Books like Bailey's Cafe by Gloria Naylor
Bailey's Cafe is a spiritually charged eatery pitted by its eponymous owner, Bailey, and his partner Nadine. The diner draws a spectrum of African‑American patrons, from Sadie, whose alcoholism battles her obsessive need for cleanliness, to Eve, who offers hospitality in a bordello that accepts only fresh flowers as payment. Other regulars include Sweet Esther, who performs favors in exchange for white roses; Peaches, whose scarred visage masks a formidable presence; Jesse Bell, who cannot counter her heroin lust with love; Miss Maple, a transvestite who earns a living in soap‑flake contests; and Mariam, a young Ethiopian girl rumored to carry a miraculous gift. Amid the clatter of plates and the murmurs of compassion, each individual is elevated to a biblical stature as magic permeates their interactions, underscoring Gloria Naylor’s deft narrative craft.
First publish date: 1993
Genre: Psychological Fiction/Psychological Drama
Authors: Gloria Naylor
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4.3 (3 community ratings)
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