Written by Pat G'Orge-Walker

Reviewed by Maxine Thompson

Laughter has always been the saving grace for the "Souls of Black Folks." From the slave cabins where "Brer Rabbit" and "Brer Fox" were born, to Def Comedy Jam, we have always been known as a people with a funny bone. Langston Hughes' book, Not Without Laughter, alludes to this. Ruby Dee's book, My One Last Good Nerve, makes the point that you either laugh or go crazy. Over the years, humor has kept many African Americans from going crazy. In that case, The Church of "Ain't Nobody Else Right But Us--All Others Goin' to Hell," with its ATM Bank machine and Blessing Dispenser, is just what the doctor ordered. It will snatch you back from the edge, so that you can laugh some more at the mysteries of life.

Pat G'Orge -Walker's two books, Sister Betty! God's Calling You and Sister Connie Fuse Makes a Grave Mistake are vignettes of the antics of a spiritually-challenged congregation. With the popularity of shows such as "Touched by an Angel," concern with heavenly ventures and spirituality is an ever-present supposition in modern readers' minds. The premise of both storylines is that Joe Bill, an Angel-In-Training, got into heaven on a technicality. As a result, he is booted back to earth. In order to gain both wings, his mission is to soften the hearts of the members of the "Ain't Nobody Else Right--All Others Goin' To Hell" Church. These stories will not only make you laugh, but "You know these folks."

Sister Betty is a short fiction told in the straightforward, homespun language reminiscent of Langston Hughes Simple. Although this book will leave you glassy-eyed with laughter, at the same time, it evokes deep-seated memories of childhood. Women dipping snuff...Eating Argo Starch...Having plastic on the living room furniture that was not for everyday use. For an example of the hilarious situations, in the case of Sister Connie Fuse, instead of taking Mother Pray Onn's grave layaway payment to the "They All Dyin' To Get Here Cemetery", she accidentally placed it in the mail slot of the "We'll Haul Your Ashes Crematorium." To get even, Mother Pray Onn is going to debase her at Testimony Services.

Author, Pat G'Orge Walker, like a griot who preserves the history of his or her people by reciting it, blows life into these stories by recording the folklore of her people in their own voices. Although she has a distinct voice, her characters are likely to be compared to Zora Neale's creations.

What is so original about these stories is that they are part of a new genre, gospel comedy. In many readers' minds, this is an oxymoron. In fact, people gasp at the idea and find it sacrilegious to say "gospel comedy" in the same breath. In a way, that's what the author, Pat G'Orge-Walker does. Shocks you into examining your own airs and pretensions. These books are forerunners in the new genre of "Gospel Comedy," but they are sure to spur many copycats.

In both books, Ma Cile is a constant thread. An irascible grandmother with her one brown eye and other store-bought blue eye, she exudes a strength which reminds you of the grandmother in Maya Angelou's I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. If your weren't raised with the benefits of being reared by the wise "old souls," you can derive benefits vicariously through these stories. These characters are more than just caricatures of the "overly-righteous." They are deceptively real depictions of what happens when one confuses organized religion with spirituality. Yes, this book will make you laugh, but it will also make you think. It poses the universal question: Am I my brother's keeper?

A good read, these stories are sure to carve out a place in the Comedy Hall of Fame for Afrocentric Characters (such as Shennaynay, Wanda, Geraldine and others.) Readers will remember Sister Betty and Sister Connie Fuse and the others long after they have closed the pages of the book. These stories will provide you with a thought-provoking look into the soul! Read how they praise God--You do the opposite!