Uncle Otto: A Novel

In weaving fiction and family history alongside historical events, Winfred Cook offers a brilliant literary debut in Uncle Otto. The novel is complex in plot and character development, displaying one of the most sophisticated analyses of black migration from southern rural settings to those of the urban north during the early 20th century in the United States. The joy, struggle, and tragedy that pervades Uncle Otto is the best that contemporary novelists have to offer.”
—Ingrid Banks, author of Hair Beauty, Power, and Black Women’s Consciousness and Associate Professor of Black Studies, University of California at Santa Barbara

“The author’s capable plotting and writing make up for much of the confusion, though the realization that the book is fictional might still bring surprise.

Regardless, the novel is an important account of one family’s story. While the events my not all be true in fact, they are true to life, and represent a period of time and a perspective that is underrepresented in literature. That alone makes it worth a second look.”

—Kirkus Discoveries
“Uncle Otto is a must have novel for both fiction and nonfi ction enthusiasts. It is a touching historical tribute that celebrates perseverance, faith and love.”
—Rawsistaz Black Book Reviews
“In a literary market crowded with “Fast Food,” Winfred Cook’s debut novel “Uncle Otto” is like Literary Soul Food. BRAVO!”
—Tezira Nnabongo, Ph.D Attorney, Hollywood, CA