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Cora's Kitchen
Winner, 2022 Sarton Award for Historical Fiction; Winner (Bronze), 2022 Foreword INDIE Award for Multicultural Fiction
It is 1928 and Cora James, a 35-year-old Black librarian who works at the 135th Street library in Harlem, writes Langston Hughes a letter after identifying with one of his poems. She even reveals her secret desire to write. Langston responds, encouraging Cora to enter a writing contest sponsored by the National Urban League, and ignites her dream of being a writer. Cora is frustrated with the writing process, and her willingness to help her cousin Agnes keep her job after she is brutally beaten by her husband lands Cora in a white woman's kitchen working as a cook.
In the Fitzgerald home, Cora discovers she has time to write and brings her notebook to work. When she comforts Mrs. Fitzgerald after an argument with Mr. Fitzgerald, a friendship forms. Mrs. Fitzgerald insists Cora call her Eleanor and gives her The Awakening by Kate Chopin to read. Cora is inspired by the conversation to write a story and sends it to Langston. Eventually she begins to question her life and marriage and starts to write another story about a woman's sense of self. Through a series of letters, and startling developments in her dealings with the white family, Cora's journey to becoming a writer takes her to the brink of losing everything, including her life.
“Cora’s Kitchen delves deeply into what it means to be a Black woman with ambition, to make choices and keep secrets, and to have an unexpected alliance with a white woman that ultimately may save both of them. Kimberly Garrett Brown renders Cora with immense empathy, acknowledging and confronting Cora’s own prejudices and allegiances and the social pressures that continue to reverberate far beyond this story. Cora’s Kitchen is a poignant, compelling story in which misfortune and fortune cannot be teased apart, and literature and life have everything to do with each other.”
—Anna Leahy, author of What Happened Was: and Tumor
“In Cora’s Kitchen, all women will find their challenges and longings expressed with unflinching honesty. Kimberly Garrett Brown’s characters are faithful to a time, yet timeless, transcending the years to both painfully and beautifully illustrate the struggles women face to find and fulfill their vocations. Spellbinding.”
—Erika Robuck, national bestselling author of The Invisible Woman
“… powerful … Brown speaks to timeless struggles of women who had ambitions that reached beyond traditional expectations. … An affecting novel of female friendship and a desire for independence.”
—Kirkus Reviews
It is 1928 and Cora James, a 35-year-old Black librarian who works at the 135th Street library in Harlem, writes Langston Hughes a letter after identifying with one of his poems. She even reveals her secret desire to write. Langston responds, encouraging Cora to enter a writing contest sponsored by the National Urban League, and ignites her dream of being a writer. Cora is frustrated with the writing process, and her willingness to help her cousin Agnes keep her job after she is brutally beaten by her husband lands Cora in a white woman's kitchen working as a cook.
In the Fitzgerald home, Cora discovers she has time to write and brings her notebook to work. When she comforts Mrs. Fitzgerald after an argument with Mr. Fitzgerald, a friendship forms. Mrs. Fitzgerald insists Cora call her Eleanor and gives her The Awakening by Kate Chopin to read. Cora is inspired by the conversation to write a story and sends it to Langston. Eventually she begins to question her life and marriage and starts to write another story about a woman's sense of self. Through a series of letters, and startling developments in her dealings with the white family, Cora's journey to becoming a writer takes her to the brink of losing everything, including her life.
“Cora’s Kitchen delves deeply into what it means to be a Black woman with ambition, to make choices and keep secrets, and to have an unexpected alliance with a white woman that ultimately may save both of them. Kimberly Garrett Brown renders Cora with immense empathy, acknowledging and confronting Cora’s own prejudices and allegiances and the social pressures that continue to reverberate far beyond this story. Cora’s Kitchen is a poignant, compelling story in which misfortune and fortune cannot be teased apart, and literature and life have everything to do with each other.”
—Anna Leahy, author of What Happened Was: and Tumor
“In Cora’s Kitchen, all women will find their challenges and longings expressed with unflinching honesty. Kimberly Garrett Brown’s characters are faithful to a time, yet timeless, transcending the years to both painfully and beautifully illustrate the struggles women face to find and fulfill their vocations. Spellbinding.”
—Erika Robuck, national bestselling author of The Invisible Woman
“… powerful … Brown speaks to timeless struggles of women who had ambitions that reached beyond traditional expectations. … An affecting novel of female friendship and a desire for independence.”
—Kirkus Reviews
176 pages, Paperback
Published February 15, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
June 25, 2022
Troubled Woman
by Langston Hughes
She stands
In the quiet darkness,
This troubled woman
Bowed by
Weariness and pain
Like an
Autumn flower
In the frozen rain,
Like a
Wind-blown autumn flower
That never lifts its head
This stunning poem is the epigraph that poignantly reflects the life of Cora James and other women in this debut novel who are “troubled” in their lives in 1928. Conventions and circumstances keep them from pursuing their dreams, under the grip of physical or mental and emotional abuse or the belief by men of their superiority. It’s not just the role of Black women as the description suggests because Cora is a Black woman, but the subservient role of white women is also portrayed in the marriages here.
It is a multilayered story not just about women, but also about racism and literature. Cora is educated as a librarian just as her coworkers, but yet is “vanquished to the back room, taping, binding and cleaning nooks like a first-year clerk.” A multifaceted narrative of Cora’s correspondence with Langston Hughes, blended with her notes to herself, pieces of her writing, and the telling of what is happening in her life kept me captivated. There are reflections and discussions of literature, most notably, The Awakening, which has a big impact on Cora’s thinking as does Walt Whitman and Zora Neale Hurston. It’s also about friendship, about women supporting other women. Over the span of 5 months in 1928, a woman’s life changes dramatically because she takes a risk to follow her dream . Even though a different time, it’s perhaps relevant today as women juggle their careers and family life. A very well written debut which will keep me looking for more by Kimberly Garrett Brown. (I guess I better read The Awakening.)
I received a copy of this book from Inanna through NetGalley
by Langston Hughes
She stands
In the quiet darkness,
This troubled woman
Bowed by
Weariness and pain
Like an
Autumn flower
In the frozen rain,
Like a
Wind-blown autumn flower
That never lifts its head
This stunning poem is the epigraph that poignantly reflects the life of Cora James and other women in this debut novel who are “troubled” in their lives in 1928. Conventions and circumstances keep them from pursuing their dreams, under the grip of physical or mental and emotional abuse or the belief by men of their superiority. It’s not just the role of Black women as the description suggests because Cora is a Black woman, but the subservient role of white women is also portrayed in the marriages here.
It is a multilayered story not just about women, but also about racism and literature. Cora is educated as a librarian just as her coworkers, but yet is “vanquished to the back room, taping, binding and cleaning nooks like a first-year clerk.” A multifaceted narrative of Cora’s correspondence with Langston Hughes, blended with her notes to herself, pieces of her writing, and the telling of what is happening in her life kept me captivated. There are reflections and discussions of literature, most notably, The Awakening, which has a big impact on Cora’s thinking as does Walt Whitman and Zora Neale Hurston. It’s also about friendship, about women supporting other women. Over the span of 5 months in 1928, a woman’s life changes dramatically because she takes a risk to follow her dream . Even though a different time, it’s perhaps relevant today as women juggle their careers and family life. A very well written debut which will keep me looking for more by Kimberly Garrett Brown. (I guess I better read The Awakening.)
I received a copy of this book from Inanna through NetGalley
August 2, 2022
My friend, Angela M., brought this beautiful book to my attention. Cora’s Kitchen is the story of Cora James, a Black librarian living in 1920s Harlem.
Cora sends a letter to Langston Hughes after relating to one of his poems. She wants to be writer. Langston Hughes responds, encouraging Cora not only to write but to enter a writing contest.
In helping her cousin, Agnes, Cora becomes a cook in a white family’s home, the Fitzgeralds. In that role, she finds she has more time to write. Ultimately, she forges a friendship with Mrs. Fitzgerald who gives her The Awakening to read (The Awakening is one of my very favorite books, so I loved this connection). These happenings lead to Cora penning a story she shares with Langston Hughes. The missives continue to pass back and forth, and Cora keeps writing; the process of which may cost her everything.
Cora’s story shares her perspective on being a woman, a Black woman, during this time in history. She aspires for something more, to be w writer, and as she encounters hurdles and attempts to navigate them, she keeps going. I really enjoyed the letters she shared with Hughes. Cora’s honesty and authentic voice are what grabbed me from the start of her story.
Cora’s Kitchen is a quick, but richly told read; full of emotion and heart, and one in which every woman can relate, especially if she aspires for something more for herself.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Cora sends a letter to Langston Hughes after relating to one of his poems. She wants to be writer. Langston Hughes responds, encouraging Cora not only to write but to enter a writing contest.
In helping her cousin, Agnes, Cora becomes a cook in a white family’s home, the Fitzgeralds. In that role, she finds she has more time to write. Ultimately, she forges a friendship with Mrs. Fitzgerald who gives her The Awakening to read (The Awakening is one of my very favorite books, so I loved this connection). These happenings lead to Cora penning a story she shares with Langston Hughes. The missives continue to pass back and forth, and Cora keeps writing; the process of which may cost her everything.
Cora’s story shares her perspective on being a woman, a Black woman, during this time in history. She aspires for something more, to be w writer, and as she encounters hurdles and attempts to navigate them, she keeps going. I really enjoyed the letters she shared with Hughes. Cora’s honesty and authentic voice are what grabbed me from the start of her story.
Cora’s Kitchen is a quick, but richly told read; full of emotion and heart, and one in which every woman can relate, especially if she aspires for something more for herself.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
July 4, 2022
It’s 1928 and Cora is a 35 yr old Black librarian and aspiring writer.
She comes across a poem that she identifies with,
written by a young Black man and she writes him a letter which develops into a continuing correspondence.
He is encouraging her to write and to enter a writing contest.
It’s difficult for Cora to write.. all her family obligations getting in the way.
She finds that not only is she challenged by her race… being Black, but also just by being a woman.
Through Cora’s correspondence, and journal entries we see how she tries to navigate all her different roles, and aspirations.
I really enjoyed this book!
Thank you to Netgalley and Caitlin Hamilton Marketing & Publicity for the digital copy!
She comes across a poem that she identifies with,
written by a young Black man and she writes him a letter which develops into a continuing correspondence.
He is encouraging her to write and to enter a writing contest.
It’s difficult for Cora to write.. all her family obligations getting in the way.
She finds that not only is she challenged by her race… being Black, but also just by being a woman.
Through Cora’s correspondence, and journal entries we see how she tries to navigate all her different roles, and aspirations.
I really enjoyed this book!
Thank you to Netgalley and Caitlin Hamilton Marketing & Publicity for the digital copy!
November 28, 2021
It has been said, the universal is found in the specific, and in CORA'S KITCHEN all women will find their challenges and longings expressed in unflinching honesty. Kimberly Brown's characters are faithful to a time, yet timeless, transcending the years to both painfully and beautifully illustrate the struggles women face to find and fulfill their vocations. Spellbinding.
June 24, 2022
It’s hard for a woman to be a writer, even today. Between work and family, carving out time to write stretches a woman thin. Writers retreats can be a godsend, a chance to concentrate on just writing. But imagine what an aspiring writer in 1928 had to contend with? And if that person were a woman, and African American, what hope would they have of pursing a writing life?
Kimberly Brown’s debut novel takes on this theme. Cora’s Kitchen gives voice to a woman of intelligence and talent, living in 1928’s Harlem, who seeks to fulfill her dream of writing. She loves her husband, a talented musician working nights in the clubs, and her children. She has a good job as a librarian. But she us floundering as an individual.
Cora knows Langston Hughes, sees Zora Neale Hurston at the library. She imagines what her life would be like if she could follow her dream. When she and Earl meet and fell in love, they supported each other’s dreams; his goal as a musician, hers as a writer. But children came, and a job to help support the family, and Cora was trapped in an existence that did not feed her soul.
When Cora agrees to fill in for a relative who works as a cook, she meets the wealthy Eleanor, who has her own dreams of personal fulfillment. Eleanor at heart is an activist. She does not treat Cora as hired help, but befriends her and loans her Kate Chopin’s The Awakening. In that book, Cora finds herself.
Langston has encouraged Cora to write. Eleanor offers Cora a unique opportunity: spend the summer with her at a remote cottage, using the time to work on a story to enter into a contest. Cora grabs at the chance, sending the children to live with relatives, and arranging for Earl’s meals. What happens that summer will change Cora’s life.
The novel is told through journal entries and letters. There is much discussion of literature, insights and thoughts on race relations, and the ways men control and limit women.
This is a story I would have loved as a teen who hoped to become a writer and as a and young adult grappling with being a working wife and want-to-be poet. I can see this as a YA appropriate book. It is a quick reading novel, with an unexpected climax, and a realistic resolution.
I received an ARC through Caitlin Hamilton Marketing & Publicity. My review is fair and unbiased.
Kimberly Brown’s debut novel takes on this theme. Cora’s Kitchen gives voice to a woman of intelligence and talent, living in 1928’s Harlem, who seeks to fulfill her dream of writing. She loves her husband, a talented musician working nights in the clubs, and her children. She has a good job as a librarian. But she us floundering as an individual.
Cora knows Langston Hughes, sees Zora Neale Hurston at the library. She imagines what her life would be like if she could follow her dream. When she and Earl meet and fell in love, they supported each other’s dreams; his goal as a musician, hers as a writer. But children came, and a job to help support the family, and Cora was trapped in an existence that did not feed her soul.
When Cora agrees to fill in for a relative who works as a cook, she meets the wealthy Eleanor, who has her own dreams of personal fulfillment. Eleanor at heart is an activist. She does not treat Cora as hired help, but befriends her and loans her Kate Chopin’s The Awakening. In that book, Cora finds herself.
Langston has encouraged Cora to write. Eleanor offers Cora a unique opportunity: spend the summer with her at a remote cottage, using the time to work on a story to enter into a contest. Cora grabs at the chance, sending the children to live with relatives, and arranging for Earl’s meals. What happens that summer will change Cora’s life.
The novel is told through journal entries and letters. There is much discussion of literature, insights and thoughts on race relations, and the ways men control and limit women.
This is a story I would have loved as a teen who hoped to become a writer and as a and young adult grappling with being a working wife and want-to-be poet. I can see this as a YA appropriate book. It is a quick reading novel, with an unexpected climax, and a realistic resolution.
I received an ARC through Caitlin Hamilton Marketing & Publicity. My review is fair and unbiased.
October 4, 2022
Kimberly Garret Brown’s 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗮'𝘀 𝗞𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗻 takes us back to a time where women’s needs to be ambitious were not only unimportant but futile to men and the society in general. The time is 1928, in Harlem, and Cora James is an educated Black librarian, who secretly writes to poet Langston Hughes about her dreams of becoming a writer. Unexpectedly, he responds with encouraged words that thrust her into believing in her dream and her stories. Other things fall into place with a distraught friend, landing her into a white woman’s kitchen as a cook giving her more time to write. Cora learns early on: “I sure would have a lot of stories to tell about being a troubled woman.”
What follows in 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗮'𝘀 𝗞𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗻 is journal between Langston and Cora, a journal of Cora’s work-in-progress, and her thoughts about her life and work. The result is quite endearing, empathetic, and compassionate between women, friends, and writers. Cora is a gifted storyteller that has seen so much from such a young age, but her mother has sullied her with negativity: “Ain’t nobody interested in stories about a colored woman. Don’t let all that reading go to your head.” These ideas distract her from the idea that she cannot enter or compete in the writing contest, but anybody is a real writer who has an experience and the courage to put words to paper. Cora writes: “Black men aren’t the only ones who have the weary blues.”
Cora’s most pleasing quality is her big humanity for people and not just her “own” people. She makes a true friend out of Mrs. “Eleanor” Fitzgerald. While working in the kitchen of the Fitzgeralds, she is able to talk freely with Eleanor. Eleanor and her share common traits about their marriage she didn’t expect. Cora imagines: “Women probably jibber-jabber so much because men don’t give them room to think, much less talk. The moment a man steps into the room, everything changes.”
The novel does a great job of showing how women—Black and white—have similar fights and oppressions and can work together to get things done, but it will often come at a cost.
October 27, 2022
It’s 1928, and Cora James is immersed in raising her kids, being a good wife, and library work at the 135th Street Library in Harlem. A correspondence with the young Langston Hughes and a brief stint replacing her cousin in the kitchen of a rich white family give Cora the fortitude to plunge ahead with her dream of being a writer. This is a charming epistolary novel about the the struggle of a young Black woman in early 20th century American society.
I loved talking to author Kimberly Garrett Brown about this stunning novel- https://newbooksnetwork.com/coras-kit...
I loved talking to author Kimberly Garrett Brown about this stunning novel- https://newbooksnetwork.com/coras-kit...
September 16, 2022
Cora James works as a librarian in Harlem. As a black woman in 1928, she is attune to the struggles of the women around her. Cora longs to be a writer and strongly identifies with a poem written by library patron and friend, Langston Hughes. Cora begins corresponding with Langston and divulges her dream. Langston encourages Cora to enter a writing contest by the National Urban League. However, Cora's life soon takes a turn as she is encouraged by her family to take a leave from the library to help her cousin Agnes by filling in as a family cook for the Fitzgerald family. Cora reluctantly does her duty for the family and finds that she has time to write as well as a unique insight into family life different from her own, yet still struggling with the same emotional burdens. Over the weeks, Cora forms a friendship with Eleanor Fitzgerald and shows Eleanor her writing. With encouragement from Eleanor and Langston, Cora finishes a story to submit.
Cora's Kitchen is a historical fiction story showing the emotional struggle and mental weight that black women must bear. Through the writing I could feel Cora's passion for her writing and her strong connection with the pains of all women. I could definitely connect with her feelings of wanting more out of life than being a good wife and mother. I loved the unlikely connection between Cora and Eleanor and how they were able to help one another grow and give one another the courage to get what they wanted out of life. Eleanor was a surprising character, growing in depth through the story and revealing an inner strength. Cora's correspondence with Langston Hughes adds another point of view to the story and I loved reading their letters to one another. I'm glad that Langston challenged Cora and that Cora was able to stand up for herself, her work and the struggles that all women face.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Cora's Kitchen is a historical fiction story showing the emotional struggle and mental weight that black women must bear. Through the writing I could feel Cora's passion for her writing and her strong connection with the pains of all women. I could definitely connect with her feelings of wanting more out of life than being a good wife and mother. I loved the unlikely connection between Cora and Eleanor and how they were able to help one another grow and give one another the courage to get what they wanted out of life. Eleanor was a surprising character, growing in depth through the story and revealing an inner strength. Cora's correspondence with Langston Hughes adds another point of view to the story and I loved reading their letters to one another. I'm glad that Langston challenged Cora and that Cora was able to stand up for herself, her work and the struggles that all women face.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
September 25, 2022
Read for book tour review. Epistolary novella set in 1920’s New York during the Harlem Renaissance about Cora, a black librarian, wife & mother with dreams to be an author. Helping her cousin, a cook, beaten by her husband, Cora spends a few weeks as a cook for a white family & this changes her life & how she feels about it. Told through journal entries, Cora’s short stories & letters to author/poet Langston Hughes who encourages her writing,, it was a quick read that was engaging, beautifully written & gave me a glimpse into a life very different from my own during an interesting time in Black History.
My full review is here: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
My full review is here: http://kahakaikitchen.blogspot.com/20...
November 10, 2022
This book captures so much of the complexity of being a woman. Balancing of our own expectations as well as societies expectations is a constant struggle. Additionally Cora’s character is far more complex because she’s also a person of color in the 1920s so her challenges are far more magnified. Her character evolves throughout the book from seeing all of her value completely outside of her self to gradually gaining insight into the value that she has as her own person, and through her writing the value that she can share with others.
The author takes a courageous risk in writing as Langston Hughes and it pays off! It is a poignant, beautiful book! Highly recommend!
The author takes a courageous risk in writing as Langston Hughes and it pays off! It is a poignant, beautiful book! Highly recommend!
August 12, 2023
I loved this book. I read it as part of a trio with Lessons in Chemistry and The Equivalents: A Story of Art, Female Friendship, and Liberation in the 1960s which made me desperately impatient for ways to create a better creative community, for ALL who want one. Brown's novel is a heartfelt and intelligent portrayal of one woman's struggle to find just that. The plot is at once beautifully complex and also simple in the way Brown brings everything back to Cora's core.
September 27, 2022
A truly lovely read. Couldn’t put it down.
April 27, 2023
I enjoyed reading this book...a lot to think about. I want to read some of the books on Cora's list.
Read
October 8, 2022Kimberly Garrett Brown deftly layers Cora’s Kitchen, allowing Cora worlds of her own even as she is constrained by everyone from her husband to the structural racism and sexism facing her in the world outside her door. (And inside, too, for that matter.) There are rare discordant moments—as a librarian I find it hard to believe Cora would not have found interest among her patrons, since, let’s face it, people might be obnoxious or weird or pushy but they’re always interesting. But, overall, Cora James is an engaging, companionable narrator, one for whom readers will root—and many of us will recognize her struggles, and hope for her triumph the more.
My complete review is available online at Third Coast Review: https://thirdcoastreview.com/2022/10/...
My complete review is available online at Third Coast Review: https://thirdcoastreview.com/2022/10/...
December 17, 2022
This was a well written quick read. The themes of race and what it means to be a woman resonate in today's world even though this novel is set in 1928.
June 29, 2022
This engaging story has quite a bit of potential as a book club choice. It’s relatively short and a quick read with a story that keeps moving right along. It also provides lots of topics for discussion, race relations, the status of women, and how to realize a dream.
The tensions in Cora’s life will be familiar to lots of readers. She’s a working woman who procured a place working in a library to escape the kind of work that so many black women of her generation (the year is 1928) found available – cooks, house cleaners, and other types of domestics. Even so, she still has the responsibilities of maintaining her household and caring for her two children.
Her husband, a musician, works every night at the club, but doesn’t consider himself responsible for any of the work with a home or the children. He is not cruel or abusive, but she is still not sure if he would in any way be supportive of her dreams to be a writer.
Through her library job, she has met the prominent poet and writer Langston Hughes, and much of the book consists of the correspondence between them as well as Cora’s personal journal entries. She confesses to him her desire to be a writer, and he provides encouragement and advice. One surprising thing about that this story is that while Hughes is in touch with what it means to be a black American, he is not always as perceptive about what it means to be a woman, and here is where I think the real discussions will spring from this book.
How much do women of different races share because they’re women, and how much are their circumstances different? When Cora is offered a patronage by a wealthy white woman, she comes across all of these questions and more as she works to find the story she wants to tell.
Thank you to Netgalley which provided me a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
The tensions in Cora’s life will be familiar to lots of readers. She’s a working woman who procured a place working in a library to escape the kind of work that so many black women of her generation (the year is 1928) found available – cooks, house cleaners, and other types of domestics. Even so, she still has the responsibilities of maintaining her household and caring for her two children.
Her husband, a musician, works every night at the club, but doesn’t consider himself responsible for any of the work with a home or the children. He is not cruel or abusive, but she is still not sure if he would in any way be supportive of her dreams to be a writer.
Through her library job, she has met the prominent poet and writer Langston Hughes, and much of the book consists of the correspondence between them as well as Cora’s personal journal entries. She confesses to him her desire to be a writer, and he provides encouragement and advice. One surprising thing about that this story is that while Hughes is in touch with what it means to be a black American, he is not always as perceptive about what it means to be a woman, and here is where I think the real discussions will spring from this book.
How much do women of different races share because they’re women, and how much are their circumstances different? When Cora is offered a patronage by a wealthy white woman, she comes across all of these questions and more as she works to find the story she wants to tell.
Thank you to Netgalley which provided me a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
September 21, 2022
MY THOUGHTS -
Such a fantastic book! It was sad on so many levels! Sad because it is so true. And not only back then in the 1920s but it is even true for many today.
This book not only talks about the trials and prejudice of being a person of color in the 1920s but it also talks about the trials and prejudice of being a woman.
“It isn’t right to hit a woman. You can’t be neutral. Either you’re for women or you’re not.“
“ They get mad and there is nothing we can do about it. A man does whatever he wants to his wife. No one gives a damn.“
When I finished reading this book I took a long sip of my coffee, a few deep breaths, and just had to sit for a few minutes and recover.
“Over the years I have seen too many women, colored and white, mistreated and constrained simply because they are women. And while I understand colored women don’t have the same voice as white women, I can’t turn my back on any woman. I believe all women must stand together if any woman wants to get ahead.” ~ Amen to that!
This book kept bringing another book to mind - A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf. This book reminded me how much I loved that one and that I need to reread it! (note to self)
Even though I am white, I am a woman, and a victim of abuse from a previous relationship. This book hit home and shook me in so many ways! Reading this brought up so many emotions in me. Ten minutes after reading it, my hands were still shaking. I think this book just knocked my favorite book of the year off its podium. A MUST READ!
I voluntarily posted this review after receiving a copy of this book from - TLC Book Tours. Thank you!
Such a fantastic book! It was sad on so many levels! Sad because it is so true. And not only back then in the 1920s but it is even true for many today.
This book not only talks about the trials and prejudice of being a person of color in the 1920s but it also talks about the trials and prejudice of being a woman.
“It isn’t right to hit a woman. You can’t be neutral. Either you’re for women or you’re not.“
“ They get mad and there is nothing we can do about it. A man does whatever he wants to his wife. No one gives a damn.“
When I finished reading this book I took a long sip of my coffee, a few deep breaths, and just had to sit for a few minutes and recover.
“Over the years I have seen too many women, colored and white, mistreated and constrained simply because they are women. And while I understand colored women don’t have the same voice as white women, I can’t turn my back on any woman. I believe all women must stand together if any woman wants to get ahead.” ~ Amen to that!
This book kept bringing another book to mind - A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf. This book reminded me how much I loved that one and that I need to reread it! (note to self)
Even though I am white, I am a woman, and a victim of abuse from a previous relationship. This book hit home and shook me in so many ways! Reading this brought up so many emotions in me. Ten minutes after reading it, my hands were still shaking. I think this book just knocked my favorite book of the year off its podium. A MUST READ!
I voluntarily posted this review after receiving a copy of this book from - TLC Book Tours. Thank you!
September 27, 2022
In 1928, Cora James is a black librarian working in Harlem when she meets author Langston Hughes. He inspires her to return to her dream of writing and to enter a writing contest. Cora’s cousin Agnes is involved in a domestic dispute and is unable to work. Cora takes a leave from her own job at the library to help Agnes hold her job working as a cook for a wealthy white family. Cora discovers while working as a cook that she is able to get quiet time to work on her stories and also a sympathetic employer in Eleanor. Eleanor shares her favorite novel with her, The Awakening, and also encourages her to write. Will Cora be able to make her writing dreams come true?
I read through this book quickly and had a hard time putting the book down. I found the story to be quite engaging and the character of Cora to be fascinating. I really liked the unique format where we get Cora’s journal, a letter to Langston Hughes, a letter back from Langston Hughes, and the different short stories that Cora was writing. There was a bit of a thriller to the end of the book, but I overall liked how Cora had to really realize what she wanted in life. Should her dreams be denied? Should she be open with her husband about her dreams? How does your family and regular life fit into your dreams?
Review Copy from Inanna Publications as part of the TLC Book Tour. Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2022...
I read through this book quickly and had a hard time putting the book down. I found the story to be quite engaging and the character of Cora to be fascinating. I really liked the unique format where we get Cora’s journal, a letter to Langston Hughes, a letter back from Langston Hughes, and the different short stories that Cora was writing. There was a bit of a thriller to the end of the book, but I overall liked how Cora had to really realize what she wanted in life. Should her dreams be denied? Should she be open with her husband about her dreams? How does your family and regular life fit into your dreams?
Review Copy from Inanna Publications as part of the TLC Book Tour. Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2022...
December 11, 2022
To me the mark of a good book is if I can imagine myself in it. I was a part of this book from beginning to end. I saw myself in Cora frequently throughout my reading experience. Well done, Mrs. Brown.
July 12, 2022
The progression of Cora’s writing throughout this story is lovely, and it truly gets richer with each story, as does her own experience and how she perceives the world around her with each passing chapter. I love the connections to “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin, and the themes of equality, gender bias, racism, and duty/place in society are all convicting and relatable. I think Cora’s challenge to write honestly and openly mirrors that of many writers—how do you tell a story honestly when the truth is so painful? How do you see the same world around you that everyone else sees and turn those small moments into something important—something worth reading? Cora had to fight to believe in herself and her work in a world where no one else believed in her, and even now, many people, women and minorities in particular, still have to fight that same fight each day. This is one of those books that sits in your thoughts and takes up residency long after you read the last page.
October 10, 2022
I enjoy books written in epistolary format. Letters between Cora and Langston Hughes were tucked between chapters, which really added to the story. I enjoyed Cora's emotional strength and desire to follow her passions. Without giving it away, there are a few twists to Cora's story I couldn't have predicted, one of which involves her relationship to Langston. The other involving the white woman. I loved the feminist elements, where Cora stays true to herself and goes to extreme measures to protect the other women in her life. Cora's Kitchen highlights the inequities of women based on skin color and class, but Cora's resilience shines through on every page.
October 30, 2022
This book delves into what it means to take care of others coupled with following a dream. Cora is really struggling with this. Her journey towards exploring her passion of writing is anything but straightforward and she could find herself in a position to lose everything. A major theme explored is what a woman’s stereotypical role in her household is versus her sense of self as a woman. This book moved at a slow pace for the first half but it really picked up in the second half and I found it to be a fascinating read!
September 9, 2022
Cora's Kitchen is a historical fiction novel that reads like a memoir. A beautiful character-driven plot, with eloquent, powerful and timeless themes. She writes from a Black woman's perspective, one that is not heard enough! I felt so connected to the main character Cora, and so worried near the end. Beautifully written and highly recommend!
September 11, 2022
I really enjoyed getting to know Cora and the inner workings of her mind. She lived both in and outside of the roles that were expected of her as a Black woman in 1920s New York. Her love of writing and drive to become an author guided her through the many situations in her story, as well as her friendship with Langston Hughes. I hope you will enjoy meeting Cora as much as I did.
January 9, 2023
Kimberly Garrett Brown’s novel, Cora’s Kitchen, is an intriguing and realistic portrayal of society’s prescribed roles for women in the 1920s. The book’s protagonist, Cora James, wants to be a writer. She hopes to realize her dream by entering a contest with a story about the limitations of those roles. While she recognizes all women lack power over their circumstances, Cora experiences additional challenges and discrimination as a Black woman.
Eleanor Fitzgerald, the wealthy white woman who employs Cora and eventually befriends her, offers to be her literary patron. She invites Cora to her vacation home for the summer to write. Cora accepts the offer but finds it difficult to choose and draft a story that fulfills her intentions. However, living apart from her family’s expectations gives her an opportunity to witness on a deeper level the contrasts between the challenges she and her patron face. Cora’s musician husband, Earl, while not unkind, is uninterested in his wife’s aspirations. In fact, he doesn’t know she has any. A surprising twist near the end of the book lands Cora in jail and grabs Earl’s attention. The incident results in fresh insight, and the support Cora needs to submit a satisfying story for the contest.
I particularly enjoyed Brown’s inclusion of creative elements, such as letters, journal entries, and excerpts from several of Cora’s story drafts. The letters detail correspondence between Cora and Langston Hughes, who encourages and inspires her. In the story, the two met and struck up a friendship at the library in Harlem where Hughes lived and wrote and where Cora worked. There are also several references to Edna in Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, which informs Cora’s perspective on her role as wife and mother. In the end, Brown’s depiction of Cora illustrates women’s restrictive roles in the 1920s more clearly than the fiction her character writes.
Eleanor Fitzgerald, the wealthy white woman who employs Cora and eventually befriends her, offers to be her literary patron. She invites Cora to her vacation home for the summer to write. Cora accepts the offer but finds it difficult to choose and draft a story that fulfills her intentions. However, living apart from her family’s expectations gives her an opportunity to witness on a deeper level the contrasts between the challenges she and her patron face. Cora’s musician husband, Earl, while not unkind, is uninterested in his wife’s aspirations. In fact, he doesn’t know she has any. A surprising twist near the end of the book lands Cora in jail and grabs Earl’s attention. The incident results in fresh insight, and the support Cora needs to submit a satisfying story for the contest.
I particularly enjoyed Brown’s inclusion of creative elements, such as letters, journal entries, and excerpts from several of Cora’s story drafts. The letters detail correspondence between Cora and Langston Hughes, who encourages and inspires her. In the story, the two met and struck up a friendship at the library in Harlem where Hughes lived and wrote and where Cora worked. There are also several references to Edna in Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, which informs Cora’s perspective on her role as wife and mother. In the end, Brown’s depiction of Cora illustrates women’s restrictive roles in the 1920s more clearly than the fiction her character writes.
June 17, 2024
Cora has a job in the library but she wants to be a writer. She doesn't have a clue how she would go about that but it's her dream. While working, she meets Langston Hughes at the library and they become friends. That gives her some hope as she now has a friend who understands her dream and has already started down that road.
Cora was raised by her aunt. When she tells Cora that her cousin has been beaten by her husband and can't work for a while, she asks Cora to take the cousin's place so she won't lose her job. The cousin works as a cook/housekeeper for a rich white family. Cora doesn't want to do that but family loyalties tug at her and she agrees to take leave from her library job and fill in.
Mrs. Fitzgerald is fine but Cora is less sure about Mr. Fitzgerald who is seldom home and seems in a bad temper most of the time. Mrs. Fitzgerald seems to want to be friends with Cora and asks Cora to call her Eleanor. When summer rolls around, Eleanor asks Cora to go for the summer to the lake with her. She tells Cora that she can spend the summer writing. It's a dream come true and Cora accepts only to be faced with tragedy.
Kimberly Garrett Brown is an author and publisher. This novel has been a finalist in several writing prize contests. Cora is a woman whom the reader can emphasize with as she pursues her dream even with all the handicaps that stand in her way. Few seem to believe in her but she manages to believe in herself with some encouragement from Mrs. Fitzgerald and Hughes who encourages her to enter a writing contest. This book is recommended for readers interested in women's literature.
Cora was raised by her aunt. When she tells Cora that her cousin has been beaten by her husband and can't work for a while, she asks Cora to take the cousin's place so she won't lose her job. The cousin works as a cook/housekeeper for a rich white family. Cora doesn't want to do that but family loyalties tug at her and she agrees to take leave from her library job and fill in.
Mrs. Fitzgerald is fine but Cora is less sure about Mr. Fitzgerald who is seldom home and seems in a bad temper most of the time. Mrs. Fitzgerald seems to want to be friends with Cora and asks Cora to call her Eleanor. When summer rolls around, Eleanor asks Cora to go for the summer to the lake with her. She tells Cora that she can spend the summer writing. It's a dream come true and Cora accepts only to be faced with tragedy.
Kimberly Garrett Brown is an author and publisher. This novel has been a finalist in several writing prize contests. Cora is a woman whom the reader can emphasize with as she pursues her dream even with all the handicaps that stand in her way. Few seem to believe in her but she manages to believe in herself with some encouragement from Mrs. Fitzgerald and Hughes who encourages her to enter a writing contest. This book is recommended for readers interested in women's literature.
August 27, 2022
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me the ARC to review.
This is the story of Cora, a black librarian during the 1920's. Cora is also a wife and mother, while longing to be a writer. Cora's struggles are universal. She is challenged to find the time to pursue her dreams while working and caring for her family. This is very much true of life today as it was one hundred years ago for Cora.
Much of Cora's story is told through journal entries and correspondence with poet Langston Hughes. Mr. Hughes is an acquaintance whom she reaches out to for advice and mentorship. Although Langston gives sage advice regarding most matters and especially on the craft of writing. He falls short in recognizing that the struggles of a black writer are different than the struggles of a woman of color striving to be a writer.
This book would make an excellent book club discussion novel. How does race and gender affect your ability to pursue dreams?
This is the story of Cora, a black librarian during the 1920's. Cora is also a wife and mother, while longing to be a writer. Cora's struggles are universal. She is challenged to find the time to pursue her dreams while working and caring for her family. This is very much true of life today as it was one hundred years ago for Cora.
Much of Cora's story is told through journal entries and correspondence with poet Langston Hughes. Mr. Hughes is an acquaintance whom she reaches out to for advice and mentorship. Although Langston gives sage advice regarding most matters and especially on the craft of writing. He falls short in recognizing that the struggles of a black writer are different than the struggles of a woman of color striving to be a writer.
This book would make an excellent book club discussion novel. How does race and gender affect your ability to pursue dreams?
April 16, 2023
Cora’s Kitchen is exactly the kind of novel I love to read—the story of a woman who wants more from life. With the first sentence, I see Cora. "The last thing I wanted to do after working all day was traipse around Harlem looking for that boy, but Mr. Peterson called the house again this evening."
It’s 1928, the time and place of the Harlem Renaissance. Cora spends her days working at the famous 135th Street library where she meets Langston Hughes before he heads off to college. On the second page, Cora is reminded of his poem “Troubled Woman.” She dreams of being a writer but has no idea how to start. And then she reaches to save herself—Cora writes Langston a letter.
Cora’s Kitchen is about writing and race and relationships and gender inequality and women supporting women. It’s part journal, part epistolary novel. And with each page that goes by, we know Cora better—not only her hopes and dreams but her day-to-day life.
It’s 1928, the time and place of the Harlem Renaissance. Cora spends her days working at the famous 135th Street library where she meets Langston Hughes before he heads off to college. On the second page, Cora is reminded of his poem “Troubled Woman.” She dreams of being a writer but has no idea how to start. And then she reaches to save herself—Cora writes Langston a letter.
Cora’s Kitchen is about writing and race and relationships and gender inequality and women supporting women. It’s part journal, part epistolary novel. And with each page that goes by, we know Cora better—not only her hopes and dreams but her day-to-day life.
May 6, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed Cora's Kitchen! Kim Brown really delves deep into a timeless story of womanhood that transcends race and time. The story of the two main characters who become friends despite their differences is very interesting, as each has her own journey as a woman and wife with personal goals and ambitions.
I loved her format, and bringing the Harlem Renaissance era to life with Cora's friendship and correspondence with Langston Hughes, and the various references to writers of the time.
Kim tells a poignant story that has you rooting for our heroine, which includes some unexpected plot twists that draw you forward throughout the journey. She chooses a very unique and engaging story telling method, including Cora's own journaling, story writing, and letters to and from Langston Hughes. The combination really brings the characters and story to life in an interesting way.
Thank you Kim! Bravo.
I loved her format, and bringing the Harlem Renaissance era to life with Cora's friendship and correspondence with Langston Hughes, and the various references to writers of the time.
Kim tells a poignant story that has you rooting for our heroine, which includes some unexpected plot twists that draw you forward throughout the journey. She chooses a very unique and engaging story telling method, including Cora's own journaling, story writing, and letters to and from Langston Hughes. The combination really brings the characters and story to life in an interesting way.
Thank you Kim! Bravo.
July 5, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
This was an easy, interesting, touching read. This is the story of Cora, a Black librarian, mother and wife in the 1920s who longs to be a writer like her hero and penpal Langston Hughs. Cora's struggles as a woman are universal and timeless, and compounded by being a woman of color. I enjoyed the story and Cora's journey but I felt the writing tended more towards YA and the ending was very abrupt. I would love to read a sequel to learn what happens to Cora.
This was an easy, interesting, touching read. This is the story of Cora, a Black librarian, mother and wife in the 1920s who longs to be a writer like her hero and penpal Langston Hughs. Cora's struggles as a woman are universal and timeless, and compounded by being a woman of color. I enjoyed the story and Cora's journey but I felt the writing tended more towards YA and the ending was very abrupt. I would love to read a sequel to learn what happens to Cora.
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