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Fantasy. Fiction. African American Fiction. Historical Fiction. HTML: A "moving and memorable" novel about a cafe where everyone has a story to tell from the award-winning author of The Women of Brewster Place (The Boston Globe). In postâ??World War II Brooklyn, on a quiet backstreet, there's a little place that draws people from all overâ??not for the food, and definitely not for the coffee. An in-between place that's only there when you need it, Bailey's Cafe is a crossroads where patrons stay for a while before making a choice: Move on or check out? In this novel, National Book Awardâ??winning author Gloria Naylor's expertly crafted characters experience a journey full of beauty and heartbreak. Touching on gender, race, and the African American experience, Bailey's Cafe is "a sublime achievement" about the resilience of the human spirit (People).… (more)
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Each chapter in this off-beat, touching book introduces a flamboyant character at a personal crossroads; Bailey's Cafe is their symbolic purgatory. Though the characters come from different walks of life, there is something dysfunctional or
In terms of racial issues, this book depicts how deeply prejudice affected the lives of African Americans post WW2, playing a significant role in their circumstances, decisions and ultimate fates on a variety of levels. In my opinion, Jesse's story was the saddest, illustrating the tragic irony when victims of discrimination turn against each other.
Despite covering some heavy material, Naylor imbues each character with a sense of dignity and hope.This book is about survival and overcoming hardships. There are also unexpected humorous touches; the story about Eve helping Jesse kick heroin reads like a hilariously ironic AA parable.
Though it can be confusing due to an esoteric theme (i.e. Bailey's Cafe as Purgatory), this is still a satisfying, informative read. I was sincerely rooting for these characters!
The second chapter
It’s a very surrealistic novel. Bailey’s Café is a way station for people who need a time-out in their lives. It only exists for these people, at this moment, and it can appear anywhere in the world. It’s a strange, magical place, and it’s also a bitter, mournful place, because everybody there has been wounded.
The stories that comprise this novel are the life-stories of those who enter. They are all unique, amazing people, and the writing is hypnotic, musical, haunting – lavish without ever being over-written, ambitious yet colloquial. I loved this book and was glad I let it unfold until its meaning appeared.
Absolutely recommended.