Too Beautiful for Words

by Monique Morris

Book Overview

This startling, stunning debut novel by a young African-American writer offers a hard-edged portrait of life on the streets of Oakland, California. Seventeen-year-old Angie was a good girl until she met Jesus, an attractive, smooth-talking pimp with a heart of steel, who lures her into working for him. Changing Angie's name to Peaches, Jesus introduces her in heartbreaking tragedy, her son, Jason, must decide whether to continue this legacy or to...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060935944
• ISBN13: 9780060935948
• Release Date: August 2002
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Too Beautiful for Words---a review

Too beautiful for Words is a brilliant demonstration of an empowered character that is a product of his mother's oppression, another woman's education and love for her people, and his father's influence as a highly respected man in their community. The reader experiences the critical changing moment in Jason's life, whose choices have the power to impact his family's future and change the cyclical patterns. The book celebrates the very important need for choice, education, and truth. Because of the circumstances that lead characters where they are in life, we are engaged to confront our very own human needs for love, respect, honor, and family without judgement. The author puts a face on the very many issues that trouble us today, with an indirect discussion of concepts including systemic oppression, domestic violence, criminalization and labeling of youth, failures of our educational system, teen pregnancy, prison culture, etc. which need more attention. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to be challenged to think beyond the paradigms of the characters and look for a way to get our children to believe that their lives are...too beautiful for words.

Reality

This book really captured inner city struggles of many of our Black youth, as 2 of the more prominent dichotomized philosophies grappled within the mind & heart of the main character, Jason: Capitalism vs. Spirituality. Short term survival methods vs. continuity and enlightenment within a race of people. The antithesis of blasphemous, Morris was actually ingenius in her usage of Christianity as a metaphore for that which captures the mind & appearant soul of a young woman, Peaches. Morris is matter of fact. She reserves judgement of both prostitution (the medium of the story) and spirituality, not to be confused with religion, (the underlying focal point of all of the conflict within the book). The most thought provoking book I've read in years.

Too Beautiful for Words is Truly Too Beautiful for Words

I laughed, I cried, I was scared, and I was happy. Monique W. Morris is an excellent author. The novel takes you to every level of emotion possible. I give this book 10 stars. If you have ever had a friend if not yourself that loves a man more than herself or even life you can identify Chinaka. Her son,Jason the product of a pimp named,God does an ultimate act of revenge and love for his mother. Read this book! Read this book!

This book is important

It was really good. It talks a lot about the struggle between street life and liberation. This is an important book.

Morris a unique writer

The author captures the unique talents of each charater in the story. The story lines takes you on a journey to the past through the eyes of Peaches and Jesus, and brings you to the present day in the eyes of Jason their son. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it highly.