Good Hair: A Novel (Paperback)

by Benilde Little (Author) "LIFE IS FULL OF people who are dead..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Grandma Viola, New Jersey (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Entering the terrain of the African American upper class previously explored by Dorothy West and Andrea Lee, Little makes a distinctive debut. She shows a discerning eye for class divisions among socially mobile blacks and an astute insight into the damaged psyches that can result. Her protagonist is a middle-class African American woman whose values are called into question when she meets the crown prince of Boston's black bourgeoisie. Mount Holyoke graduate Alice Lee, now a newspaper reporter living in Manhattan, somewhat reluctantly falls in love with Mt. Sinai surgeon Jack Russworm, "a Black Ward Cleaver, who made a million dollars a year and dressed in Armani." But Alice, who grew up middle-class in Newark, worries about Jack's carefully maintained distance from the experience of less fortunate African Americans. Jack is a blue blood. Like others in his old-money, old-school crowd, he practices an unthinking elitism and social cruelty. As the couple moves closer to marriage, insecure Alice must confront the fact that many of her values seem to have more to do with wish-fulfillment than reality. Little shows skill in creating complex, well rounded characters?most crucially, Jack, who, although snobbish, naive and concerned with appearances, is at heart a good man. More than subtle class differences threaten his and Alice's relationship, however; a sexual misadventure almost parts them for good. Bill Cosby's cuddly "Dr. Huxtable" made the BUPs (black urban professionals) standard household fare, although Cosby muffled the stresses by removing the sting. Little's characters have their stingers intact, and her candid assessment of several generations of blacks whose aspirations are mixed with frustration and shame, as well as her portrayal of the small, closed society that W.E.B. Du Bois called the Talented Tenth, make this a compelling read.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal
In her first novel, Little explores upper-class African American culture as she shows a woman struggling to be who she is while trying to fit an image of who she should be.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Scribner (October 6, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684835576
• ISBN-13: 978-0684835570
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #657,088 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Negro Geography, December 6, 2000

By	Yasmin Coleman (PENNSYLVANIA, USA) - See all my reviews

On a cold, dreary winter day and anticipating nothing better than curling up with a good book I decided to give Benilde Little's debut novel Good Hair a chance. Mind you this book had been sitting on my bookshelf for almost a year and I wasn't overly enthused or anxious about reading it but there was just enough information on the book jacket to entice me regarding what I hoped would be a light, quick and entertaining read. Good Hair lived up to the challenge! I really enjoyed this book...and was pleasantly surprised. The story is told in first person from Alice, the protagonist, point of view. It's the story of a most unlikely romance between Alice a hard working, first generation college educated sista who falls for Jack the by-product of an upper middle class, privileged AA family and a third generation doctor. Along the way we really get to know Alifce and the story seems almost autobiographical in nature as we journey with Alice from her childhood through the present as she struggles with day-to-day encounters and tries to find herself in the midst of it all. The storyline was spiced with pointed insight regarding contemporary issues such as spousal abuse, incest/sexual abuse, suicide, homosexuality, betrayal, self-esteem as well as caste issues among AAs. Good Hair was grammatically well written and the storyline flowed, however, at times, it also felt like a casually plotted storyline with sketchy characters,sometimes stilted dialogue, and a multitude of loose end situations. I believe that the storyline had the potential to be even better if (1) greater character development was displayed beyond Alice's character; I especially would have liked to hear Jack's point of view vs. being told about him from primarily Alice's perspective; (2) stronger ending...I was really disappointed in the ending which seemed trite and predictable. Then again the ending did leave room for a sequel. Overall Good Hair was a good read and it held my interest so much so that I was able to finish the book in one setting. Ms. Little's writing style piqued my interest and I will also give The Itch-her sophomore novel- a chance.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT!!, October 12, 1999

By A Customer

This was the first time that I have read a book by Ms. Little and it was excellent! She kept me reading and reading and I didn't want to put it down. This book describes the lives of many young women who find love when they least expect it. The only thing that left me hanging was the end. It left me wondering what happened after the marriage and whether or not Ms. Sherry was actually pregnant. But overall its a WONDERFUL novel. Keep up the good work Ms. Little.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Debut, Benilde, August 23, 1998

By A Customer

I really couldn't figure out the point of this book. Racism and social class within the African American culture, or a romance between the protagonist and Jack? I felt that in the first couple of chapters, too much emphasis on the "good hair" aspect of the novel was put forth and then it just spun off into this whirlwind romance thing. Despite my negative attitude towards the organization of the plot, I loved Little's writing style. The sarcasm and cynicism Alice displayed added flavor to the book. Miles was a great one too, I know many people who would fit into his very character. Yet I feel that Jack could have been a little more developed, having been one of the main characters. I will look forward to reading Little's new book, The Itch. It looks like this is one of many entertaining and thought-provoking novels to come.