Callaloo & Other Lesbian Love Tales [Paperback]

Lashonda K. Barnett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1999

Filled with the flavors and feelings of love. When stepping into these snapshots of lesbians' lives you join a celebration, a celebration of the ways we have come to nourish ourselves and the women we love. These stories portray the beauty and richness of sharing a love that feeds the body and soul.

Editorial Reviews

Review

LaShonda K. Barnett has gifts to give us - sensual, historical, loving. Callaloo, her first book, is the start of a wonderful journey of telling. ----Joan Nestle

i wanted to stay lost in the power, the beauty, the adventure, the sensual journey of mighty woman love that lashonda barnett has created with these stories. this book is a visceral glimpse of Black lesbian lives/a remembering and celebration that we've long waited for. --sharon bridgeforth, author, the bull-jean stories

About the Author

A good book, jazz, apple pie a la mode and museum visits begin the list of things that make the author happy. When she's not hankering for these treasures, LaShonda K. Barnett lives for learning, traveling, and most importantly, indulging her pen. She is an exciting young black lesbian voice that began writing in an effort to capture the stories of our lesbian mothers, aunts and neighbors, and to create more diversity in the lesbian literary realm.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: New Victoria Publishers (October 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892281082
• ISBN-13: 978-1892281081
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,338,427 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't put this book down!, December 9, 1999

By 

Janice Maxwell "jendayi2002" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Callaloo & Other Lesbian Love Tales (Paperback)

I found this book to be an excellent read. The stories covered various facets of lesbian relationships with an emphasis on African American lesbians. I found the story about a lesbian relationship between a slave and a slave owner's daughter especially poignant. My partner, who is not an avid book reader, also found it thoroughly enjoying. I look forward to seeing more works from Ms. Barnett and would recommend it to all my lesbian sisters.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Youthful fumbling, adult taboo., January 26, 2003

By 

Readers Paradise "Book Club" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Callaloo & Other Lesbian Love Tales (Paperback)

Sixteen shorts are offered to us in LaShonda K. Barnett's first book titled Callaloo & Other Lesbian Love Tales. Many of the lesbian theme books available do not show the positive side of loving another women; the tender moments shared in a way that Callaloo does. Most of the stories in these 197 pages are from another era; a time when it was taboo to love another woman. Each story fills me with pride and appreciation for those who paved the way for us.

In "The Homecoming of Narda Boggs, a slave girl is brought to life by the European massa's daughter who happens to be African American. "Black Triangles, Rainbows and Dykes" gave the reader a little history of the upside down triangle. It initially started out as a negative and the gay and lesbian community brought the symbol alive. In Nazi Concentration camps when lesbians were "outed", they were forced to wear upside down triangles. The very last short "Callaloo" explains the origins of the word and how deep one will go to make their partner happy.

Some of the stories were lacking consistency. The language used to define the eras were mixed. The book promised love tales and it certainly makes good on that promise. When I reached the last pages of the book, it saddened me that LaShonda K. Barnett parked her pen. Although it excited me more to know she will be steering it again to complete Jam her second book.

Missy

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tasty Morsels of Love, March 21, 2006

By 

Sistahs on the Shelf "The Home for Readers of... (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Callaloo & Other Lesbian Love Tales (Paperback)

Stories of love, loss and affection are finely written in CALLALOO & OTHER LESBIAN LOVE TALES. LaShonda K. Barnett book consists of 17 tasty morsels, each one portraying a distinct flavor of black lesbian love.

"Miss Hannah's Lesson" is one of the highlights of Callaloo, and it beautifully portrays the love between a house slave named Sarah and her mistress, Miss Hannah. Hannah cares so much for Sarah she helps the girl learn to read in spite of the trouble it could cause. Through Sarah's teachings, their love develops so effortlessly despite the differences in their skin color and stations in life.

Another highlight of Callaloo is the story "Meatloaf," a woman who agonizes over her lover's death, but realizes that life with Carmen wasn't a walk in the park. She relives the pain of living with an alcoholic lover, and decides that she's been grieving over Carmen far before her tragic death.

"Losing Sight of Lavender" is a poignant tale about Sael, a lesbian in a HIV-positive support group coming to terms with her mortality. Going to her meetings helps her to reminisce on her life and hope for a better tomorrow despite the prognosis she's been given.

Barnett does an excellent job with Callaloo and these adoring tales. It shows the many forms love can take, and just how we all can't live without a taste.