening story, Femme Fatale and felt the ending story A Will and A Way was the perfect ending to the bittersweet tales. Another job well done by an amazing author!

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book! Reminded me a little bit of Zora Neale Hurston in both the style and the feminist overtones, but Cooper's touch is more conversational and intimate. Usually reading short stories turns me off, but each of hers felt so "full" and colorful that you didn't feel prematurely severed from the plot (which is usually my gripe); I felt like I was always stepping in and out of a well developed character's life. Very nice!

[Booklyn Zoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was fabulous. the stories were so real and so "everyday"---for lack of a better description. i saw pieces of myself and a lot of women i know in every single story. the one drawback is that the stories were all very similar. there weren't any stark contrasts. overall, i love this book and have added it to my list of personal favorites.

[Quisha Light · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just one of many collection of short stories by J. California Cooper. Her method of story telling and character development speaks to my life, experiences, history, womanhood and so much more. These stories our timeless and the characters could be many of the people I know and love. I feel as though I'm sitting at my grandmother's feet listening to her tell me stories.

[Tammy · Rating 2 out of 5]

a bit depressing and yet slightly inspiring... the characters start in very low places for various reasons, but they all seem to find themselves or what they've been searching for in life by the end of the stories. Searching for love- of self and with others seems to be the key them..... couldn't read all the short stories as they seemed in essence to be about the same thing.....

[Ky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read but chile! It went too fast! Stories were short but full, I didn't feel cheated after reading them. My only complaint would be the similarity of the stories. I love men as much as the next woman but sheesh! So many men, so many problems. I must say though, there is plenty of wisdom to be taken from these pages. Young women, read up!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally took this book out from the library, not knowing what to expect. It became like a good friend. I felt like the author was my mother (and I need one). It gives good advice and good instructions for living. Books like this are rare. This would make a good gift.

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was my first introduction to J. California Cooper and it was enough to whet my appetite. These short stories made me chuckle, cry and everything in-between. Not as engaging as her other novels, but worth reading nonetheless.

[Deborah Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

All her books are excellent. I love the way she develops relationships in the books. The characters are full bodied and realistic. Not just cut and dried romance. You always learn something from Ms. Coopers stories.

[January Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

The tone of this book is as warm and comforting as a large mug of hot coffee with lots of sugar and milk in the kitchen of your best friend's house. Cooper speaks to the reader so she's completely engaging. I'm charmed.

[Sixrs cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far this book is so good. Short stories that are truly engaging and make you think about the pain you go through while loving. Yes, love can hurt so good (smile). I'm truly enjoying it, almost finished and will start Homemade Love probably tonight!

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each story was wonderful and in every situation you think " I know a woman like that" or " I know a woman in that situation" It was hard for me to put this book down and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Oh what a learning experince for women young and old.