I was fortunate enough to receive a prepublication copy of this amazing book, but in no way does that affect my rating or review. This book is a stunnI was fortunate enough to receive a prepublication copy of this amazing book, but in no way does that affect my rating or review. This book is a stunner, one that will haunt you long after you read it. Borrowing a quote from another reviewer (author J. Michael Lennon), the characters in this book are enmeshed in "seven kinds of imprisonment—autism, gluttony, self-hate, inanition, racism, vengefulness, and a fiendish species of incarceration in a supermax Colorado prison." But shining through the grimness of this novel is the beauty of hope. Yejide is an amazing writer. Without minimizing the torment faced by Sephiri, an autistic child, and Brenda, his mother, Yejide takes the reader on an amazing trip into the alternate reality of Sephiri's mind where he creates a world in which he can be far more comfortable than he is in the "Land Of The Air". The contrast between Sephiri's inner life and what is experienced by his loving but broken mother is depicted beautifully here. The world of Sephiri's father, incarcerated in solitary confinement, is as dark a depiction of horror as one could imagine. The examination of his family and what brought him to this point brings up many issues - particularly, for me, the often unseen cost paid by the families of those who stand up against injustice. This book is painful. But Yejide's seamless use of magical realism breaks through the separate worlds that imprison the members of this family to lift them into a place of light and hope. This book is Yejide's first published novel. It was a 2012 finalist for the national PEN/Bellwether Prize and it will be released on June 10, 2014. It is a remarkable beginning for a brilliant new author....more
Maybe 4 1/2, but so good that I'm not going to begrudge it the extra half star. Honest, open, and beautifully written. She does not try to make herselMaybe 4 1/2, but so good that I'm not going to begrudge it the extra half star. Honest, open, and beautifully written. She does not try to make herself look good - she has blown up her life and has set out on a quest to face herself and rebuild. In a place with no distractions and no comfort, she just lets it flow. Her mother's death overturned her life and exposed all of the vulnerable places, as important deaths tend to do. Very real and very heartrending....more
I am having a terrible time lately rating books that I think are brilliantly successful on some levels and much less successful on others. What I wantI am having a terrible time lately rating books that I think are brilliantly successful on some levels and much less successful on others. What I want to say about this book is: Read it! It's like nothing you have ever read. Think Octavia Butler's Kindred added to Ellison's Invisible Man, stewed up with a heavy dose of Haruki Murakami, but with Laymon's unique flavor. I'm still a bit dazed. Three stars isn't right - it's more like 4 stars and a "What the heck?"...more
I finished this book long ago, but I had not written a review because I was not sure of how to write it. This book is about my family. My Uncle LonnieI finished this book long ago, but I had not written a review because I was not sure of how to write it. This book is about my family. My Uncle Lonnie, my mother's brother, painstakingly researched our family history, going back eight generations. Having all of the stories and family lore that I had heard all my life coupled with new information that he was able to find is a tremendous gift. But I had to consider how someone who was not a part of my family would view it. I think that it would be interesting to anyone who has an interest in American History, particularly African American history. For each generation, Uncle Lonnie couples our family history with what was happening in the country as a whole. The main strength of this book in my opinion, however, is that it makes history personal. Reading this book, it is fascinating to see the variety of experiences that came together to form this particular family. Sometimes we have tendency to assume that all members of a group have similar experiences - the "one story" problem. While our story fits into the African American experience in general, the particular experiences of each generation of our family broaden and enrich the picture. I love this book and giving it fewer than 5 stars would not be honest....more
2 Corinthians is a tough nut to crack, but it is filled with very good things when you do. Wright's commentaries are always great.2 Corinthians is a tough nut to crack, but it is filled with very good things when you do. Wright's commentaries are always great....more
Maybe 4 1/2 stars is more like it. This author is brilliant. It took me a long time to get into this book, but when I did, it grabbed me completely. TMaybe 4 1/2 stars is more like it. This author is brilliant. It took me a long time to get into this book, but when I did, it grabbed me completely. The chapter "How They Lived" can stand alone as a testimony to the experiences of an undocumented immigrant. ...more
The second in a very entertaining series. Although zombie books are not usually my first choice, Due and Barnes are great story tellers and I'm lookinThe second in a very entertaining series. Although zombie books are not usually my first choice, Due and Barnes are great story tellers and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series....more
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