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New Author Winfred Cook Releases First Novel, Uncle Otto
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Author - Winfred Cook |
Oakland, CA (BlackNews.com) - Winfred Cook, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, now resides in Oakland, California. After high school Winfred had a yearning, an itch, to see other parts of the country. Subsequently he moved to New York, Chicago and Los Angeles before finding his niche and home in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Over the years, Winfred has become one of the most successful and influential African-American hair stylists in the country. He has worked with a broad and diverse group of clients that has included political activist Angela Davis, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and singer Nancy Wilson, to name a few. He opened "Winfred's Hair Salon" in San Francisco in 1973 and launched a weekly column, "Ask Winfred", for the SF Sun Reporter Newspaper, giving hair advice, philosophy and techniques.
Winfred Cook's first of four novels, Uncle Otto, and the only one published thus far, began as a short story. It tells the story of Otto Green's family's dramatic flight from the raw racism of the Jim Crow South to the booming streets of St. Louis in pre-World War I America through the raucous heights of Prohibition. Otto succumbs to the draw of the streets and is lured into the dangerous world of bootleg alcohol at the height of Prohibition. After several close calls and a traumatic rude awakening, Otto backs away from his life of debauchery, thievery and vice. Just as he finds his way, in the prime of his life, Otto is struck down by a schizophrenic lover.
Dr. Tezira Nabongo, a law professor in Los Angeles, California sums it up best:
In a literary market crowed with "Fast Food," Winfred Cook's debut novel Uncle Otto is like "literary Soul Food." Cook distinctively writes with a very fresh, strong and unique voice that is reminiscent of Ernest Gaines and Jamaica Kincaid. Uncle Otto is a very brave undertaking whose path even seasoned writers may have been reluctant to journey.
Cook's Uncle Otto is a throwback to the southern quilt makers of yesteryear. From chapter one, page one, Cook brilliantly and effortlessly sews the pieces of an African-American family together, ultimately unveiling a master heirloom in the form of the unforgettable story of Uncle Otto. The novel, written in memoir style, is a rare gem which tells the story of the conviction and strength of the African-American family and patriarch, which are far too often overlooked in the literary community. BRAVO!
"Winfred Cook's debut novel Uncle Otto is an absolute must read! Winfred Cook has written one of the best books I have read in a very long time."
-- Judy Pruitt, St. Louis Sentinel Newspaper
CONTACT:
Winfred Cook
510-282-1756
winfredcook@yahoo.com
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