text: When I first picked up Drinking Coffee Elsewhere, I was excited to have the chance to read something that so many people seemed to enjoy.  And, truthfully, it's not a horrible book.  It is entertaining, the style works, etc.  On that note, if you're looking for a fun read and don't plan on thinking about it too much, then by all means, get it.  My problem with the book is that it doesn't deserve all the acclaim it's getting-- if you want something that breaks boundaries or adds a new voice to the current socio-political situation of America, this is not your book.
  
  Probably one of the major problems with the collection is that it's heralded as a riveting commentary on the plight of the African American female. Packer has very little new to say, and most of the underlying themes of the stories have not only been said previously by Alice Walker and other writers, but have also have been said better by those authors.  Drinking Coffee Elsewhere is no more than a watered down version of You Can't Keep a Good Woman Down, a book that, while having its own problems, would probably be a better use of your time and money if you're really interested in the social commentary in the text.
  
  Even from the literary standpoint, it's not terribly outstanding.  The characters are stereotypes; the plots are predictable.  The adult female protagonists are all essentially the same person-- an intelligent outsider who struggles with race, religion, and fitting in-- and are generally pretty ornery about it as they do so.  The other protagonists are the same, just not so irritable.  Similar to this lack of variation in her characters, Packer varies little in her narrative style.  Yes, the language is pretty at times, but there is no experimentation with language or structure; all of the writing is in a highly generic voice.  Finally, the stories themselves contain scenes that aren't necessary and that detract from the actual narrative.
  
  In short, Drinking Coffee Elsewhere proves that what it takes to sell a lot of books isn't actual talent, but how much your publisher backs you.  Packer had the good fortune to have famous mentors and to be the product of some highly acclaimed writing programs, which resulted in her being picked up by a big name publisher who could pay to get her name out
  