I Been in Sorrow's Kitchen and Licked Out All the Pots
Select Format
Select Condition 
Book Overview
A rich, lyrical and passionate novel which portrays the life of a black woman growing up in America's Deep South.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0385470126
ISBN13:9780385470124
Release Date:July 1993
Publisher:Anchor
Length:368 Pages
Weight:0.75 lbs.
Dimensions:8.0" x 0.8" x 5.2"
Customer Reviews
4 ratings
Don't Miss This One!!!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
I finished this extraordinary book a few days ago and just can't let go...I actually found myself speaking in the Gullah dialect for a time,I so loved Marietta("such a feminine name for such a big old girl...makes me think of Lemon Pie...")I kept thinking the whole time I was reading that this should of been an "Oprah" choice.Susan Strait is white,which is fascinating to me...I too am white...but it seems to me she writes the black experience with so much feeling.All race issues aside,this is a womans story (a "Large Woman's"story, which I have never seen done so well) and a single mothers story...From the great title to the wonderful ending...if you read nothing else this summer...take this one along to the beach....and stop for fried catfish on the way!!!
Powerful debut novel!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
This novel drew me in from the first page. Susan Straight has a gift for describing society from the 60's to the 80's that time and again rang true for me. The tumult of the 60's Civil Rights Movement and the Me-Me-Me Generation of the 80's as shown in this novel could have come straight from Time magazine. Straight not only put words onto paper, she breathed life into Marietta, Aint Sister, Sinbad and "them two." I really felt this novel, something that hasn't happened in a long, long time. Also recommended is Jewel by Brett Lott.
Her first and best
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
I have followed Susan Straight since I first read a galley (pre-pub) edition of this novel, and I think this is her best work. She is on the mark in virtually every way: characters, language, imagery...even the cover art is wonderful! In fact, the promotional poster for it is hanging over my computer as I write this. A really good novel, but a really amazing FIRST novel. Much better than anything she wrote later, in fact. It's been years since I read it now, but this is one that has stuck with me. If you're hungry for more Susan Straight after this one, try Aquaboogie, an earlier novel-in-stories.
Absolutely Fabulous!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
An absolutely incredible book that took me on a trip to South Carolina where I met a strong woman, Marietta Cook, who never moaned over her bad decisions, but made them work. I am so tired of those novels where the women continuously make bad decisions, then beat themselves up about it and never just move on to make the best out of it. Loved the language and the descriptions.
Copyright © 2025 Thriftbooks.com
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
