Share <Embed>

Buy New

$8.26

List Price: $15.95
Save: $7.69 (48%)

FREE Shipping on orders over $25.

Only 6 left in stock (more on the way).

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Turn on 1-Click ordering for this browser

Ship to:

Select a shipping address:

Other Sellers on Amazon

Add to Cart

$4.27
+ $3.99 shipping

Sold by: Digbooks

Add to Cart

$4.49
+ $3.99 shipping

Sold by: greg4095

Add to Cart

$9.98
& FREE Shipping on eligible orders. Details

Sold by: Books And So Much More

Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 2 images

Life Is Short But Wide Paperback – April 6, 2010

by J. California Cooper (Author)

105 customer reviews

See all 7 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

eBook

"Please retry"

$11.99

—

Hardcover, Deckle Edge

"Please retry"

—

$10.08

$0.25

Paperback

"Please retry"

$8.26

$4.27

$4.87

Audible, Unabridged

"Please retry"

$0.00

Free with your Audible trial

An irresistible story of faith and perseverance, Life Is Short But Wide follows two families as they prove that no matter who you are or what you do, you are never too old to chase your dreams.

Like the small towns J. California Cooper has so vividly portrayed in her previous novels, Wideland, Oklahoma, is home to ordinary Americans with big hearts. Among them are newlyweds Irene and Val, who graciously allow their neighbors, Bertha and Joseph, to build a house on their land. Together the couples have three daughters, all who struggle to find love and success in the changing world. But although the years may bring hardship and heartache, they also teach the importance of living one’s life boldly and squeezing out every possible moment of joy.

Life Is Short But Wide

$8.26 FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Only 6 left in stock (more on the way). Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Frequently bought together

Total price: $32.34

Some of these items ship sooner than the others. Show details

Buy the selected items together

This item:Life Is Short But Wide by J. California Cooper Paperback $8.26
Only 6 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Wild Stars Seeking Midnight Suns by J. California Cooper Paperback $13.82
Only 7 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Family by J. California Cooper Paperback $10.26
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Customers who bought this item also bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

J. California Cooper

46

Paperback
$13.82
J. California Cooper

69

Paperback
$10.24
J. California Cooper

79

Paperback
$10.26
J. California Cooper

64

Paperback
$11.35
J. California Cooper

50

Paperback
$14.87
J. California Cooper

122

Paperback
$11.31

Special offers and product promotions

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With another multigenerational, wonderfully crafted Midwest ensemble cast, Cooper (Wild Stars Seeking Midnight Suns) presents the town of Wideland, Okla., through the eyes of folksy nonagenarian Hattie B. Brown. This community sentinel, though sometimes short on memory, acts as tour guide and historian, introducing the town at the beginning of the 20th century, when the railroad first arrived and, with it, a growing population. Among the new residents, Hattie introduces the industrious, loving African-American cowboy Val Strong and his Cherokee brother-friend Wings; Val's hardened but beautiful wife, Irene Lowell; and their two strong-willed daughters, Rose and Tante. Following the Strong family and their associates through the better part of the 1900s, Hattie finds history running roughshod through their lives, crushing some and strengthening others, introducing new generations and obstacles to love, home and happiness. Cooper's characteristic motherly wit carries an appealing raft of characters through a world tougher than it is tender, but touched with beauty and wisdom. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

This is “a story about love: hard-to-find, hard-to-get, hard-to-keep love.” The narrator is 91-year-old Hattie B. Brown, who, along with her 105-year-old mother, relates the saga of a family that begins with Val Strong, a Native American cattle driver, and Irene, the African American woman he comes to love. Between them they build a life in Wideland, Oklahoma, with a house and some land. Their daughters, Rose and Tante, want different lives. Tante gets her PhD and moves to Paris, while Rose stays in the home she grew up in, continuing to teach poor children. Another family story, that of Herman Tenderman, emerges parallel to this one. It is when the two stories, or families, come together that the “hard” love story begins and winds its agonizing way to happiness. Cooper tells her story with simplicity and grace. No apologies are made for the foolishness or baseness of any of her characters, and she freely sermonizes and moralizes whenever she feels it is called for. The result is a poignant and often-funny story of people trying to survive and find someone to love. --Elizabeth Dickie --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE

Start reading Life is Short But Wide on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Product details

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Anchor; 1 Reprint edition (April 6, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1400075696
ISBN-13: 978-1400075690
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.7 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (105 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #383,022 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1210 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Small Town & Rural
- #2714 in Books > Literature & Fiction > African American > Women's Fiction
- #4213 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Women's Fiction > Domestic Life

If you are a seller for this product, would you like to suggest updates through seller support?

Customer reviews

105

4.3 out of 5 stars

5 star		61%
4 star		17%
3 star		11%
2 star		7%
1 star		4%

Write a customer review

See all verified purchase reviews

Rated by customers interested in

What's this?

History

3.8 out of 5 stars

Is this feature helpful?

Thank you for your feedback.

Top customer reviews

J.California Cooper is always worth waiting for.

ByTruthbtoldon April 28, 2009

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I own each and every book written by J.California Cooper and I wait anxiously for her next book after purchasing the most current. Life is Short but Wide is an emotional roller coaster. Happy times, crying times and even times of anger(that's me reading the book). I've always appreciated the writing style of the author, like two friends looking at people and how they let life live them. With each book comes the gems of wisdom while the story is being told. I shared my first J. California Cooper book with my then 12 year old daughter because of those gems of wisdom. Life is Short but Wide is a good read and I often purchase her books as gifts because I want people to experience a true storyteller.

11 comment 35 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

A Story About Life and Love

ByMs Silkon October 21, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Not many times will you find stories woven together in the way that this one is. Two paths that merge, and each has a distinct beginning. Readers are given a clear understanding of how each character came to be; why Myine lives, loves, and believes as she does and how she became so content all alone in the family home, how Juliet and Cloud reach what becomes a pinnacle in their relationship with one another, and where their old friend Herman fits. The history is well drawn out, but not such that it drags, characters are tied together in ways that feel natural, and the story is carefully crafted. This author has a way with words that left me wanting more, even as the story concluded. That, in my opinion, is one mark of a well written novel.

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Good story but not a GREAT READ

ByPure Lighton March 31, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I too am a die hard J California Cooper fan! I love how she threads love, faith, family, entrepreneurship, education, and owing land/real estate in her stories. She also promotes a great sense of pride in racial history. This was a fairly quick read but of all the JCC books I've read, this was my least favorite. I thought she was overly repetitive and just a little too preachy. She weaves five love stories in her narrative, but only one couple has a long-term, happy & enduring relationship. The others endure more than their share of pain, sickness and hardship trying to survive. Cooper wasted a lot of time and paper with the Myine and Herman characters. Enough already...did it really take 35 years??? Overall, I liked the story and while I may have been a little distracted with parts of the story, I would definitely recommend it.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Too much of the author's potical and religious opinions

ByBruce O'GormanVINE VOICEon July 4, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I really enjoyed the story of this book, even though it was very easy to predict the ending. The characters were well developed. What I thought could have been left out was all of the author's own opinions on politics and her Jehovah's Witnesses faith. She preached a lot, which had absolutely nothing to do with the story.

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Five Stars

Bymontyon March 16, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

love J. California Cooper's books and will definitely purchase more

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Inspiring!!!!

ByV Marieon October 23, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I gave this book a five because it was real to life, it was truth, and you could relate to the lives in the story. It took a little time getting used to the way she told the story. Most everyone knows someone who portrays several of the characters. I enjoyed the bits and pieces of history. People will be people, no matter the race. In the end, love prevailed. As the songwriter says "All we need is love," but we also need family and honest to die hard friends. Good read, great storytelling.

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

This one missed the mark

ByS. Blackmonon January 12, 2010

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I am a huge J. California Cooper fan, so it pains me to give this book 3 stars. I too was wishing Herman would stop all that nonsense and step to Myine. I thought they were gonna die before things finally came together for them. Good grief, Charlie Brown.

I was hoping for more on Tante since early on it was hinted that the person you'd think would fair the best... actually didn't. She did pretty good for herself and I see how she ended up lacking in the emotional sense.

Also, the Kindle version had some conversion errors. capital B's were replaced with capital Rs. capital C's were replaced with capital Gs. very annoying!

oh... and one last thing. Is it me or did this book seem a tad bit TOO preachy?? I felt like I was being guilted into coverting.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Good read

ByL. Wileyon May 30, 2010

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I have always liked Ms. Cooper's literary works. This book is a beautifully woven tale of love throughout several generations of a family. The book kept my attention and as usual, never bored me. I will have to say that the ending of this book, for me, was a bit odd. The story ended, but the last several pages focused on a conversation between two people and their discussion on the bible/focus on the theories of the Jehovah's Witnesses. I have read hints of the belief's of Jehovah's Witnesses in several of Ms. Cooper's books, but this book seemed to carry the discussion far longer than the other novels; it was a bit much. In my opinion, this conversation/ending distorted the rest of the book and left me feeling a bit "cheated" at the end. However 98% of the book is a really read!

0CommentWas this review helpful to you?YesNo

Most recent customer reviews

Five Stars

Awesome book..instantly access to my ipad!

Published 1 day ago by Amazon Customer

Loved it

The book flowed from the first Word. I put it down once so that I could take care of responsibilities. I love the theme of redemption that seems to permeate this authors stories.

Published 8 months ago by T. Adams

A good read

A good read with wonderful characters who could parallel many we have known or heard about in real life. I would recommend.

Published 10 months ago by SWC: Amazon Customer

Don't waste your time unless you enjoy ebonics and total boredom.

I honestly' think this is the most boring book I have ever read.

Published 10 months ago by Florence Patricia Thompson

Five Stars

Great

Published 1 year ago by roz

Four Stars

Great read

Published 1 year ago by Kaylee M.

Five Stars

Great read

Published 1 year ago by endyia gongora

I really enjoyed reading this book

I really enjoyed reading this book. J. California Cooper is one of my favor author and I find her reading to be very peaceful.
Thank You

Published 1 year ago by Amazon Customer

I liked how the story slowly started to unfold starting with ...

I selected this novel on a whim, after hearing about this author a few years ago. As I began delving into this story, I immediately became intrigued with Cooper's selection of...Read more

Published 1 year ago by MissMe

Wonderful book

Excellent book. I have enjoyed all here books. Highly recommend this book and this author.

Published 1 year ago by mcdonald

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway

This item: Life Is Short But Wide

Set up a giveaway

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.

J. California Cooper

69

Paperback
$10.24
J. California Cooper

79

Paperback
$10.26
J. California Cooper

64

Paperback
$11.35
J. California Cooper

46

Paperback
$13.82
J. California Cooper

122

Paperback
$11.31
J. California Cooper

36

Paperback
$6.52

English United States

Conditions of Use
Privacy Notice
Interest-Based Ads

Buy New $8.26

Turn on 1-Click ordering for this browser

or

or

Other Sellers on Amazon

Life Is Short But Wide Paperback – April 6, 2010

Frequently bought together

Customers who bought this item also bought

Special offers and product promotions

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

From Booklist

Product details

Customer reviews

Top customer reviews

Most recent customer reviews

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Buy New

$8.26