All the Trouble You Need : A Novel

I had a bit of difficulty in writing a review on this book.First of all,I don't read much fiction,but when I do,I read it to learn something about the people,times and area where the story takes place.A story that is just a story ,doesn't get me too excited.However,I have been to Santa Barbara,and thoroughly enjoyed T.C.Boyle's "Riven Rock".It was particularly interesting to me because I visited with the people who now make what used to be the theatre on the estate,their home.It is a terrific book and tells the very interesting story of the McCormick family.I do read some southern fiction,mainly for the use of language and depiction of 'life' as well as the characters.So,this book caught my attention. I guess if you're one who likes pure fiction,TV Sitcoms,soap operas,Harlequin-type romances with bit of mystery thrown in, etc., and there's certainly nothing wrong with that,you should enjoy it. Like I said,that's not my cup of tea;but I did enjoy the authors writing style and wonderful phrases and descriptions. A couple that come to mind are; "So blond he looked bleached of color,dressed like a shaman,leading a workshop of loser New Agers,burning incense,chanting endlessly and purifying themselves by night swims in the frigid ocean water.." Then describing patients in a mental hospital; "the dozen or so glassy-eyed zombies watching television with rapt attention." "If she were as pretty as she had heard,men had a way of ignoring a little coffee in the cream." and "a single black bean on bed of white rice." To me ,I feel the author has the skills to write a great historical novel or a true story,and has more in him than a book like this.Let's hope he does.

This is the story of a black college teacher, living in a pretty much all white city, Santa Barbara who is just trying to make it, he is also dating one of his students, who is a big mystery to him. What i liked most about reading this book was, Trisha. It is so rare to read a mainstream black novel with a main character that is determined to stay a virgin until marriage. Trisha dated Jordan, off and on- the main character in this book. Everyone should give this book a chance.

Jervey Tervalon's All The Trouble You Need follows 28-year-old Jordan Davis as he pieces together his love life, doctorial thesis, and racial identity in Santa Barbara, California. The beauty of Tervalon's novel is that he weaves the serious themes of race, sex, and social class, without being too serious: "He was surprised that Benito brought up love of Santa Barbara, but maybe being the only decent black hairstylist in town he was doing so well he had to shout it out. Jordan didn't feel comfortable with that; it was like admitting you wanted to be surrounded by white people for the rest of your life outnumbered three hundred to one. How could any self-respecting black man be comfortable in that situation? Jordan was, and he wanted to stay in this picture-postcard world, even if it made him feel guilty. Life was a permanent vacation; a swim in the ocean, a hike in the hills, coffee in the morning at the Café Roma, teach a composition class in the afternoon. He imagined himself living like that for the rest of his life; all he needed was a condo near the beach, and he was willing to give up a kidney, maybe even throw in a lung to get it. Property was the impossible dream of folks starting out in Santa Barbara." But what really resonates throughout All The Trouble You Need is the author's dialog. Tervalon knows how people speak. Like a great mystery novel, the plot unfolds through what the characters say: "'Did it work with that Jamaican girl? Didn't she borrow your credit card to get a plane ticket to visit her man in New York?' 'Yeah, I almost forgot about that.' 'And didn't she hit you in the head with a trash can in the lunchroom of the college?' 'Yeah, but that was a plastic trash can, not one of those metal ones.' 'Yeah, and what about her posing nude for an art studio after you asked her not to, then she got down with the instructor?' 'Okay, what's your point?' 'Least you were smart enough to get away from her. Me, I still hang around like a sad dog trying to get Miko to come back to me, but she likes messing with my mind. She even tells me how surfer boy likes to have sex with her.' 'She told you that?'" All The Trouble You Need is fun to read. The sentences are swift and the sharp dialog carries the plot twists to satisfying conclusions. Although not as serious as Tervalon's previous novels, All the Trouble You Need may be all the novel you need.

In ALL THE TROUBLE YOU NEED, we meet Jordan, a leisurely professor in Santa Barbara who seldom knows what it is he wants or needs from life, and in particular, from women. He's sown his share of wild oats, but it isn't until he meets Trisha and Daphne that his world is truly shaken by his indecision. After all, the women he "played around with" were never taken seriously, but these two ladies, Trisha, the virgin and "the marrying type" and Daphne, the mysterious vixen and one of his students, are a force to be reckoned with in their own rights. The women seem to stand on different ends of the spectrum of womanhood, and Jordan is caught in the middle. Tervalon once again strays from the norm with this book. The plot is strong, and the characters are even stronger. And while the concept is not all that outlandish, he pulls it off, adding a psychological twist to the story of a man caught between two women, two worlds, and with a monumental decision to make.Reviewed by CandaceKof The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Tervalon has done it again! He's tackled the big issues of sexuality, self, and race in a character driven narrative that leaves the reader satisfied and thoroughly entertained. Tervalon's ability to deal with heady issues in an engaging and thought provoking way singles him out as not only a gifted storyteller, but as one with a literary depth masked in a very readable Hemingway-esque style. His books just keep getting better! This book is the best yet!