Some People, Some Other Place - by J California Cooper (Paperback)

About the Book

Cooper returns with a sweeping novel about love and heartbreak, perseverance and luck, telling her tale with insight and grace. This multigenerational tale is set in a town called "Place," on a street named "Dream Street," where neighbors on the block are people of all colors, all holding fast to their dreams of a better life.

Book Synopsis

For generations Eula Too's family has been making a journey North, year after year, step by painful step; and she's determined to be the one to make it all the way to Chicago. In and out of school, taking care of her fourteen brothers and sisters, she can see no way out. But when a new family burden threatens to overwhelm her, she at last leaves for the city, only to find that her life gets even tougher.

Ranging from the Deep South at the turn of the century, to a diverse contemporary town filled with people striving for a better life, Some People, Some Other Place is J. California Cooper at her irresistible, surprising best.

Review Quotes

"A truly inspiring novel that lends credence to [Cooper's] reputation as a genius storyteller"--The Boston Globe

"The author's storytelling gifts are at their peak. . . . I was hypnotized. I was helpless. I couldn't stop reading" --Carolyn See, The Washington Post

"Stirring. . . . You laugh, cry, cheer, pity, and pray for her highly spirited cast." --Upscale

"A graceful tale of people surviving because of, and in spite of, one another." --Essence

About the Author

J. California Cooper is the author of the novels Family and The Wake of the Wind and of seven collections of short stories, including Homemade Love, winner of the 1989 American Book Award. Among her numerous awards are the James Baldwin Writing Award and the Literary Lion Award from the American Library Association. She has one daughter and lives in Portland, Oregon.