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Seen It All and Done the Rest: A Novel | 
| Author: Pearl Cleage
Publisher: One World/Ballantine
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
Buy New: $11.90
You Save: $13.10 (52%)
New (33) Used (14) from $10.44
Avg. Customer Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 82234
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.3
ISBN: 0345481127
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780345481122
ASIN: 0345481127
Publication Date: March 18, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Brand New!!!! bce
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Product Description
For Josephine Evans, home was on the stages of the world where she spent thirty years establishing herself as one of the finest actresses of her generation. Josephine was the toast of Europe, and her fabulous apartment in Amsterdam’s theater district was a popular gathering place for an international community of artists, actors, and expatriates who considered themselves true citizens of the world. Josephine lived above and beyond the reach of conventional definitions of who and what an African American diva could be, and her legions of loyal fans loved her for it. She had a perfect life and enough sense to live it to the hilt, but then a war she didn’t fully understand turned everything upside down, thrusting her into a role she never wanted and was not prepared to play. Suddenly the target of angry protests aimed at the country she had never really felt was her own, Josephine is forced to return to America to see if she can create a new definition of home.
Camping out with her granddaughter, Zora, who is housesitting in Atlanta’s West End; and trying to avoid the unwanted attentions of Dig It!, the city’s brand-new gossip magazine, Josephine struggles to reclaim her old life even as she scrambles to shape her new one. Hoping her friend Howard Denmond is as good as his word when he promises to engineer her triumphant return to the European stage, Josephine sets out to increase her nest egg by selling the house her mother willed her, only to find the long-neglected property has become home to squatters who have no intention of leaving.
But an unexpected reunion with an old friend offers Josephine a chance to set things right. Spurning an offer from unscrupulous land developer Greer Woodruff, Josephine gathers new friends around her, including Victor Causey, a lawyer whose addictions left him homeless but still determined to protect his mother; Louie Baptiste, a displaced New Orleans chef hoping to return to the city he loves; and Aretha Hargrove, recovering from her role in the same scandal that sent Zora running for cover. As Greer gets serious about her plan to tear the community apart, Josephine finds herself playing the most important role of her life, showing her neighbors what courage really is and learning the true meaning of coming home.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Stunning! October 9, 2008
I love all of Pearl Cleage's books. This was stunning. So refreshing to read characters such as these ladies. I pulled into this novel right off the bat. Wonderful story.
 Loved this Book August 24, 2008
Unlke many of the reviewers, I'd never heard of Pearl Cleage before I read Seen It All and Done the Rest. That said, the book was amazing, and it actually inspired me to post here.
I stopped reading alot of African American fiction years ago because the majority of it dealt with female/male relationships and/or da hood - so it was refreshing to read a book about a 58-year old female (I didn't know they wrote books about women over 35) dealing with family, friendship and the world.
Like E. Lynn Harris, she transported me from my normal life, created a compelling story line, and kept me hooked until the end.
I loved the characters - especially Abbie - but couldn't understand Zora's dramatic decline over being the wrong place at the wrong time (didn't realize there was an entire book that dealt with that issue) or why the media wouldn't leave it alone after a year!
Nevertheless, I'd never been so satisfied by a book since I read Terry McMillan's Mama 20-years ago; and will definitely pick up Ms. Cleage's past catalog.
 It had potential... August 16, 2008
Pearl Cleage is one of my favorite writers, and maybe I've been comparing all of her books after "What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day". However, I'm hoping that her next book is not centered in the West End of Atlanta; in fact, "We Speak Your Names" is the perfect base for historical fiction. Back to "Seen It All and Done The Rest": it reminded me of the recent movie release, "Hancock". She did a good job in describing and enhancing character development and the subsequent issues; but you read three-quarters of the book and you get the sense that there IS a problem and it hasn't been addressed. So...the ending is not as detailed, not as sequential and, unfortunately, not as satisfying.
Not Pearl's Best June 22, 2008
While I am a big, big Pearl Cleage fan this was a disappointment. Set once again in West End with most of the same characters, the story seemed a little too predictable. I could see what was coming while reading and I see who will get together in the next saga. This is a shame because I love Ms. Cleage. Also, Zora's character's behavior and a year's scandal in the newspaper didn't make sense based on her lack of involvement with Baby Brother in the previous book. I do look forward to the next book and expect a better storyline.
Uplifting and certainly endearing May 11, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
As always Ms. Cleage delivers a work that will captivate you early. As a reader you feel for the granddaughter and want to help her see the error in her way. Grandmother certainly does that and more. Having once lived in Atlanta, the imagery is wonderful and brings back fond memories. I enjoyed this immensely.
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