This lousy book reinforces too many stereotypes about African-Americans to be considered a "good" book. The character of Clareece Jones is ridiculously ill-conceived and implausible. By burdening "Precious" with a trauma hot-line shopping list of problems, Saphire mocks these serious issues. Such gratuitous use of the AIDS virus is unforgivable. Either save your money or buy the Magnetic Poetry Kit instead.