All American Dream Dolls [Hardcover]

David Haynes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1997

David Haynes “strikes out from the Waiting to Exhale formula” (Newsday) in a “hilarious” (Publishers Weekly), “consistently on-target” novel (Kirkus Reviews) about faithless boyfriends, spoiled siblings, preteen beauty queens, and Whitney Houston wannabes.

(19991231)

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

At the beginning of this madcap novel from David Haynes, named one of America's Best Young Novelists by Granta in 1996, Deneen Wilkerson is on vacation with her boyfriend, Calvin. While driving to Door County, Wis., Calvin announces that he thinks they ought to break up. Too stunned to protest, Deneen says nothing, and they continue on what was supposed to have been a romantic week away. Driving back to Minnesota, Deneen asks Calvin to drop her off at the airport, where she buys a ticket home to her mother in St. Louis. Once home she settles into a routine of watching TV and eating junk food. When her stepsister Ciara enters the All American Dream Dolls beauty pageant, Deneen is drawn from her basement lair to help Ciara and her tutor, a fey hairdresser named Hawkins. The novel is told in a first person voice that's a combination of Terry McMillan (with less profanity) and Groucho Marx.

From Library Journal

Deneen Wilkerson is a talented, no-nonsense, full-figured African American advertising executive who has recently been dumped by her boyfriend at the beginning of a romantic vacation. Retreating to the basement of her mother's home, she reevaluates her life with the help of Geraldo, Oprah, and a steady supply of junk food. She also tries to bond with her 12-year-old stepsister, a budding beauty queen and bulimic borderline psychotic. Deneen never loses her humor, even when sabotaging her stepsister's chances of becoming Miss All American Dream Doll or rating the sexual prowess of the men she knows. Surrounded by people who refuse to give up on life, she learns not to give up on herself. Haynes's third novel for adults (following Live at Five, LJ 4/1/96) is a wildly funny, realistic look at beauty pageants, sibling rivalry, self-esteem, and growing up. Highly recommended. [Haynes was named one of America's Best Young Novelists by Granta in 1996.?Ed.]?Ellen Flexman, Indianapolis-Marion Cty. P.L., Ind.
-?Ellen Flexman, Indianapolis-Marion Cty. P.L., Ind.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 255 pages
• Publisher: Milkweed Editions; 1st edition (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571310150
• ISBN-13: 978-1571310156
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,676,721 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a subtle, humorous story, May 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: All American Dream Dolls (Hardcover)

as i sat in my bed, munching on junk food and reading this book, i kept looking around wondering where the hidden camera was! david haynes aptly captures some of the moods women experience with his depiction of deneen. she is a well drawn character that i could totally identify with.

as with his other books, haynes creates a subtle theme that, if you allow it, will slowly blend into your mind. i find myself thinking about some of the themes that he talks about, such as learning to love self or buying into commercial concepts of beauty. his story craftily weaves the theme within the plot so well that you don't realize that your view point may have been changed.

the theme and the subject will not bat you over the head. haynes employs a light touch in his writing style, so if you are looking for a formula type of story, then you won't find it here. instead, read about the characters, read about their development and let the characters reveal to you the connecting thread of their story.

all of this and a wry humor, too. mr. haynes should be lauded for his skill in developing interesting characters and weaving their lives within an engaging and subtle theme, as well as his consistent use of humor.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Laughing Out Loud humor!, October 31, 1999

By 

"ariasun" (Pompano Beach, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All American Dream Dolls (Hardcover)

My week off work has been spent with my nose buried in novels. Out of the six I've plowed through this week (all by Black authors) All American Dream Dolls is my favorite. It reminds me a bit of "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb, except Deneen has soul, a sharp wit, and a way with words. I admit the first 40 or so pages left me wondering "What the hell?" But the real fun began when she was fully ensconsed in her mother's house, and was fully aware of her state of mind (totally crazy). I laughed out loud more than once, and also found myself completely relating to ole girl! David Haynes accurately writes from Deneen's point of view, that of a woman who needs a little time out from the world, and finds it in snack foods, hot sex, and hair-do's. I've got other books by the author, but this one, by far, is my favorite. It's one of the books you can give to friends at Christmas - if they have the sense of humor and wit to "get" this novel, that is. KUDOS!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HAYNES' DREAM DOLLS: ALLY MCBEAL MEETS A BLACK J.D. SALINGER, May 26, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: All American Dream Dolls (Hardcover)

This book is one of those surprise reading experiences. Begun with very little expectations to speak of, I soon found myself on a fast-paced, no-holds-barred adventure to . . .

In the crazy 1990s Haynes' Deneen is a heroine for single working women all over . . . Exhale, and get your s@*! together! This story is at once hilarious and wise. Pass it on . . .

KDP Toronto, Ontario