Seen It All and Done the Rest

by Pearl Cleage

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.

Genres: Fiction, African American, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Contemporary, Drama, Womens Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Pearl Cleage is an African-American playwright, essayist, novelist, poet and political activist. She is currently the Playwright in Residence at the Alliance Theatre and at the Just Us Theater Company. Cleage is a political activist. She tackles issues at the crux of racism and sexism, and is known for her feminist views, particularly regarding her identity as an African-American woman. Her works are highly anthologized and have been the subject of many scholarly analyses. Many of her works across several genres have earned both popular and critical acclaim. Her novel What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day (1997) was a 1998 Oprah's Book Club selection.

Reviews

[Wilhelmina Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A return-to-form for Pearl Cleage after her somewhat disappointing Baby Brother's Blues. This book, like her last few books, is set in an idealized version of the real neighborhood of West End in Atlanta, GA. (I happen to live in the real West End, as does Cleage.) This book dodges the disturbing turns that some of her characters took in her last book by sending West End's Godfather, Blue, and his family out of the country and introducing some new characters with ties to some of the remaining West Enders. Cleage tells a great story, as well as exploring her familiar themes of redemption, hope, sisterhood, strong women and the good men who share their lives. I am celebrating the return of the Pearl Cleage whose work I love and I'm looking forward to the next chapter of her West End chronicles.

[Teaguem2005 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! 4.5 stars. Josephine Evans is an acclaimed actress living and performing in Amsterdam. America's involvement in the war threatens to interrupt her usual involvement in the theatrical season. Taking a break from the drama abroad coupled with the need to check in on her granddaughter, she returns to Atlanta for a spell. What happens in Atlanta turns out to be far more monumental than she could have ever imagined. Pearl Cleage is a masterful story crafter who easily weaves a story of change, growth, family, love, and sense of community. This book ties in with "Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do". Highly recommend

[Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because I love Pearl Cleage. Her characters say the words I think.

[Ashia Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was out of my usual readings, but I was not disappointed at all! The beginning of the book was kind of slow but when it got going it took off from there. I underestimated the author but I could not put it down towards the end.Being in the field of Psychology, I liked how Zora, Abbie, Howard, and Joseohine were optimistic about the situations that they were in because it kept them strong and when you are optimistic rather than looking at your situations as hopeless you survive! Good work Pearl....

[Charnita B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Like many of Cleage's novels it was a little hard for me to get into but after the first 50 pages or so I was hooked. It was a great story about finding oneself through the people who know and love you, and sometimes re-inventing the person you thought you were because of how your light impacts those you love. This book challenged me to think about the woman I ultimately hope to be and what I need to be doing to get there.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story as always Pearl Cleage characters are so endearing and there are always gems hidden in the dialogue. ✨

[Dosha (Bluestocking7) Beard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fun, with a lot of surprises. I would love to know the names of the other books in this series.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the way this book ties in with several of Ms. Cleage's previous books. It has been a while since I read Some Things I Thought I Never Would Do but pocking up this novel was like visiting with old friends you haven't seen in a long time - and having them introduce you to new friends. I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would when I started it. If you have never read Pearl Cleages's work, start - soon.

[Ye'Vell Hopkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, the story started off slow, but it eventually picked up its pace and ended up being an enjoyable read. I loved the main idea of people helping people, the idea of a community coming together for the good of all. My favorite character was Abbie; I long to be as sure of myself and hopeful as she was, perhaps I'll start by wearing patchouli 😊.

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to Seen It All and Done the Rest on Audible. It was included in my membership and no credit needed.
Not a hood novel but takes place in the hood. East side of Georgia on MLK.
It shows you how a group of people can come together to make a change for the better even when more powerful people and businesses try to take over.

[TSFitzPa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sweet story!

[Nandi Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is something about Pearl Cleage's books that just appeal to me that I just cannot put a finger on it. Could it be the fact that the folks all revolve around Atlanta,(except the first two) and the neighborhoods that are declining or situations that are desperate and you just cannot leave it without finding out the outcome would be. In this novel(and if you've been reading her novels, all her books are closely related to one another with the characters mingling from one book to the other). Anyhow, in this book, you have a expatriate American actress Josephine, who has come to a lull in her career abroad. Although she has opened and closed the plays in the theater she's been affliated with for over thirty years in Amsterdam, things come to a head, and suddenly being an American in Amsterdam or anywhere in Europe is not a great idea any longer. So, she decides to go on home to Atlanta, where her granddaughter, Zora, who is suffering from her involvement in a scandal(see Baby Boy Blues)and sitting at home watching The Wizard of Oz, and sipping on vodka on a steady basis. While checking on the home Josephine's mother left her, she finds an indignant transient who reads her the riot act, yet activate her to do something about it, and here is where the plot gets to humming and going good. First Josephine decides to rehabilitate the house, then her long lost friend Abbie hook her up with Aretha, who gets it going,then Zora gets caught up and starts an online show on the same project and things really start cooking and the work starts, even though you have this great community thing going, you gotta have some folks who don't want to see this and will do anything to prevent this from making this a reality. Not to give nothing away, but do check out this book for yourself and find out what happens and feel a whole lot better after reading this book. I guarantee you will.

[Alisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beach read, for sure. It's Southern-styled lifestyle-porn + inspiration-lite, with dash of salacious gossip and a side of social justice, and just oodles of tea-drinking.

Everybody is living in fabulous restored Victorians in Atlanta's West End. BUT, bonus!, I don't have to hate any of them because, just like me, they can't afford it for real--they're just housesitting. Every time they mentioned that heated backyard pool with the brown mermaid at the bottom, I was ready to jump in. It got me dreaming about doing the backstroke under a quiet night sky.

Grandaughters are cured of vodka-drinking skanity-skank behavior, grandmothers learn about the glories of the internets, and everybody meets new people and does good in the community. It's sappy, but well-negotiated. Main character and been-there-done-that international actress Josephine voices the reader's skepticism when one of the lovey-dovey characters goes too far. Eventually Josephine is convinced that the heart of America is in Amarillo, TX, and the reader will eventually concede that such a thing is, at least, possible.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very slow moving. I liked the main character, Josephine, but the story line wasn't intriguing enough to hold my interest for more than a chapter or two at a time. The book is about an actress grandmother in Amsterdam who finds herself out of work and amidst a midlife crisis. With no savings and no place to go, Josephine packs her bags and heads to Atlanta. With the help of her troubled granddaughter and friends in the community she restores her childhood home and brings hope to the small inner-city neighborhood. A feel good, predictable story, but not my type of read. If this book was made into a movie, a cheesy soundtrack would be in order.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pearl Cleage writes about change and transition. I like that. All Back women are not stationary and Cleage shows us that world in her West End novels. Moving back to the U.S. after living in Amsterdam can be an adjustment. Finding a home, friends and family can take time with delicate baby steps. Corruption, scandal, and growing pains make a crazy mix when all you want is your family home cleaned up and back in your possession.

As usual a book filled with great quotes, humor, and homemade love.

[Bliss · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read my first Pearl Cleage a few months ago, I never imagined I would get hooked on her work.

Her characters always remind me of people I know, want to know, or wish I could be.

This book was no exception.

It's deceptively simple and straight forward but it touches on the serious issues of aging, sexuality, self-acceptance, black-on-black crime, morality, and more.

My next Pearl Cleage will be "I Wish I Had a Red Dress".

[Yvette Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I enjoy about Pearl Cleage so much is that she is a true storyteller and not just a writer. I am transported into the settings and places with her characters every time I read her works and I have enjoyed my return visits to West End Atlanta.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I was an older woman with grandchildren who was having a midlife crisis, I might have liked this book better.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The addition of security cameras would have cut the length of this book by half. Also, fairly predictable.

[Brittanye Mackey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to live in a world where Pearl Cleage's West End Atlanta EXISTS!

[Book.Wormette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I made a realization reading this novel, I truly LOVE the author's writing style. I love all the lessons and wisdom she shares and gives freely through her characters. Likewise, I love that she acknowledges the interconnecationality of this world. We need one another. We should also strive to our best selves without fear! This is one of her shorter novels, but the heroines are just as easy to fall in love with as are the male supporting characters. There's a bit of the fantastic in this novel but that's one of the author's trademarks. If you can't wish and dream for a better world, how will it ever happen? I love that the characters are in various stages of womanhood, 20s, single mother, and ageing gracefully. A quick and enjoyable read with wonderful characters and an interesting storyline, that's my cup of tea!

[Sheba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I thought the storytelling was captivating. The characters felt very relatable, and the portrayal of the South was accurate. (This was my first time reading Pearl Cleage, so I am not aware if the South/Atlanta specifically is the place where all her books are set.) I found myself wanting to "tune in" to Recuse MLK, rooting for the good guys, waiting for the bad guys to be held accountable, and feeling satisfied anytime Howard had anything to say. I like the direction the text took and the evolution of characters over the course of the story.

[Yvette P Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right on for the Right On!

Absolutely fantastic story of strength, reconciliation, awakening, truth, and love of self and family. A true teaching handed down from one generation to the next on fortitude, courage, and faith. Absolutely the right space time and lessons to pass on! A must read!

[Jazisunray Skillern · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There are only two questions...What is and what is next?"

Josephine gave me Auntie vibes from the very beginning. The setting is Atlanta, which is always a draw for me. The characters held my attention throughout. The story was empowering. This was my first encounter with this author. It will not be my last. Take back the community. Wonderfully strong and engaging story.

[Anna Mullings · Rating 4 out of 5]

at first I was using it for back ground noise and then it got really interesting it teaches the lesson of perseverance, how to never give up and how it can be easy to go through the storm with people to support you and not just by yourself.
loved the little Jamaican accent in there too.

[Davina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me feel good and reminded me of my own, cool and “hip” grandma or as they said The Las Vegas of grandma’s. I loved how Josephine was there for Zora, not fully realizing in the beginning that they needed one another.
A great story of friendship, family and perseverance.

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from 3.5 stars.

This is a light(-ish) read with endearing characters. The book started off slow and I almost wanted to stop listening but I’m glad I saw this book to the finish. The writing is really enjoyable.

[Maya D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book but it got off to a slow start. But it eventually picked up and had an accelerated timeline towards the end. Anyone who likes Terry McMillan as well will probably enjoying anything by this author.

[Abyssinia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted a light read, and I honestly wanted to like this book but it was a little boring and unrealistic.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

I loved the relationships between the characters. Looking forward to the next adventure because that can not be the end of the story.