Live at Five

Author's Bio:

David Haynes is the author of several novels, including All American Dream Dolls, Somebody Else's Mama, Live at Five, and most recently, The Full Matilda. He teaches in the creative writing programs at Southern Methodist University and Warren Wilson College. He has worked as a classroom teacher and as a teacher-in-residence for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. His short stories have been published in journals and anthologies, and two were read and recorded for National Public Radio’s "Selected Shorts." Granta magazine selected him as one of America’s best young novelists in 1996.

Quotes:

"One of the liveliest novels I've read in a long time. David Haynes is blessed with a wonderful sense of humor and a perfect ear for dialogue. As soon as his characters open their mouths, you're hooked."—Jill McCorkle, author of Crash Diet 

“Haynes' earlier novels, including Somebody Else's Mama, portray African American, middle-class family life. Here he moves into a larger social arena, but without sacrificing his gently ironic humor or his intimacy with his characters. A charming, intelligent, and significant comedy regarding the gap between image and reality.”—ALA Booklist (boxed review)

“Touching and wickedly funny. . . . With this novel, Haynes should establish himself as a sharp-eyed observer of race and class issues.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)