Cooper is humorous, wise, selfdeprecating, and always expressive, right down to her cheerful overuse of exclamation points. Cooper was born in 1932 and spent much of her life in california. In the small town of yoville, a newly emancipated slave named josephus josephus chooses to remain for a spell on the plantation of his former masters, the krupts, while he plans his next move. California cooper, an awardwinning writer whose black female characters confront a world of indifference and betrayal, but find kinship there in unexpected places, died on saturday in seattle. Family by jennifer hallam all my family, my blood, is mixed up now. Cooper s first novel, about an africanamerican family in and out of slavery, shares the strengths and weaknesses of her story collections a piece of mine, 1984. I laughed, i cried, some of the stories, made me angry, but in the end even though reading the story made me sad, but in the end of stories my heart sang. California cooper is the author of novels, six collections of stories, and seventeen plays. California cooper stories remind of paul lawrence dunbar and his negro dialect poetry. Homemade love, which appeared in 1986, won the american book award. California cooper tells exuberant tales full of wonder at the mystery of life and the hardness of fate. In language both spare and direct yet wondrously lyrical, life is short but wide is an irresistible story of family that.
The twoway the playwrightturnednovelist had a conversational style that made even vast themes feel intimate. She was honored as black playwright of the year, and her work received the american book award, the james baldwin writing award, and the literary lion award from the american library association. In homemade love, one of the bestloved volumes of her work, j. California cooper, who was writing plays until alice walker suggested she switch to short stories and novels, because they were an easier path to a paycheck, has died at age 82. California cooper homemade love is a collection of short stories told in dialect. California cooper is the author of the novels family and in search of satisfaction and five collections of stories. This book the matter is life had it all as told from a negro perspective. Thats a fact, and you can blive that, but many of the characters never get close to realizing that happiness lies as the title indicates at home. In its strong folk flavor, coopers work reminds us of langston. Each of her short stories is a gem of downhome wisdom, polished with a bit of gossip, som. Critics have compared her work to that of langston hughes and zora neale hurston, but j. California cooper has a warm, witty style thats definitely her own. California cooper is the author of the novels family and in search of satisfaction, and of several shortstory collections. Homemade love, the winner of the 1989 american book award.
I recommend reading family first since it deals with slavery during the civil war, then followup with wake of the wind bc it addresses the plight of emancipated slaves during the early antebellum period. She was honored as black playwright of the year, and her work received the american book award, the james baldwin writing award, and the literary lion award from the. Adapted from the back jacket of homemade loveand university of miami website by professor eugene f. California cooper tells exuberant tales full of wonder. California cooper viquipedia, lenciclopedia lliure.
Biography continued 2 in 1986 homemade love, winner of the american book award, was published. California cooper is the author of two novels, four collections of stories, and seventeen plays. Family is a story of the slave cloras children and how her blood flows from its african roots around the world, thus intermingling with that of other races, nationalities, and classes. She wrote 17 plays and was named black playwright of the year in 1978 for her play strangers. Coopers most recent short story collection, some love, some pain, sometime, was published in 1995. California cooper is a top 100 bestselling author making our list 29 times. Cooper weaves four wry, humorous, tragic tales that envelop and transcend time, offering hope and renewal at the same time they chronicle desolation and death. Discussion of themes and motifs in joan california coopers family. Cause all these people livin are brothers and sisters and cousins. Cooper died last saturday, leaving behind a valuable collection of work that readers are still discovering.
Cooper is humorous, wise, selfdeprecating, and always expressive, right down to her cheerful overuse. Discount prices on books by j california cooper, including titles like catalogue of the invertebrate fossils of the western slope of the united states. She was honored as black playwright of the year, and her work received the american book award, the james baldwin writing award, and the literary lion more about j. Cooper s most recent short story collection, some love, some pain, sometime, was published in 1995. Her book homemade love was the winner of the american bo. The american book award is an american literary award that annually recognizes a set of books and people for outstanding literary achievement. According to the 2010 awards press release, it is a writers award given by other writers and there are no categories, no nominees, and therefore no losers.
She has also received the james baldwin writing award and the literary lion award from the american library association. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising. But with family, cooper has taken the slave narrative and recreated it as an epic, yet collo quial, poem. California cooper reading from her book wild stars seeking midnight suns on. California cooper, author of tales of african american.
Joan cooper november 10, 1931, berkeley, california september 20, 2014, seattle, washington, known by her pen name, j. California cooper, author of family, on librarything. Narrator chlora suffers the slavery horror of bearing children for the white. California cooper, a writer who enjoyed a widespread acclaim for her fablelike tales built largely around the imagined lives of african american women, died sept.
She has also received the james baldwin writing award and the literary lion award from the american library. Homemade love was the winner of the american book award in 1989, and she has been honored as the black playwright of the year. She was honored as black playwright of the year, and her work received the american book award, the james baldwin writing award, and the literary lion. She captures your heart with real life lessons and common sense. Much has been written about the institution of slavery. Her book homemade love was the winner of the american book award in 1989, and she has been honored as the black playwright of the year. I just hope they dont never hate or fight each other, not knowin who they are.
California cooper is the author of four novels and six collections of stories. Feb 22, 2012 women of the world poetry slam finals 2015 j. Mjm bell hooksnee gloria watkins is a distinguished professor of english at city college in new york. The ordinariness of her subject matter works well for her. J california cooper is my favorite author in the world. California cooper is the author of several novels, including some people, some places, and six collections of stories. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The matter is life and some soul to keep, she is also the author of seventeen plays and has been honored as.
California cooper has won a legion of loyal fans and much critical acclaim for her powerful storytelling gifts. The characters in her books have a triumph of the spirit. The star of nbcs council of dads makes some unexpected picks for her own council of moms, pulled from her favorite tv shows. J california cooper books list of books by j california cooper. California cooper, was an american playwright and author. Her words invite you into the lives of the people in her stories. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Get the best deal by comparing prices from over 100,000 booksellers. California cooper was an awardwinning prolific playwright and author who crafted tales about ordinary individuals living out their dreams. This site is maintained by the authors publisher anchor books. Awed, bedevilled, and bemused, all cooper s characters are borne up by the sheer power of life itself in these wise and exhilarating stories from cooper s newest. California cooper, including in search of satisfaction, and family, and more on.
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