I Wish I Had a Red Dress

by Pearl Cleage

Book Overview

Joyce Mitchell was widowed far too young when her beloved husband, Mitch, died in a tragic accident five years ago. Since then she's kept her hands full and her mind and heart occupied by running The Sewing Circus, an all-girl group she founded to provide badly needed services like day care and job counseling to young women, many of whom are single mothers. More important, The Circus is a place for lively, wide-ranging, heart-to-heart discussions...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380977338
• ISBN13: 9780380977338
• Release Date: July 2001
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

DELIGHTFUL SEQUEL.

If you liked IT LOOKS LIKE CRAZY ON AN ORDINARY DAY, you will LOVE Pearl Cleage's second novel, I WISH I HAD A RED DRESS!This novel re-introduces Joyce Mitchell, one of the characters from Cleage's previous novel, as well as some of the members of her "free" women's community group, affectionately known as "The Circus". All of the characters come alive through Cleage's wonderful story-telling style--so much so that the reader wants to know what happens to them long after the last page is turned.The characters also relate such memorable messages as: "Confession, without closure, is just whining"; "Anybody can learn anything, once they quit pretending that they already know it"; "If you can't admit it, you probably ought to quit it"; and "If you want to make God laugh, make plans".In addition to running "The Circus" and helping its all-female membership deal with issues such as motherhood, education, abusive relationships, and career choices, Joyce must examine her own feelings regarding the blossoming of a romantic relationship with the newest member of her small Idlewild, Michigan community, after surviving five years of widowhood.I WISH I HAD A RED DRESS has all of the wit, humor, and excellent plot development that can be expected from a Pearl Cleage novel, and it will hold the reader's attention from the first page to the last.

What a pearl!

Pearl Cleage has done it again; I don't know how many times over. I really appreciated "What Looks Like..." and now I didn't even want "I Wish..." to end. Now being the cynic that I am, I was really looking for something that would cause me to want to give this novel less than a five, but I found absolutely nothing. First off, Cleage has given us breath with her character Joyce. No she doesn't fit the African American woman stereotypes found in so many other novels, but she is one hell of a character. Cleage has shown so many positives about her and African American culture. We are not static, but very dynamic. Otherwise literarily I thought that language was beautiful-it was at times high-but these are some smart folks. And who couldn't appreciate Sister, even though she was the most eccentric minister that I have ever heard off (but we love her)-and so is her very intelligent husband, Bill. On another note Cleage does a superburb job of getting into other character's lives without overdoing it. It's so polished that it never lends itself to useless subplots. Now I'll be candid-I didn't so much dig the feminism thing-not that it was bad, but it was overdone and I don't remember it being that big in "What..." Nonetheless I could appreciate the small chapters because they lent themselves to giving the reader a feeling of going on Joyce's day-to-day mission and its overall importance in the life of The Sewing Circus. What can I say? Thanks Pearl, you've have avoided all the cliches that sometimes define contemporary African American fiction a la overdone sex scenes (that have nothing to do with the story and is really the writers attempt to sell books), but less name dropping would help although you miracously make it work a la Dorothy Dandridge, and no nonsense scenes. Thanks!

Warm and Amazing

Pearl Cleage is truly amazing. Her writing is so genuine and her ideas so prolific I'm in awe. She's also one fantastic storyteller. Cleage is what I call a "Gentle Feminist" she believes in women learning to think for themselves and becoming independent but unlike most staunch feminist she wants the boys along for the ride. She loves men (we have that in common) and knows women cannot survive without them nor should we try.I Wish I had a Red Dress is a testament to her philosophy. If your not interested in the messages you will still enjoy the story. Joyce is the older sister from "What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day". She's a widow and resident social activist in a little black town called Idlewild. Joyce's husband was the love of her life, it's been years since his death and she isstill grieving. Nate Anderson , a former cop, and newcomer to Idlewild has taken a job as a counselor at the local high school, he too wants to make a difference in the lives of young people. Of course they meet and Nate is one of those guys people should warn you about, so you don't stare. He is big! I'm talking 6'8" and big and as far as Joyce is concerned absolutely gorgeous. At one point while talking about Nate, Joyce says "he laughs and shakes his big ole head" and I'm thinking only Cleage could make that sexy. He's not perfect or flawless, but he's wonderful just the same. Can these two socially aware, beautiful people find love? Of course they can but this is Cleage and not a romance novel, so a zillion things are going to transpire between point A and B and if you're not careful you may learn something from each of them.

A wonderful surprise!

I picked up this book in the library, not familiar with theauthor, and wow! Pearl Cleage can write! She not only tells a good story, but she honors her craft. I loved lines like this: "She was watching Nik get into her car and drive off toward thedanger just like they always do in the horror movies; gripping the wheel, gritting her teeth and swearing she doesn't believe in ghosts." Cleage is a WRITER. Cleage's heroine, a teacher-turned-social worker, combines sex with sensibility. The book is less about plot than about character; the heroine can get a little preachy about feminism but that's who she is, and it's not the same old story. The use of film as a learning tool is very real -- made mewant to rent some of those videos myself. Reminded me of May Sarton, with a lot more bite, deeper characterization and much, much better writing. "Red dress" reaches way beyond an African-American audienceand deserves to become another best-seller for the author.

Powerful,Gratifying, Lively and a richly woven story

I just finished reading Pearl Cleage's, I Wish I Had a Red Dress, which happens to be a continuation of What looks like Crazy on an ordinary day. What a powerful, surprisingly shocking and beauitfully woven story centered around Idlewild, Michigan. This book shines a spotlight on Joyce Mitchell the older sister of Ava and introduces us to people like Nate, Nikki, Tomika, Shelia, Sister and Bill, The Smitherman twins and the infamous Lattimore family. I was delighted that Pearl dedicated a book to Joyce and allowed her to share more of herself with us. It was a gratifying and wonderful book to read and well worth sharing with others. Joyce is a strong and remarkable woman, with so much to give and offer others and she does just that. The story is even laced with some comedy so, it's not too deep and heavy for you. While reading it I found myself rethinking various key moments in my own lifetime. Or as Oprah says, those light blub moments. This book has a liitle something, something for everyone and it's sure to be a book you won't soon forget. Happy reading and thanks Pearl for another delightful, life-changing and powerful read.