Customer Reviews

Bailey's Cafe

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is, and has for a long time, been one of my favorite books. It is a complete package. Naylor's characters are chock full of depth, her writing is lyrical and her tales are down-right fascinating. While it's difficult to find an author these days who can provide the reader even *one* of those things, Naylor gives us the whole she-bang. Although written with humor, this novel is somewhat of a difficult read: there is an undeniable sadness surrounding many of the characters (even when re-reading it, I can hardly get through the chapter "Mood: Indigo"). Although it's easy to be saddened by the stories, it's important to note that hope, respect and recovery are common themes throughout the book. The Cafe itself is supposed to be a surreal bedrock of healing. I found this book more accessible than "Mama Day," and a little more heart-wringing than "The Women of Brewster Place." All and all, it's deeply satisfying and comes *highly* recommended. Bring on more Naylor, please!

Umph. That's about all I can say. This is far from what people would consider a Christian novel, there is cursing, violence and sorts of goings on. Yet there's more scripture in it than a few Christian novels I read lately and more truth too. Bailey's Cafe isn't defined by just one character, but rather it's world, a way station on the edge of any city anywhere, the place before there's no more places. Each day only one thing is offered, chicken one day, corn beef hash the next. There are no menus. Each customer decides whether to stay or go. Bailey is careful not to cook too carefully or people might actually think they're coming for food. They're not.

These folks, churchy Miss Cassie who comes to doom everyone to hell, Sugar Man the short pimp, Sadie [...] who carries herself with such class the glass mugs turn to china in her hands . . . And we aren't even going to start on the maid, Miss Maple, a straight man who finds comfort in summer dresses.

These are the folks of Bailey's Cafe. And that's just the beginning of it. Across the street there is a Jewish pawn shop that never opens except to tell people to go elsewhere and a blossoming home for women called Eve's, which one can only find if you know what to ask. "No woman finds this place until she's ready for it," Eve says. And she's right. God didn't let me read this book until I was ready. And thankfully, I will never recover. Use your discretion on this one. It ain't for the faint of heart.

Naylor mines the denizens of a neighborhood, most of whom eat at Bailey's Cafe, for this collection of short stories, each of which inter-relates some way to the others. There are wonderful characters in this book, and each gets an opportunity to tell his or her own story, each using a very unique voice.
This fairly recent technique of writing stories on a similar theme, set in a common location, is catching on. Did Naylor start the trend with Women of Brewster Place? Whatever. It's a good idea, and Bailey's Cafe is a welcome addition to the genre.

Bailey's Cafe is a compelling (if disturbing) mixture of suffering and redemption in a variety of African-American women's lives. Naylor once again weaves intricate stories of abused yet often innocent/optimistic victims looking for shelter and individual identity in a world that denies or negates them. Naylor bases many of her female characters on prominent biblical women, but readers may find her reshaping of those roles painful (uncomfortable at best). Possible indignation with Naylor's explicitly sexual and/or violent descriptions within her characters' lives could cause readers to miss seeing all-important underlying themes of self-empowerment and redemption. At the end of the novel, however, one must respect both Naylor's complex writing style and her characters' will to survive.

I am rarely moved to write an on-line review, but Bailey's Cafe was so powerful, I have to share my thoughts with the world. This is not a book for those looking for happy endings and neat resolutions. But, as the narrator, and owner of Bailey's lets us know, life is just life, rarely with a happy ending.

Ms. Naylor manages to develop characters that get into your head, under your skin, and become part of your consciousness. And, it is hard to get away from them. This book has it all - social commentary on class/race/gender, biblical/religious symbolism, extreme pain and despair - yet with Ms. Naylor's tender and lyrical approach, there is no preaching here, just story telling that is clear and beautiful.

Three words describe this work - mystical, lyrical, powerful. If you're looking for a special reading experience visit Bailey's Cafe, it is worth the visit.

Gloria Naylor has done it once again. She has created several wonderful short stories which eventually intertwine to form the compelling "Bailey's Cafe". I especially love the little ways in which Naylor connects her books. This novel ends with the birth of George who appears in "Mama Day", which has a reference to Willa who appears in Linden Hills, which has a reference to "Women of Brewster Place". This is a must-read for anyone interested in good fiction.

I read this book about a year ago and I must say that this was one of the best novels I've read and my first of Gloria Naylor's. I plan on reading it again and I am sure to get something new out of it. As other reviewers have commented, the stories of the customers of BAILEY'S CAFE are sad, inspirational and funny at the sametime. I've heard that all the customers are actually dead, ghosts caught in bewteen life and death. There was a hint of this when I first read it but I didn't quite pick up on it. Well, I have yet to any other novel from Naylor. This novel talks about issues of racism, class status and there's a little religion and philosophy intertwined in the mix. A great read!

This book made me want to jump inside and take a seat in the cafe. I mean, I am a college student and I missed some class trying to read this book. From the first page, Ms. Naylor sucks you in with what I call poetry in motion. The words were so beautiful that it was hard to belive you were reading stories of tragedy. From Mrs. Maple the transvestite to Sadie whose mother often referred to her as "the one the clothes hanger missed", it was hard to believe that there are people in the world going through these kinds of tragedies. I dont' want to give the storyline away, but if you want a different type of read, not the kind you read in an hour and forget about then this is the book. I am still sitting here wondering abotu the characters lives and what they would be doing.

This is the first Naylor book I ever read. I have now read them all. This book, along with Mama Day and to some extent Linden Hills put her in my trinty of greatest living writers, along with Morrison and Kingsolver. The technique of introducing us to the "customers" at Bailey's is a great way to tie together so many wonderful stories. All of her characters are beautiful, sweet sad and doomed. Between the happy little wife who becomes a wino prostitute and the little delta girl who can never wash the delta dust off, I cried and I fell in love a hundred times (and I'm a big tough souther nwhite male). I notice some of the other reviewers had a hard time "following" Naylor at times. My suggestion is just ride the story, do not try to see what's coming or what she means. It is like the most wonderful meal in the world, put it in your mouth and savor it, don't spend too much time trying to figure out what the chef was thinking, its all about taste and feel. This is one of the 10 best books written since Faulkner died, in my opinion, and Mama Day is another of those 10. Enjoy!

Bailey's Cafe is full of life and change. The one constant in life is change and the characters of this book have gone through several changes. This book depicts very honest descriptive portrals of each character and no one character is alike or even simular. Over the past seven years, I have read the book twice, it is a very easy read. Since Bailey's Cafe, I've been waiting for the next Gloria Nalor book. Until then, I'll keep enjoying my favorites Mamma Day and Bailey's Cafe. I hope that those reading this review will purchase or borrow this book, you won't regret it. I've learned some interesting ways to prepare desserts!