North Gladiola

Mrs. Coco, a Mississippian, considers herself in exile in Louisiana. In Tula Springs she is not far from Mississippi. Ethyl Mae eloped to marry Mr. Coco. She plays the cello in a string quartet, Pro Arts. She is fifty seven years old. Her youngest child, the sixth, is still in college. Myrtice and Duk-Soo are also members of the quartet, along with Mrs. Coco and her son, George Henry. The quartet plays at the new Burger Mat. Someone from Eutaw recognizes Mrs. Coco because she won the swimsuit event in a Miss Mississippi contest. Mr. Coco's retail store, not situated at the mall, is not doing well. The family lives in the only private house in the business district of Tula Springs. The beauty college is adjacent to the family home. In addition to George Henry, the Coco children are Sam, Lucy, Larry, Helen Ann, and Nancy. Mrs. Coco drives an eighteen year old Dodge Dart. She has been learning a Dvorak concerto for twelve years. North Gladiola is located in the southern half of Tula Springs. (There is no South Gladiola.) Mrs. Coco feels that Pro Arts has a duty to raise the cultural level of Tula Springs. She makes a new friend, Maud Herbert. She, Ethyl Coco, is suspected of being involved in the disappearance of the Chihuahua mascot of the beauty college and Maud Herbert takes action to defend her. The quartet becomes a quintet after Mrs. Coco replaces her son with a child and then reinstates her son, George Henry, to the group. Later she discharges Duk-Soo and with other losses Pro Arts becomes a trio. Duk-Soo almost testifies before the dreaded CP, (Citizens' Patrol), about the demise of the pet Chihuahua. The mystery of the connection of the characters to each other is explained in a satisfying manner near the end of the book. It is tremendously funny.

I find this book both humorous and sad!! I am from this town that James Wilcox describes; I knew his parents, and his sisters!! I did NOT KNOW him!! Younger!! On the one hand, I'd love to defend it as not so "odd", but on the other, I'm inclined to agree!! James Wilcox has caught the very essence of this smaller La. town!! It's weird, it's gossipy, it's into everyone else's business!! I even know the street, and house he describes in this book!!! And I've been gone for a long time!!! Some people, no matter what. are hell bent on destroying others!!! I think that "tongue in cheek" attitude is perfect!! If ever I were to write about my "hometown". it would be the same way!! Thanks, James for bringing it all back to me!!! I also enjoyed "Modern Baptists" which is probably even more reminescent of this LA town!!! And thanks for reminding me WHY I REALLY don't want to go back there!!! Do You???

Mrs. Coco is a middle-aged lady with six grown children-- none of whom turned out very well. The oldest daughter is cricket ranching in Australia and the youngest son is taking classes in weaving. Her 71-year-old husband is driving her crazy with his penchant for buying useless items that are on sale. But the true center of Mrs. Coco's life is her string quartet even though their usual venue is the opening of some new burger drive-through. Still, she (and seemingly everyone else in this book) is feeling a bit dissatisfied, a bit empty.Then a series of misunderstandings puts the good Catholic Mrs. Coco smack-dab in the middle of town gossip. She is said to have committed adultery with DuK-Soo, the second violin in her quartet. She is said to have murdered the hairdresser's dog. And it is said that she was throwing up in Duk-soo's dorm room because she was drunk. On the long dark road to clearing her name, Mrs. Coco will even question her faith in God.When I first began reading, I wasn't sure I wanted to spend time with all these peevish people, but gradually the absurd situations and the very sympathetic Mrs. Coco sucked me in. It is a funny book, but the humor is very painful.

I love this author--it is a crime he most of his works are out of print. This book, like others, is a rich, completely realized world of ordinary-seeming characters who have profound, quiet revelations. Funnier and more humane than John Kennedy Toole. Wilcox deserves to be recognized as one of the best writers alive today. Sadly, he is almost obscure. What a crime.