Product Description

A fresh, award-winning exploration of the nuancesof race, class and gender. In one story, Avery, aneleven-year-old from South Central Los Angeles,confronts the dislocation of moving to a whitesuburb. In another, La Donna, a black stripper,decides to leave her white boyfriend. In a third,a girl witnesses her uncle throw out a girlfriendshe admires. Brilliantly capturing voices of theDeep South as well as of Los Angeles, Johnson'ship, sexy debut combines vivid language withunflinching honesty to bring vibrant characters tolife.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2227572 in Books
• Published on: 2003-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

Review
"You can hear Johnson's voices ringing long after you put the stories down: No character could stay a stranger long in this writer's hands." --"Los Angeles Times
""Deftly achieves both art and amusement. Johnson's ability to coax the heart as much as the mind . . . marks the author as a storyteller at her most potent." --"Seattle Weekly
" "A . . . sometimes comical read . . . Johnson's stories are ultimately bound by a desire to find a place . . . to fit in"--"USA Today
""Sharp edged . . . contemporary"--"Booklist
""This is an exciting and gorgeous literary debut." --Jonathan Ames, author of The Extra Man"
""Whether it's an awkward sixth grader with a crush, a pair of brazen Iranian sisters, or a male porno star who bakes a mean ziti, Dana Johnson's characters breathe authenticity. Johnson has got range and she's got depth. A remarkable new voice has emerged."-Dalton Conley, author of Honky
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""Rich, unhurried layering showcases [Johnson's] larger themes. . . Both hip and elegant, these assured stories . . . simmer and resonate."-"Publishers Weekly
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"Johnson renders with authenticity a range of ages, nationalities, and perspectives with a verve that leaves the reader wanting more."-Janet McDonald, author of Project Girl"
""These stories are full of the small details and disappointments of life, the missed opportunities and the inopportune moments that change one's trajectory."-"Library Journal
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"Johnson's narrators are sympathetic and engaging. . . A subtle and sometimes compelling vision of Los Angeleno life."-"Kirkus Reviews
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"Dana Johnson's collection of stories contains so many wonderful women. Living, breathing, making amillion mistakes, but you understand every one of them. Sometimes you think your heart will burst, but the pain is illustrated with depth, clarity and beauty."-Victor LaValle, author of The Ecstatic"
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