Cotton

by Christopher Wilson

Lee Cotton is a black boy born white-skinned in segregated Eureka, Mississippi, in 1950. Over the course of Lee's first twenty years, he will fall in love with the daughter of a local Klansman, get kicked senseless and left for dead on a freight train headed north, end up in St. Louis as a white man, and be drafted into the psych-ops corps in Nevada. There, a drunken accident will separate Lee from another part of his identity and change his fate yet again. Before he returns to Mississippi, he will experience up close and personal the women's liberation movement and the dawn of the Lesbian Nation.

Lee Cotton's voice-equal parts Delta Blues and Motown-takes us on an exhilarating freedom ride through America's preoccupation with identity politics. His funny, forgiving charm ultimately embodies a serious The freaks and oddities of this world may well be divine.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Book Club, Southern, LGBT, Contemporary, Literature

314 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Christopher Wilson has written several novels, including - Gallimauf's Gospel, Baa, Blueglass, Mischief, Fou, The Wurd, The Ballad of Lee Cotton, Nookie, and The Zoo. His work has been translated into several languages, adapted for the stage, long-listed for the Booker Prize, twice shortlisted for the Whitbread Fiction Prize, and shortlisted for the Historical Writers Association Gold Crown.

Chris wrote a doctorate on the psychology of humour at The London School of Economics, worked as a research psychologist at University College London, The London Hospital and The Arts Council, and lectured for ten years at London University Goldsmiths College. He has taught creative writing in prisons, at university and for The Arvon Foundation.

Reviews

[Book Concierge · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5*

Originally published in the United Kingdom as The Ballad Of Lee Cotton

Leifur Nils Kristjansson Saint Marie du Cotton (called Lee) is born to a mixed-race mother and an Icelandic fisherman father. From his father he gets his white complexion, blond-white hair and startling blue eyes. From his mother he gets his identity as black. Born in segregated Mississippi in 1950, it’s the “black” that counts, not his white skin. Lee also inherits a gift for “seeing” from his Grandmother Celeste. He can hear other people’s thoughts and while this sometimes helps him it mostly confuses him.

I was intrigued by this idea of a “white-skinned black boy” in the segregated South of the mid-20th century. I wanted to see how his special gifts would help him as he moved through life. But the novel took a decided turn for the weird.

After he is nearly beaten to death, Lee awakens in a Missouri hospital. He’s without identification and his head injury makes him rather incoherent. Going along with the assumptions of the hospital staff, Lee begins life as a white man. Until another accident …. Let’s just say that Lee changes skin color and/or gender like some women change hair color. Oh, wait ... he does that, too.

Wilson is a British man, living in London. I’m not sure how – or why – he chose to write about America’s segregated South. While the premise was intriguing, for me, the execution failed to deliver. I will say this about the writing. Wilson gives Lee a unique voice – with an odd mixture of local dialect and educated English. Lee’s a great reader and student of literature, sprinkling his observations of life with references to a variety of works from Huckleberry Finn to Madame Bovary.

On the whole, however, I found this just too fantastically absurd to be believed. I never warmed up to Lee or any of the other characters, and I found it a chore to finish.

[Kats · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a surprising(ly great) book this was - a book club choice that nobody had heard of before, and all of us agreed it was a gripping and highly entertaining read.

Five stars from me: one star for research, one star for use of language, one star for sheer originality, one star for making me laugh out loud, often in disbelief, and finally one star for making me care deeply for such an oddball protagonist.

I'm intrigued that (why) the US edition was, once again, released under a different title, and why it is not merged with its UK counterpart on Goodreads, and most intriguing that the US readership clearly didn't rate this book as highly as the European one. (At the point of writing this review, the UK edition's average rating is 4.13 whereas the US edition averages 3.33 - quite a difference.) Interesting!

[emi gonzalez · Rating 3 out of 5]

i totally forgot about this book until i looked back at my snap memories from 2 years ago today. one of the weirdest books i ever read but honestly i recommend lowkey bc it’s such a mindfuck

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "Cotton" Christopher Wilson introduces us to the remarkable Leifur Nils Kristjansson Saint Marie du Cotton...he goes by Lee Cotton for short. Born to a mixed race mother and Icelandic fisherman father, he arrives in rural Mississippi as racial tensions reach the critical level of change in the 1950's. His mother doesn't quite know what to do with him. Walking around in a small Southern town spanking a "white" kid isn't exactly accepted behavior for black women during that time period. So in public he is her "master's" son, while in private she does her best to raise this strange son who hears voices and has an unusual outlook on the world. Encouraged by his eccentric grandmother, shadowed by the KKK who have tabs on this "black infiltrator" who might compromise their white women like Elvis Presley did, and head over heels in love with his high school sweetheart Lee is on the brink of life changing events. At times borderline unbelievable, quite often laugh-out-loud funny, and thought-provoking, "Cotton" is an extremely well written tale of the struggles Americans have gone through during the 20th century whether black/white or male/female.

Pros: Wilson writes prose and dialogue that is a pleasure to read. The storyline flows very well.
~~Lee almost seemed to come to life, and by the mid-point of the novel I truly cared what happened to him.
~~The interweave of magic and religion was reminiscent of the deep South and added an interesting level to the novel.

Cons: As other readers have mentioned, the last 1/3 of the novel took some strange turns and made suspending disbelief difficult.

Quote: "You must try not to disrespect people, Phoenix."
"Yeah?" He blinks surprised. "Why's that?"
"Because everyone's got dignity. We're all the same under the skin."
"Even poor or ugly people?"
"It makes no difference."
"What if they're stupid or smelly?" He frowns, trying to untangle the puzzle. "Black or yellow?"
"They're equal, all the same."
"Yeah?"--he blinks busy--"No one's ever told me *that* before."

Highly recommended!!

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin Free provides the perfect voice for Cotton in the audio version of this fable about an American who experiences almost every form of discrimination and prejudice in American society. The story is sometimes hilarious, and at other times it is heartbreaking. It is a story that I will long remember. The audio version is highly recommended. Thank you, Karin!
I see in it a modern day parable or allegory. Cotton experienced almost every form of prejudice first hand. The weird "angel"ending made me fully realize the writer's intent and the overall message of the story. An extended fable or satire and comment on society. The author had a great idea and was clever in creating the transformations, and that he also gave Cotton a humorous and authentic voice. A sort of Gulliver in America. It all came together in a very satisfying way for me.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting, almost outlandish book that explores the idea of identity - racial and gender identity, specifically - in some pretty unique ways, from the point of view of someone named Lee Cotton as they grow up and make their way through life. It was compelling because of the dramatic life-changing events that occur in the pages, but I found it wanting in the identity analysis department. It certainly explored these issues, but the way it did it was somewhat superficial and never really challenged or confronted the issues of discrimination in anything but superficial ways. It had more of a wacky road trip feel to it, and I was hoping for a louder civic justice thread in the narrative.

[Samantha Henthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time I have read this book, which I think says a lot for the book, just as enjoyable, if not more so the second time around. Lee Cotton gives his mother a shock when he is born, and again due to a life changing incident with the baseball bat wielding father of his girlfriend, written of the place and time, 1950s deep south America. Lee Cotton is then subject to a series of medically possible, but a-typical events. His various transformation becomes a believable, beautifully written, slightly satirical observation of humankind and how race, sexuality, gender and intellect have been viewed, judged and shamed. Lee Cotton is a beautiful soul, having seen all sides, he seeks no revenge, he's an angel. Read this book immediately everyone!

[Rula Zein-Iddin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very entertaining read. From the outset you think this will be a story that's been told before - incredibly its not. The author has actually created a very unique (in more ways than one) character with an authentic & charismatic personality. You really care about Lee. Lee's attitude to life & how he / she deals with it all are very inspirational. A very enjoyable & original book that rings true on so many levels - read it for a different perspective on life & hope in the face of adversity! Overall: A fascinating & heart-warming read with insights from a multitude of perspectives.

[Zara Hawthorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fabulously inventive, charming, very funny and absolutely extraordinary. The title I read this book under is "The ballad of Lee Cotton" and the story certainly has the richness and lyrical charm of a ballad. I loved the way the author repeatedly takes events to the brink of disbelief only to come up with a plausible explanation just in time. All the way through I was thinking "this is my new favorite book of all time". The ending didn't hold up to the lushness of the rest of the book, but it's an outstanding novel and it's in my top five favorites.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky and very fun. Loved this book!

Brilliant writing. I 'm not sure if it's meant to be comedic because bad things certainly happen to our Lee, but I found myself laughing and delighting in his story nonetheless.

Here's a tiny taste from the first chapter, describing his hometown of Eureka, Mississippi:
"They didn't mind progress as long as things stayed the same."

Although this was from my postal book groupie Kats in Zurich, it is set in the south and is out of print in the USA. Why?!

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the most bizarre things I've ever read and the quickest I've realized I had a new favorite book (chapter 15/27). The simplicity and naïveté of Lee, the main character, coupled with the complex life he's unable to get under control, makes for a strange and truly unique story. The author has quite a way with words, which often reveal unanticipated perspectives. Honestly, I've never read anything like this; would highly recommend.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Its like a Forest Gump story, but instead of being full of clichés, its full of taboos and really unpredictable. Funny and emotional most of the way through. I think the only shortcoming is that the humour is only strong for the first half. The plot stays interesting right until the end, though, and the writing is very good.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a strange and intriguing ride. the writing is excellent. I got book out of the library, curious about its measure Q status, which marked the book as being lbgtq. How this story winds its improbable way into the gender bending category and beyond is inventive, improbable and a great story.

[Marina Sheridan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Started out brilliant. Fell apart by the end ...

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would recommend this to everyone I know.

[Richard King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this read. A little reminiscent of Mark Twain with a taste of Voltaire. It was a hoot!
Every chapter had a new twist. A must read on American cultural insight, but written by a Brit.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a lot of surprises. I didn't like it as much as my sister but I'm glad I read it. Remarkable story with social commentary. Lots to talk about from this.

[Catherine Davison · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are serendipitous moments in life, finding a brand new copy of this book in an op-shop was one such moment. This book has everything, fabulous writing, great wit, a storyline that just picks you up and whisks you away to places and situations that are so off-beat you wouldn't believe them but you do find yourself believing and willingly going along with the magic of the story telling. Lee Cotton McCoy is a character I did not want to say goodbye to. This is a brilliant book on so many levels. I loved it!

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unusual and evocative writing style but I did not particularly like the story, so those average out to 3 stars. There were couple of major events which were quite brutal in their description, making those sections hard to read. Overall I found the characters and the setting very interesting, but the plot felt contrived - as if the author had come up with the central idea in isolation and then had to twist the story around it. So it did not quite work as a whole but I would like to try another of his books.

[Fembot · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really was enjoying this book up until the forced gender parts. It felt like that theme came out of no where and was incredibly fetishy. I do not know if that was the intention but it was not what I expected. I truly was going into this thinking I was going to read a book about a boy living life and experiencing racism in Mississippi. I was just shocked that they would be so graphicly fetishy for shock value. Before that I thought it was an interesting take but the author being white was not surprising or lost on me.

[Suzanne Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one odd book, but it is written in a lovely style and holds a beautiful message. It felt like southern magical realism, written by a Brit! The book's two weaknesses were its improbability mixed with realism (I know, that's what magical realism is, but I don't have to like it), and the fact that the main character has to have a brain injury in order to be the innocent character that he is. I would like to see him be a good person without that limitation.

[Victoria Reid · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was too much for me to wrap my head around. A black boy born white turned black. The poor to rich to poor. The male changed into a female. The senseless beating. The ability to hear what people are thinking. The heartbreak. My brain hurt after reading it. I wish I could have enjoyed it more.

[Ruth Failor · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Cotton” is like a roller coaster ride in an amusement park with an abundance of highs and lows, twists and turns.

Lee’s passage through life is a series of morbid, shocking, humorous, pleasant, and otherworldly surprises ... just brilliant!

[Becks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read! It was really interesting and entertaining from the word go and then had so many twists and turns in it. Totally loved it.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it, a little boy born to an Icelandic sailor and a black woman from New Orleans. History made in so many different ways....


Yumtsers

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a lame excuse for “hilarious”. I bought it at a book sale for $.25. I paid too much.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good writing, strange story

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought-provoking, quirky novel with unexpected twists and ending. Quite a few chuckles.

Went on just bit too long.

[Islandcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good, think Black Forrest Gump. Strange twisted Forrest Gump.

[Sherry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an unusual story. Never read anything like it. What a tale of fiction. Always wondering what will happen next for Lee with ever turn of the page.