A Day Late and a Dollar Short

By: Terry McMillan

Narrated by: Terry McMillan

Length: 15 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

The Prices are introduced by Viola, the family's outspoken matriarch: Her husband, Cecil, has shut the door behind him for the last time; and their four adult kids, scattered across the country, seem determined to send her to her grave, or at least to the hospital with worrying. Paris is divorced, mother to a nearly seventeen-year-old son and the one who always comes to everybody's rescue, although she doesn't have a clue as to how to save herself. Lewis is the scapegoat, and his troubles keep landing him in jail, which only seems to confirm what his family thinks he is. Out in Chicago, Charlotte knows she's gotten the short end of the stick for years, has "nothing in common except blood" with her parents and siblings and would just as soon divorce them all. Janelle, the baby of the family, is not only on the defensive about the course of her own life but she's facing a new crisis, a fast-brewing storm with her teenage daughter that threatens more than she's willing to admit. And don't even ask Viola about Cecil: "He's a bad habit I've had for thirty-eight years which would make him my husband." But Cecil has some ideas for taking his hardworking life into his own hands, regardless of what his wife and kids think about it.

©2001 Terry McMillan (P)2001 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"A glorious novel...without question, this is McMillan's best." (The Washington Post)

"McMillan has the uncanny ability to render family conflict with both humor and compassion...a life-affirming read...a triumph." (The Los Angeles Times)

"[McMillan] in top form." (The New York Times Book Review)

Another Black Woman

This book was awesome! so realistic! So many black families suffer in the same ways, but the love is always there. What I heard was a generation not knowing how to show love but only one way. It didnt work for everybody and so they struggled. It is unfortunate that we learn true thoughts and feelings in death. Thank God for a different generation. We have learned new terms and ways to express both verbally and physically the love we have for our children and family.

Good read

Great story, however characters sound they are in an episode of Roots. The flow was nice.

I laughed and cried like a a baby.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes I laughed and cried like a baby. Made me feel. WOW!!!!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Momma

Which scene was your favorite?

Thanksgiving.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The good bad and best.

Any additional comments?

Keep writing lady!!!

An excellent listen!

This is the story of the Price family, a black family that is now scattered over the West and Midwest. But in many ways, they could be almost any family. It is sort of like a coming of age story for the whole family.

The parents, Viola and Cecil, live in Las Vegas. Several of their four grown kids live in various places in California. And one daughter went back to Chicago. In some ways, they are reasonably successful, although all of them are teetering on the edge in one way or another.

Viola, the mother, introduces us to the rest of the family – her three daughters, her son, her grandkids, and her husband, Cecil. She points out their shortcomings and also their strengths. Although there are things she doesn’t know, Viola is mostly right about most of it. And she is so funny! When we first meet her, she is in the hospital recovering from a serious asthma attack. As she plans to return home, Viola decides to make some serious changes to her own life as well. No sense wasting the rest of her life worrying about people who won’t take her sage advice, right?

Then each of the other family members tells their story. They too are looking at changes, although a couple of them have to be dragged kicking and screaming into theirs.

About halfway through the book, it’s Viola’s birthday. She has an amazing day, visiting the apartment her oldest daughter has arranged for to move into, going to dinner with her granddaughter (who has come to live with her as a result of one of the big changes going on in her family), betting on a horserace at the casino and winning big. But at the end of the day, she has another asthma attack, brought on, she suspects, by the paint and new carpet at the apartment. This one she doesn’t survive.

The rest of the story is how the family manages to survive and even begin to thrive again without her. It seems Viola was right in her assessment of each of them after all.

A good and soulful book

This book was a little slow moving at first but picked up nicely. I enjoyed the familiar family trials and tribulations the characters went through. Even though there was a sad shocker toward the end this ended on a very sweet note. 4 Stars

Simply amazing

This book was an excellent read. I love listening to this audio book it brought the book to life. I think everyone who experience family drama should read or listen to this book, you will see that you’re not the only family to have gone through something.

First Audio

It was ahhhh-mazing!!! Thank you Terry & Audiable readers:) It was really really really good!

Awesome

It was a great book and it held my interest. I would definitely recommend. The narration overall was good!

good not great

it's was ok
.. it was somewhat predictable.. entertaining though. not as we expect Terry mcmillan novels to be

True Terry McMillan honesty

This was an incredible listen. I recommend it highly to anyone who appreciates her raw honesty.