The Women of Brewster Place: A Novel in Seven Stories (Penguin Contemporary American Fiction Series)

wonderful collection of stories that all tie together. beautiful.

This book was definitely not what I was expecting. I knew I would read stories of different women from Brewster Place but not stories like this. Gut wrenching, page turning, details that made me feel like I was there. From the poor decision of Mattie’s son Basil, to the heartbreaking details of what happened to Ciel’s children, there was something I related to in each of these women.

First published in 1982 (and winner of the National Book Award for best First Novel -a category that no longer exists for those awards), this short collection of stories about Af American women in a run down area of town (Memphis, Nashville - ??) is well worth revisiting once again.When this first came out I worked in a literary, indie bookstore in Chicago, and we could not keep this title in stock we sold it so fast!Reminds you of Sherwood Anderson's style - interrelated stories of denizens of a particular area. Characters appear in varying major and minor roles throughout. Given the strong characters, it is no surpise Oprah turned this into a miniseries.A former Jehovah's Witness msssionary in the South, Naylor went back to school at an older age, and did so while she paid the bils as a telephone operator (a career her mother had engaged in as well). While she wrote a number of other books, none of them achieved the success or popularity of this, her first book.But yes, a wonderful portrayal of "sisterhood" and support - the agony, and fun, of life.If you're of a certain age, there is a good chance you read this back in the '80's. Really, go back and read it once more - it stands up very well. If you are younger, and did not read it "back when", this is very much a worthwhile novel to spend a few evenings with. Well written, enjoyable, informative - and still timely.

I love books of interconnected stories and this one is pretty much a classic in that category. I enjoyed it very much.

I loved this book-it should have been longer! I was completely wrapped up in the characters. I'm usually not into novels, but enjoy learning more about mid- 20th-century history, and having lived for many years in subsidized city housing as a young mother after growing up poor, I like to be able to understand & relate to the characters, which I did. I liked how the apartment house was the narrator-very different! It was a very moving story. I just wish there had been even more! This is one of my favorite novels even though it's short, and I'm sure I will be reading it periodically again as well as recommending it to people repeatedly.This print (in paperback) was lightweight, a bit wider than traditional paperbacks, easiest to hold size, sturdy pages & cover. Just a great book in every way, especially for women & teenage girls but not exclusively.

I ordered this book new, however the cover came folded and bent in some places. The outside of it feels dirty. Regardless, the pages themselves are in good condition so the book was readable. I just wish I got the book in the condition I ordered.

I'm one of those people who love to follow the book awards. Like the Nobel Peace Prize in literature, the Pulitzer, the Man Booker Prize, and the National Book Award. The books that win these awards are always so amazing that I'm never disappointed. And as a the winner of the National Book Award in 1982, 'The Women of Brewster Place' completely blew me away! The writing is beautifully fluid and glorious. I just couldn't get enough. I read this book in less than 2 days that's how strong it got to me. And even though the book is thin, only clocking in at 192 pages, it is packed full of heart-breaking emotions that run the gamut from disappointment and despair to love and joy and hope!As a young woman I can remember as clear as day the remarkable t.v. movie that was created from this book. And I have to say as someone who normally believes that the book is always better than the movie, this book is so amazing that nothing is left on the page that doesn't make it to the screen. Even if you've never seen the movie, the writing in this book is so clear and detailed that you can imagine everything that happens as if you're actually watching a movie. It's crazy. I don't think I've ever read a book that is so accessible and believable. Where the characters are people you know or could know. And where places like Brewster Place actually exist.I loved reading this book. I would recommend it to everyone. Buy it immediately.

Naylor accomplishes so much in this novel, through the lives of her characters, the language, and the timeless themes that run throughout the stories. I went into this text with the assumption that is was a book about the lives and struggles of black women in America. Upon completing the text, I realize that it is so much more - it is a book about women, hardships, growth, overcoming, injustice, dreams and dream deferred, complexity of life, and the impact we have on the lives of others. It is truly a story about connectedness. It is also a story about the unyielding power of women to use what they have - their life, their relationships, their anger, their joys, their hopes - to not only survive, but strive to reach for more in even the most dire circumstances. Naylor also does a great job of creating, which seems effortless in her writing, multidimensional characters - even those who seem unbearable and very unlikeable. I would definitely teach and suggest this novel for students of American literature, African American literature, Womanist studies, and American studies. It is such a great and powerful novel!

Awesome Purchase. Just loving it.

This really was an excellent read. Wonderfully ironic, heartwarming in places and heart wrenching in others. It took me a little while to get into Naylor's writing (I watched the TV series first) but after a short while I really began to enjoy myself. It felt good to read these stories and the narative never seemed to drag.

It was a fantastic read! I saw the mini-TV film series of this book in 1989 starring Oprah Winfrey with a superb cast of actors and actresses! I notice there were some minor changes in the film in comparison to the novel, but it was a good read. I only wish that its sequel, "The Men Of Brewster Place" written in 1999 would be made into a mini-TV series too. Oprah Winfrey will be re-making the movie again with another cast of actresses. I still love the original one as is. Oprah Winfrey did such a fantastic job with the first film, and I only wish she could get the rights to turn "The Men Of Brewster Place" into a film.

Plusieurs nouvelles avec une unité de lieu (un même ensemble d'habitations) relatant la vie de femmes noires dans une grande ville au milieu du vingtième siècles. Les différentes nouvelles sont inégales, la première et la dernière étant très dures, mais avec toujours de la tendresse et une vision encourageante du féminisme pour les femmes de couleur.

La novela es una auténtica maravilla. Un 'blues' colectivo de mujeres afro-americanas que comparten su experiencia para superar sus miedos y sus traumas y poder, así, encontrar una identidad propia como mujeres y como negras. Una de las mejores obras de la literatura afro-americana de mujeres que florece en los 70: "From mammies to militants".