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Summary: Your Family, My Family, Or The Price Family...
Review: A Day Late and a Dollar Short is a novel that is like so of many of our own families. Each reader will identify with some aspect of the Price family story. A Day Late and a Dollar Short chronicles a short time in the Price family. By most accounts, this is a family that is on the edge. The children are all grown with families and issues of their own. The main players include: Viola, the strong-willed matron and backbone of the family. Her husband, Cecil, who is often absent and distant from his wife and children. The eldest child, Paris, a successful career woman who doesn't trust love and copes by abusing substances. The middle child, Charlotte feels like she is on the cusp of the family and is very resentful. Lewis, the black sheep of the family, can never get his act together. Finally, Janelle, the baby. She is use to be assisted and does not know her true own true strength. Travel with the Price family through their personal obstacles and hurdles. McMillan writes this novel in the first person so the reader knows what every character is individually thinking. This was an effective means of developing each character. By having a glimpse into the personal world and feelings of each Price family member, the reader was able to see a much more complicated and multidimensional person. Through this novel, McMillan was able to communicate many universal truths of families: Family is important; Family needs to be maintained; and ALL families have struggles and issues. As this was the first novel that I have read by McMillan, I do not have a base to compare. A Day Late and A Dollar Short was an enjoyable read and I will soon try another McMillan novel.
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Summary: Mothers know their children
Review: As mothers you usually know your children and Viola knows her husband and her children. This story is realistic and it displays the love that a woman has for her children and her husband. Viola in this story is Big Mama and the glue to the family. But she endures a lot, just like mothers do.
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Summary: Tremendous!! Kudos to Terry McMillan!
Review: This book is a 'must read', as they say. It is chocked full of life. It is the story of a family and one that covers all of the bases of familial trauma, struggle, heartache, triumph and love. The story takes place in modern day and is so true-to-life that I cannot believe these folks don't exist. Each chapter is 'written' by an individual of the 'core' family; Viola, the Mama and matriarch; Cecil, the Dad who was so often absent; and their four grown children, Paris, the perfectionist and oldest; Charlotte, the one with a chip on her shoulder; Janelle, the one who flounders in life regardless of her intelligence; and finally, Lewis, the sole brother who is fighting his own personal demons. This story takes you into their lives and makes you feel like you know each one of them personally. I laughed and cried, like only a GREAT book can do.
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Summary: ANOTHER BOX OFFICE SMASH
Review: Terry McMillan did it again! I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. This family became my family. I was able to relate to every character. This one should definitely be the beginning of a sequel. After fininshing this book I felt like I wanted to know more about what happened to the siblings and their children. The is a great family drama! The characters and dialogue are so real and down to earth! I pray that this is not the end! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK TERRY MCMILLAN!
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Summary: MAGNIFICENT
Review: THIS IS THE ULTIMATE BEST WORK I'VE READ IN YEARS. SHE(TERRY) GETS TO THE HEART OF THE TRUE BLACK FAMILY. THE STORY MAKES YOU LAUGH/CRY/ANGRY/HATE/LAST BUT NOT LEAST LOVE. IF THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT IN YOUR FAMILY YOU KNOW THEM TO BE IN SOMEONES...AND TODAY AND FROM KNOW ON I WILL FOREVER PRAISE THIS BOOK.
Rating:
Summary: A Day Late and a Dollar Short
Review: This book really gave me insight into the black culture. Having been raised in an Irish Catholic White Bread neighborhood, I have not had much experience with backgrounds unlike my own. The story showed that although we all make look different on the outside, we are exactly the same within. It made me laugh and cry and touched my heart. My own family has experienced many of the same problems which the Price family endured and although we may not have handled some of the situations as they did, our joys, hurts, disappointments were exactly like this family. They stuck together despite all the problems. It was a wonderful story and I was sorry to see it end.
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Summary: Brava!!!
Review: I'd give this book ten stars if I could. The characters are wonderfully developed, their individual voices are both distinctive and believable, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It left me laughing at times, in tears at others ... I almost didn't want it to end. This is the first Terry McMillan book I've read, and I'm now looking forward to reading all of her novels. This is a brilliant, touching portrayal of a family that I can't recommend highly enough. Don't miss it!
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Summary: Dear Prices - Thanksgiving is at MY place next year!!
Review: I have never, in all the many books I've read, (and there have been a lot) felt so passionately about a book. I ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY loved this story. I feel like these people are my close friends and now that the book is over, I've lost them. I have never become so emotionally involved in a book. To say the characters were well developed, would be an understatement. It is so very straight forward - and so hearfelt (and so realistic), that it is impossible not to become involved. Generally, I'm a psychological thriller-type reader and read this for a change of pace. What a wonderful surprise. I will be looking into anything and everything else by Terry McMillan. As you can tell already, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book (10 stars).
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Summary: A very good come back to writing......
Review: First, I will start by saying that I read this book in 1 1/2 days... it was definitely a page turner. Terry McMillan gets my vote for best come back... I thought that this book was much better than Stella ... more on a Waiting to Exhale level. This is a book that all family can relate to. It is about a family and all of the many challenges and obstacles that they endured. Some would say a dysfunctional family... but we are all dysfuntional . . . . in my book. Viola, is the mother and rock of the household. Recently separated from her husband of 20 some odd years, begins to take back her life and try to bring her family along with her. There is her son, whom, for everything under the sun, just can't get himself together.... he has been imprisoned, jobless, wifeless and just about anything else you can think of. There are two daughters, one is the successful wealthy single but addicted to prescription drugs daughter, and the other is the youngest jealous of big sister, married to an older man who is molesting her daughter..... The story is a trip, but will keep you entertained.... You will be comparing your family to the books....
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Summary: Remind you of somebody?
Review: A Day Late and A Dollar Short is a MUST READ if only because it will let you know that your family isn't the only family with problems. McMillian takes the universal issues that affect African American families (nearly any American family for that matter) and reveals the thoughts and feelings of different family members as those problems surface. It even deals with issues you hope your family never has to endure. As I read this novel, I could easily pick out traits I see in my family. Without saying it aloud, this book leaves you with three truths: 1) No family is flawless; 2) No one family member is all wrong; and 3) Blood is thicker than differences. This novel is truly a splice of life.
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