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Logans #6
The Road to Memphis
As America hovers on the brink of World War II, Cassie Logan fights a battle closer to home--the battle of black against white.
The third book in the powerfully written Logan family saga finds the 17-year-old Cassie Logan dreaming of college and law school. But no amount of schooling can prepare her for the violent explosion that takes place when her friend Moe lashes out at his white tormenters--an action unheard of in Mississippi. Moe will be in even greater danger if he stays in town, so it is up to Cassie, her brother, and their friends to accompany Moe on the road to Memphis--and to safety.
The third book in the powerfully written Logan family saga finds the 17-year-old Cassie Logan dreaming of college and law school. But no amount of schooling can prepare her for the violent explosion that takes place when her friend Moe lashes out at his white tormenters--an action unheard of in Mississippi. Moe will be in even greater danger if he stays in town, so it is up to Cassie, her brother, and their friends to accompany Moe on the road to Memphis--and to safety.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1992
103 people are currently reading
3248 people want to read
About the author
Mildred D. Taylor
41 books1,567 followersMildred DeLois Taylor is an African-American writer known for her works exploring the struggle faced by African-American families in the Deep South.
Taylor was born in Jackson, Mississippi, but lived there only a short amount of time, then moved to Toledo, Ohio, where she spent most of her childhood. She now lives in Colorado with her daughter.
Many of her works are based on stories of her family that she heard while growing up. She has stated that these anecdotes became very clear in her mind, and in fact, once she realized that adults talked about the past, "I began to visualize all the family who had once known the land, and I felt as if I knew them, too ..." Taylor has talked about how much history was in the stories; some stories took place during times of slavery and some post-slavery.
Taylor's most famous book is Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. In 1977, the book won the Newbery Medal. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the middle book, chronologically, in the Logans series that also includes titles such as The Land, Song of the Trees, Let the Circle Be Unbroken, and The Road to Memphis. Her collective contributions to children's literature resulted in her being awarded the inaugural NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature in 2003.
Taylor was born in Jackson, Mississippi, but lived there only a short amount of time, then moved to Toledo, Ohio, where she spent most of her childhood. She now lives in Colorado with her daughter.
Many of her works are based on stories of her family that she heard while growing up. She has stated that these anecdotes became very clear in her mind, and in fact, once she realized that adults talked about the past, "I began to visualize all the family who had once known the land, and I felt as if I knew them, too ..." Taylor has talked about how much history was in the stories; some stories took place during times of slavery and some post-slavery.
Taylor's most famous book is Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. In 1977, the book won the Newbery Medal. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the middle book, chronologically, in the Logans series that also includes titles such as The Land, Song of the Trees, Let the Circle Be Unbroken, and The Road to Memphis. Her collective contributions to children's literature resulted in her being awarded the inaugural NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature in 2003.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
December 31, 2018
I must say that as an adult these books are much much harder to read. I guess its because I know more and have experienced more racism. As a kid I remember reading this book in one day and my biggest takeaway being about the romance in the book. This time around I needed to read it slower and take breaks. The romance was secondary if not completely unimportant.
The Road to Memphis is a timely, powerful and important read. Unfortunately I fear it will always be timely because racism isn't going anywhere.
A must read!
The Road to Memphis is a timely, powerful and important read. Unfortunately I fear it will always be timely because racism isn't going anywhere.
A must read!
December 21, 2015
I'm a pretty big fan of Mildred D. Taylor, with her writing style, and the subjects she writes on.
I think I've said this before in my review of 'Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry', but in short I really loved this book, so I gave it a five stars.
If I were to be my usual pessimist-self I would only give it a four.
The only flaws I could find were a few continuity errors, or (in my opinion) poor development of certain characters.
What I loved about this book:
Cassie is now 17! So no more annoying complaining and uppityness. Also - boooyyys!
Everyone is older - Moe, Little Willie, Stacey, L.Man, C-John, and Jeremy. So we can see them with jobs, cars, responsibility - and how they respond to the white people of their town.
We are at the head of the action. No more overhearing things while we were supposed to be sleeping things - that take forever to figure out.
Solomon Bradley. ;)
What I didn't like about the book:
How I got the vibe that Papa and Mama were ooold now.
No more big strong daddy to 'blow up trees if you don't something...?'
Big Ma is always... Big Ma. lol
WHERE THE HECK IS MR. MORRISON????!
Didn't actually meet Uncle Hammer. Only mentioned him a few times actively.
What ever happened to C.J's friend? T.J's little brother? Clyde! What happened to Clyde?
How we didn't hear the end of some important characters' storys. Like:
Mrs. Jamison - Mr. Morrison - Dubé Cross - Suzella (though I admit she's out of the way) -Other random white people that we knew in the previous books, like Stuart and his gang, Mrs. Jim Lee Barnett, the Wallaces...
That we didn't fix the bad things sooner.
Don't want to spoil it too much but Cassie and any relationship with Moe besides friendship - I think we could've talked about that more. Solomon - we should've talked that out more. Clarance and Sissy - THAT WHOLE THING should've been talked out.
Being heavily influenced by Disney from a small child, I still feel like we need more singing and dancing to end a book happy. But quite frankly, we're back to where the book started. And probably a bit worse off. Plus there was so much death and real issues in there.
My questions for the characters.
Will Cassie make it to her various schools and get that education she's always talking about?
Did she read those books Solomon gave her.
So her purse is just gone, ey?
Will she get with Moe? Will she have to move to him? How will the Solomon thing play out?
What is Sissy going to do now?
Clayton (Little Man), and C.J (Christopher-John) do what all day? School? Will they be going off to work, or war any time soon?
Are people still struggling with their land and such?
Did we ever fix the car?
DOES JEREMY DIE??????
Ok that's all.
My rant has been long enough.
Read this book because it's awesome, well written, and worth your time. It's not that inappropriate - like it says 12 and up. Very short kissing (if any -.-), and overall good.
Thanks for Reading!
~Simone
I think I've said this before in my review of 'Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry', but in short I really loved this book, so I gave it a five stars.
If I were to be my usual pessimist-self I would only give it a four.
The only flaws I could find were a few continuity errors, or (in my opinion) poor development of certain characters.
What I loved about this book:
Cassie is now 17! So no more annoying complaining and uppityness. Also - boooyyys!
Everyone is older - Moe, Little Willie, Stacey, L.Man, C-John, and Jeremy. So we can see them with jobs, cars, responsibility - and how they respond to the white people of their town.
We are at the head of the action. No more overhearing things while we were supposed to be sleeping things - that take forever to figure out.
Solomon Bradley. ;)
What I didn't like about the book:
How I got the vibe that Papa and Mama were ooold now.
No more big strong daddy to 'blow up trees if you don't something...?'
Big Ma is always... Big Ma. lol
WHERE THE HECK IS MR. MORRISON????!
Didn't actually meet Uncle Hammer. Only mentioned him a few times actively.
What ever happened to C.J's friend? T.J's little brother? Clyde! What happened to Clyde?
How we didn't hear the end of some important characters' storys. Like:
Mrs. Jamison - Mr. Morrison - Dubé Cross - Suzella (though I admit she's out of the way) -Other random white people that we knew in the previous books, like Stuart and his gang, Mrs. Jim Lee Barnett, the Wallaces...
That we didn't fix the bad things sooner.
Don't want to spoil it too much but Cassie and any relationship with Moe besides friendship - I think we could've talked about that more. Solomon - we should've talked that out more. Clarance and Sissy - THAT WHOLE THING should've been talked out.
Being heavily influenced by Disney from a small child, I still feel like we need more singing and dancing to end a book happy. But quite frankly, we're back to where the book started. And probably a bit worse off. Plus there was so much death and real issues in there.
My questions for the characters.
Will Cassie make it to her various schools and get that education she's always talking about?
Did she read those books Solomon gave her.
So her purse is just gone, ey?
Will she get with Moe? Will she have to move to him? How will the Solomon thing play out?
What is Sissy going to do now?
Clayton (Little Man), and C.J (Christopher-John) do what all day? School? Will they be going off to work, or war any time soon?
Are people still struggling with their land and such?
Did we ever fix the car?
DOES JEREMY DIE??????
Ok that's all.
My rant has been long enough.
Read this book because it's awesome, well written, and worth your time. It's not that inappropriate - like it says 12 and up. Very short kissing (if any -.-), and overall good.
Thanks for Reading!
~Simone
January 18, 2022
3.75 stars, rounded up
This took awhile to get going and didn't seem to be going anywhere until the worst road trip ever started. Oy vey.
It seemed like a lot of time passed between the previous book and this one, which I wasn't expecting. At least, Cassie seemed a lot younger in the previous book than she is here. I also misread a sentence early on and thought it was a different year than it actually was, so I wasn't expecting a certain event to happen near the end of the book and was confused until I realized my error. And there were a couple of things about the road trip that felt like they were just added in for extra drama and obstacles that weren't really needed.
The whole Logan family was back, but we spent a lot less time with the family in this one do to the road trip factor. It's mostly Stacey and Cassie for most of the book, along with their friends, as they attempted to help a friend on an errand that could get them all thrown in jail or worse, because they're black in the deep South in the 1940s and injustice was everywhere.
It's disgusting to see how openly racist people were back then. They didn't even see it as racism, but as their rightful place as the superior race, and the gall they had to be shocked when POC would dare to get upset or even, heaven forbid, fight back against it will never cease to baffle me. Like, why wouldn't they think such things would happen when they treat people this way? (And they still called themselves good Christians and expected to get into heaven too.) And while things have gotten better, we could still use a lot of improvement. It's by pure chance that I finished this on MLK Jr Day, and that when I was at the gym this morning and gazing at the new feeds while doing my cool down, I saw the hypocrites on FOX news saying how shocking it is to think there used to be a day that civil rights protests were necessary in this country - completely forgetting (or more like ignoring) the protests in 2020 over similar issues - the same protests they maligned, demonized and belittled in every way they could. Yeah, FOX, you keep beating that drum. Things are so perfect now and anyone claiming there's still racism is just living in the past. Uh-huh. Sure. 🙄
I'm wondering where it'll go from here. The characters are all older and starting to live more adult lives, not to mention WWII now looming large. Will we see Jeremy again? Poor lamb, he messed up good at the beginning and I was despairing for him caving into (extremely significant) peer pressure. Will Stacey be called to serve? Will Cassie get into college? There are only a couple books left, and I'm already mourning the end.
This took awhile to get going and didn't seem to be going anywhere until the worst road trip ever started. Oy vey.
It seemed like a lot of time passed between the previous book and this one, which I wasn't expecting. At least, Cassie seemed a lot younger in the previous book than she is here. I also misread a sentence early on and thought it was a different year than it actually was, so I wasn't expecting a certain event to happen near the end of the book and was confused until I realized my error. And there were a couple of things about the road trip that felt like they were just added in for extra drama and obstacles that weren't really needed.
The whole Logan family was back, but we spent a lot less time with the family in this one do to the road trip factor. It's mostly Stacey and Cassie for most of the book, along with their friends, as they attempted to help a friend on an errand that could get them all thrown in jail or worse, because they're black in the deep South in the 1940s and injustice was everywhere.
It's disgusting to see how openly racist people were back then. They didn't even see it as racism, but as their rightful place as the superior race, and the gall they had to be shocked when POC would dare to get upset or even, heaven forbid, fight back against it will never cease to baffle me. Like, why wouldn't they think such things would happen when they treat people this way? (And they still called themselves good Christians and expected to get into heaven too.) And while things have gotten better, we could still use a lot of improvement. It's by pure chance that I finished this on MLK Jr Day, and that when I was at the gym this morning and gazing at the new feeds while doing my cool down, I saw the hypocrites on FOX news saying how shocking it is to think there used to be a day that civil rights protests were necessary in this country - completely forgetting (or more like ignoring) the protests in 2020 over similar issues - the same protests they maligned, demonized and belittled in every way they could. Yeah, FOX, you keep beating that drum. Things are so perfect now and anyone claiming there's still racism is just living in the past. Uh-huh. Sure. 🙄
I'm wondering where it'll go from here. The characters are all older and starting to live more adult lives, not to mention WWII now looming large. Will we see Jeremy again? Poor lamb, he messed up good at the beginning and I was despairing for him caving into (extremely significant) peer pressure. Will Stacey be called to serve? Will Cassie get into college? There are only a couple books left, and I'm already mourning the end.
May 11, 2012
"The Road To Memphis" by Mildred D. Taylor was a very dramatic, compelling book. This is the third novel in the series written about the Logan family and I have to say that with each sequel the story gets better and better. This book takes place in 1941, right before the outbreak of World War II. Cassie is now 17 years old and a senior in high school dreaming of going onto law school. Her older brother Stacey is working and is driving his first car. But then, a sequence of tragic events occurs, including pregnancy and death, threatens to seperate the family, possibly forever. In Jackson, Moe lashes out at his white tormentors, an act unheard of in Mississippi back then, which nearly gets them killed. So Cassie, Stacey and their friends must try to get Moe to Memphis for safety.
Mildred D. Taylor is and excellent writer. The realism of the story drips from every page. In reading all of her books based on the Logan family, she depicts the magnitude of racism in the 1940's very well. It really gave me an idea of what life was like in that era. It also made me realize how times have changed and how lucky I am to live in this day and age and not have to experience the hardships and struggles of the past. For those reasons, I believe this would be an appropriate novel to teach in schools starting at fifth grade. This is a great book that I think everyone should read at sometime in their life.
Mildred D. Taylor is and excellent writer. The realism of the story drips from every page. In reading all of her books based on the Logan family, she depicts the magnitude of racism in the 1940's very well. It really gave me an idea of what life was like in that era. It also made me realize how times have changed and how lucky I am to live in this day and age and not have to experience the hardships and struggles of the past. For those reasons, I believe this would be an appropriate novel to teach in schools starting at fifth grade. This is a great book that I think everyone should read at sometime in their life.
February 18, 2020
***NOTE: As part of our 2020 reading challenges, my mom and I are revisiting the old works of her favorite YA author, Mildred D. Taylor, and will soon get to read All the Days Past, All the Days to Come for the very first time.***
This one seems particularly devastating, I guess because Cassie and her brothers are so much older, but still too young for all the societal pressures they face along with their friends. It is touching to see these young people grow in their community, but this makes it all the more painful to watch many of them leave the land they love for greater opportunities as well as undesired obligations. Mildred Taylor is, like always, a phenomenal time-traveler, allowing us to glimpse the past, present, and future of these characters simultaneously in this unforgettable story.
This one seems particularly devastating, I guess because Cassie and her brothers are so much older, but still too young for all the societal pressures they face along with their friends. It is touching to see these young people grow in their community, but this makes it all the more painful to watch many of them leave the land they love for greater opportunities as well as undesired obligations. Mildred Taylor is, like always, a phenomenal time-traveler, allowing us to glimpse the past, present, and future of these characters simultaneously in this unforgettable story.
October 24, 2011
This lacks the power of Taylor's earlier works on the Logan family, but is still a very good read. I like how Taylor follows the Cassie and Stacey into early adulthood, which is highlighted by the absence of the "adults" and the expansion of the world to include Jackson, Memphis, and the exotic geographies of World War II.
Taylor's story still crackles with tension as the conflicts arise between black and white in old time Mississippi, but the characters don't seem as well developed here. Though Cassie is said to be thinking about school and romance and some of the other things that come along with growing up, it feels like we also lose a sense of her individuality as we are told a lot more about her rather than shown. The one character that I enjoyed seeing develop here is Jeremy Simms. Taylor does a great job of putting the finishing touches on the strange relationship between him and the Logan siblings.
Without taking time to develop characters more, the conflicts and dangerous situations which arise seem more manufactured and a little repetitive, though they certainly continue to resonate with the gravity and authenticity of the black experience in the Jim Crow South. Taylor is once again able to convey with tremendous sensitivity the precarious nature of living peacefully during those times.
However you look at it, the entire Logan saga continues to be a must-read for children learning about the Jim Crow South, and this final installment is a nice finish.
Taylor's story still crackles with tension as the conflicts arise between black and white in old time Mississippi, but the characters don't seem as well developed here. Though Cassie is said to be thinking about school and romance and some of the other things that come along with growing up, it feels like we also lose a sense of her individuality as we are told a lot more about her rather than shown. The one character that I enjoyed seeing develop here is Jeremy Simms. Taylor does a great job of putting the finishing touches on the strange relationship between him and the Logan siblings.
Without taking time to develop characters more, the conflicts and dangerous situations which arise seem more manufactured and a little repetitive, though they certainly continue to resonate with the gravity and authenticity of the black experience in the Jim Crow South. Taylor is once again able to convey with tremendous sensitivity the precarious nature of living peacefully during those times.
However you look at it, the entire Logan saga continues to be a must-read for children learning about the Jim Crow South, and this final installment is a nice finish.
February 25, 2016
Mildred D. Taylor has always been one of my favorite authors, ever since I was a little girl. (The fact that we shared a first name was also a bonus.)
Her first book about the Logan family, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry was one of my absolute favorite books and I burned through the rest in the series, eager to see what happened to Cassie, Stacey, Christopher-John, Little Man, Jeremy, and the rest of the friends. I've always been interested in that rough time period in American history and these were books I couldn't put down.
It had been so long since I've read this series, I had honestly forgotten that I'd read The Road to Memphis until I got about a third of the way into it. When I read a page and the words from the next page popped into my head, I knew that I'd read it before. That didn't stop me, though. If anything, it made me want to read it all the more BECAUSE I knew what was going to happen.
I'd forgotten how sad some of the events were in the book and I teared up quite a few times. This story (and all of the stories in the series) make me realize just how horrible some of the events in our history were. I felt anger, frustration, and sadness all over again, just as I had when reading as a little girl.
Cassie and her family will always have a special place in my heart. One day, I hope my own daughter will get off her butt and read them as well. They're a good history lesson and I would definitely recommend them to people of all ages.
Her first book about the Logan family, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry was one of my absolute favorite books and I burned through the rest in the series, eager to see what happened to Cassie, Stacey, Christopher-John, Little Man, Jeremy, and the rest of the friends. I've always been interested in that rough time period in American history and these were books I couldn't put down.
It had been so long since I've read this series, I had honestly forgotten that I'd read The Road to Memphis until I got about a third of the way into it. When I read a page and the words from the next page popped into my head, I knew that I'd read it before. That didn't stop me, though. If anything, it made me want to read it all the more BECAUSE I knew what was going to happen.
I'd forgotten how sad some of the events were in the book and I teared up quite a few times. This story (and all of the stories in the series) make me realize just how horrible some of the events in our history were. I felt anger, frustration, and sadness all over again, just as I had when reading as a little girl.
Cassie and her family will always have a special place in my heart. One day, I hope my own daughter will get off her butt and read them as well. They're a good history lesson and I would definitely recommend them to people of all ages.
April 12, 2017
Cassie is now a teenager and attending high school in Jackson. Racism is still rampant but things become dangerous when her friend Moe lashes out at his white tormenters. Stacey, Cassie, and couple of other friends are determined to drive him to Memphis so we can take the train to Chicago where he will be safe. It's a risky journey and life will soon change forever for the Logan's and their friends. This book made me angry at the stupidity and injustice of racism.
June 25, 2025
A little piece of historical fiction
September 19, 2025
FINISHED 🔥
Absolute FIRE as long as you don’t mind the writing style, personally I don’t because it helps convey the tone in how they talk a LOT better. 🗣️🗣️
And, I’m sorry if I’m annoying you when I say this again, but W JEREMY.
real one to the end (RIP?) 😭🙏
I found this book REALLY interesting, and have no reason as to why you SHOULDN’T read it, so go and read it if you’re not sure 😼🫵
100% recommended 😼🫵
W BOOK 🗣️🗣️🔥💥🧨💣🤯🫵‼️
Absolute FIRE as long as you don’t mind the writing style, personally I don’t because it helps convey the tone in how they talk a LOT better. 🗣️🗣️
And, I’m sorry if I’m annoying you when I say this again, but W JEREMY.
real one to the end (RIP?) 😭🙏
I found this book REALLY interesting, and have no reason as to why you SHOULDN’T read it, so go and read it if you’re not sure 😼🫵
100% recommended 😼🫵
W BOOK 🗣️🗣️🔥💥🧨💣🤯🫵‼️
July 16, 2020
I love this family so much.
November 20, 2008
Taylor, Mildred. The Road to Memphis, Puffin Books, 290 pages. Fictional chapter book, historic fiction.
Description: In this sequel to the book, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Cassie Logan is nearly grown up, attending high school in Jackson and thinking about college. When her friend Moe lashes out at some white people who are tormenting him, things become dangerous for everyone in Cassie's life.
Review: Like its prequel, The Road to Memphis, does a great job of portraying the treacherous racism of 1930's Mississippi through the eyes of an identifiable protagonist. Girls will like Cassie, who thinks clearly in dangerous situations and bluntly speaks her mind to boys and girls alike.
Taylor's strength as a writer lies in her ability to establish mood through use of dialogue and setting. For instance, in the scene leading up to the book's key incident, where Moe knocks the tormenting Simms brothers unconscious, the dialogue is terse and rude, and the setting is uncomfortable. Pre-teen and young adolescent readers will appreciate the ways in which Taylor employs literary techniques to tell an effective story.
Professional Reviews:
Vasilakis, Nancy. Horn Book Magazine, Sept./Oct. 1990.
Vasilakis emphasizes Taylor's use of the car trip as a metaphor for "a journey into the dark heart of Southern racism." I agree that the trips did seem metaphorical.
Schuller, Susan. School Library Journal, June 1990.
Schuller criticizes the fact that the side plots of a friend's pregnancy and another's death do not meld well with the main plot. This is an apt criticism. These plot lines seem to end and pick up again in a rather abrupt manner.
Description: In this sequel to the book, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Cassie Logan is nearly grown up, attending high school in Jackson and thinking about college. When her friend Moe lashes out at some white people who are tormenting him, things become dangerous for everyone in Cassie's life.
Review: Like its prequel, The Road to Memphis, does a great job of portraying the treacherous racism of 1930's Mississippi through the eyes of an identifiable protagonist. Girls will like Cassie, who thinks clearly in dangerous situations and bluntly speaks her mind to boys and girls alike.
Taylor's strength as a writer lies in her ability to establish mood through use of dialogue and setting. For instance, in the scene leading up to the book's key incident, where Moe knocks the tormenting Simms brothers unconscious, the dialogue is terse and rude, and the setting is uncomfortable. Pre-teen and young adolescent readers will appreciate the ways in which Taylor employs literary techniques to tell an effective story.
Professional Reviews:
Vasilakis, Nancy. Horn Book Magazine, Sept./Oct. 1990.
Vasilakis emphasizes Taylor's use of the car trip as a metaphor for "a journey into the dark heart of Southern racism." I agree that the trips did seem metaphorical.
Schuller, Susan. School Library Journal, June 1990.
Schuller criticizes the fact that the side plots of a friend's pregnancy and another's death do not meld well with the main plot. This is an apt criticism. These plot lines seem to end and pick up again in a rather abrupt manner.
September 23, 2020
As I re-read this book, I understood why for years it was my least favorite of the Logan books (at that time) as it is tragic and dark. It directly leads into the last Logan book, All the Days Past, All The Days To Come- but now as an adult, I can better understand the reality of the narrative and my opinion of it improved greatly.
A few years have passed and Cassie is now 17 and attending high school in Jackson. She and Stacey who is working in the city return home to Strawberry regularly and we see that all four of the Logan siblings have matured and have new responsibilities. With WWII looming, a friend of theirs Clarence enlists in the army, partly to escape from the drama of his girlfriend Sissy who is pregnant. While home for the weekend Clarence and Moe get into an altercation with a group of white men, and Moe lashes out hurting them badly. Jeremy Simms, a white man witnesses the fight and helps Moe get to the next town over despite being cousins with the others. Then it is up to Stacey, Cassie, Clarence and Willy to help Moe escape to Memphis where he can then travel further northward. The discrimination and trauma that these five young adults endure are heartbreaking, and what happens to Clarence was devestating. There is no happy ending for Moe, despite him escaping, as he can never return home, and once Jeremy's family learns of his involvement he is cut out of his family forever. The last words of the book about Jeremy crushed me, as he had always been a good and moral person, despite his racist upbringing. A melancholy read, but realistic and haunting.
A few years have passed and Cassie is now 17 and attending high school in Jackson. She and Stacey who is working in the city return home to Strawberry regularly and we see that all four of the Logan siblings have matured and have new responsibilities. With WWII looming, a friend of theirs Clarence enlists in the army, partly to escape from the drama of his girlfriend Sissy who is pregnant. While home for the weekend Clarence and Moe get into an altercation with a group of white men, and Moe lashes out hurting them badly. Jeremy Simms, a white man witnesses the fight and helps Moe get to the next town over despite being cousins with the others. Then it is up to Stacey, Cassie, Clarence and Willy to help Moe escape to Memphis where he can then travel further northward. The discrimination and trauma that these five young adults endure are heartbreaking, and what happens to Clarence was devestating. There is no happy ending for Moe, despite him escaping, as he can never return home, and once Jeremy's family learns of his involvement he is cut out of his family forever. The last words of the book about Jeremy crushed me, as he had always been a good and moral person, despite his racist upbringing. A melancholy read, but realistic and haunting.
May 18, 2013
I chose to read, The Road to Memphis, because it is the fourth installment of books in the Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry series. In this book, Moe Turner, one of Stacey's friends, beats up three white kids who taunted and embarrassed him. Stacey, Cassie, Clarence, and Little Wiggins take Moe to Memphis so he can escape to Chicago, but in the process Clarence dies. My favorite quote was when Jeremy says," You ever play that ole wind pipe I made, you think of me, hear?" This quote is quite sad, because since Jermey is enlisting in the Army, the Logans may never see Jeremy again. It reminds me of what Jeremy has done for the Logans and their special bond of friendship. It is especially depressing that by helping the Logans and Moe, his father would kick him out of the house. The sacrifices he makes and the care he shows towards the Logans seems unbelievable in an era of segregation. I felt that the author, Mildred D. Taylor, accurately recreates a world where segregation is present and war fever is running high. She also does an excellent job of creating strong bonds between the characters, which helps a reader visualize and connect with a character. I would recommend this book to anyone because it gives a personal insight into American social life in the early to mid- 1900s. I felt that Mildred D. Taylor does a fine job blending segregation, family, community, friendship, and emotion into one amazing book.
November 26, 2009
This book is about a 17 year old girl named Cassie Logan who is about to graduate from high school She also plant to go to college and then to law school if possible. One of her friends named Moe, is teased by white folks and Moe can't take it anymore so he uses his fists to do his talking. Word gets out about this and Cassie and her friends must get Moe to Memphis,Tennessee and to safety. This book takes place in Mississippi and Tennessee in 1937.
An external conflict in this book is that Moe has gone missing and no one can find him. Cassie, C.J, Clayton and Stacey try to look for him. Eventually, they locate Moe at the pond hiding right next to Stacey's Ford. After this, everyone is ready to head to Memphis to get Moe to safety.
My Text to world connection shows that the white people in this book kept discriminating against blacks and calling them racial slurs. In this world today, 2009, people still discriminate against other people. It is not quite like it was in the 1930's, but it still exists. I would recommend this book to anyone because it shows tension, violence and how people treat others because of the color of their skin. It also shows how problems were handled. That's the theme in this book. I would give this book 5 stars because there is suspense in every page, a lot of action.
An external conflict in this book is that Moe has gone missing and no one can find him. Cassie, C.J, Clayton and Stacey try to look for him. Eventually, they locate Moe at the pond hiding right next to Stacey's Ford. After this, everyone is ready to head to Memphis to get Moe to safety.
My Text to world connection shows that the white people in this book kept discriminating against blacks and calling them racial slurs. In this world today, 2009, people still discriminate against other people. It is not quite like it was in the 1930's, but it still exists. I would recommend this book to anyone because it shows tension, violence and how people treat others because of the color of their skin. It also shows how problems were handled. That's the theme in this book. I would give this book 5 stars because there is suspense in every page, a lot of action.
November 23, 2007
The third book of the Logan family series, now all the kids are grown up and seeking jobs and finishing their schooling. Cassie Logan and her brothers still stay strong with the help of their family and the land that kept them undefeated from the other white landowners in Mississippi. This books was extremely good because now, Cassie and her brothers, and best friends have matured into young adults, and are more aware of the hardships that they face in this world. Even though they try to avoid it, it always seem to catch up with them one way or another. When Cassie's best friend Moe attacks three white men with a crowbar after humiliating him and degrading Cassie (who he is secretly in love with), Stacy,Clarence,Little Willie and Cassie must help him escape to Memphis where he can start a new life and possibly return,maybe oneday. The trust they had in the only white man they could call a friend suddenly is in question, and now at the age of courting, love and what it symbolizes confuses Cassie and those that surround her everyday. Its a great book to read and I consider it one of my favorite of all time.
July 26, 2019
An emotional conclusion to the Logan Family book series. If you enjoyed The Land, Roll of Thunder, and Let the Circle, then you have to read this final saga. The Logan children are growing up and dealing with the world through more mature eyes. How they deal with race and opportunity is different from their parents. The shift in the nation and the Logan family leads to a powerful conclusion in the series.
August 30, 2007
Another dismal, depressing one sided view of the rural south.
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May 3, 2017Like an ole relationship drama series a touchyfeely granny might watch at 11am in between blowing her nose, drying her tears and taking some naps.
October 18, 2022
Another good book by Mildred Taylor!
This one jumps 6 years into the future from the last book in the series. Cassie Logan, who is still the narrator, is now 17 and living in Jackson, Mississippi as she completes high school. Her brother Stacey (20 years old), who dropped out of high school in the tenth grade, is also living in Jackson working a full time job while Christopher-John (15 years old) and Little Man (14 years old) are still at home on the farm.
As with the other books in the series, there are multiple storylines and some new characters mixed in with old. With the characters being older, more adult themes are introduced (such as romance, parenting, and pregnancy) but the overall themes of love, friendships, and family remain. I enjoyed the book although it left me feeling more sad than the others. And overall, it was a very, very good read!
This one jumps 6 years into the future from the last book in the series. Cassie Logan, who is still the narrator, is now 17 and living in Jackson, Mississippi as she completes high school. Her brother Stacey (20 years old), who dropped out of high school in the tenth grade, is also living in Jackson working a full time job while Christopher-John (15 years old) and Little Man (14 years old) are still at home on the farm.
As with the other books in the series, there are multiple storylines and some new characters mixed in with old. With the characters being older, more adult themes are introduced (such as romance, parenting, and pregnancy) but the overall themes of love, friendships, and family remain. I enjoyed the book although it left me feeling more sad than the others. And overall, it was a very, very good read!
April 18, 2017
I remember reading this book when I was a very sheltered 10YO and being appalled that there is at one point in the story an unmarried pregnant girl, and another point in the story a kiss. As an adult I had to pick it back up to see what it was really about, and it was worth a re-read. Definitely nothing inappropriate, though it may be a better book for teenagers. An interesting look into what the South was like and how much injustice was in our land at the same time as we entered WWII.
February 22, 2022
I’ve had to read this series out of order which normally I refuse to do but I just can’t get this family out of my mind. This was another great book with heart wrenching troubles. Through all the pain and sorrow the story line is so endearing. I’m pretty sure I’m pretty sure I’ll have to wait for the rest of the books in this series they are on hold.
January 3, 2019
This book showed the difficult experience of teens/ young adults experiencing racism and the dangers of there actions. While reading this book I was either anxious, angry, or crying because I knew that many black people, including some of my older relatives have gone through these times. Growing up black in the South during 1940's was very dangerous and painful for a lot of black people who were name called, lynched, teased, and just overall treated terribly. I think everyone should read this book and the others written by Mildred D. Taylor because they make you feel a certain way about justice.
July 1, 2020
I always think juvenile fiction gets to the heart of the matter so much more efficiently than adult fiction. Taylor is an excellent writer, and this story is a painful examination of life under Jim Crow laws.
June 19, 2021
Another one of those books where you reach the last few pages feeling all the feels, a lump in your throat. This book is yet another masterpiece in what is one of the best series of all time. These books are so good, so hard, so real.
June 5, 2023
Though the storyline was narrow in scope, I would have liked to see the personal lives of the Logan kids explored more. There was a lack of intimacy between the reader and the brothers of Cassie that was present in previous books. We do get a deeper look into some of the childhood friends though which was enlightening.
February 11, 2020
Wow! Amazing. I'm surprised I hadn't heard of this book sooner. This definitely seems like something I would've read in elementary school. The conflict was intense, the characters were likeable (except the racists... and Sissy) and there were plenty of emotional moments. Definitely would recommend.
June 23, 2017
Re-awakened to the fact of life for those who weren't white and racism at its worst.
Thought of Thurgood Marshall, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Dr. George W. Carver to just name a few.
Few books, "The Help", "Harlem Hellfighters" "Flygirl" "Chandra's War"
Thought of Thurgood Marshall, Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Dr. George W. Carver to just name a few.
Few books, "The Help", "Harlem Hellfighters" "Flygirl" "Chandra's War"
January 5, 2013
Pg.71. The book starts with an intense beginning showcasing the long history of racism between the white and the black people that lies in the American history. Cassie Logan,a 17 years old girl, wanting to become a lawyer. Joins forces with her friends to continue the struggle against the racism against them but that eventually led to a surprising event involving one of her friend's getting hurt.
Pg. 163. While Moe is hanging out with his friends, his white tormentors Harass him and threaten him. But this time he is not obeying. As he repels against them, one of the white kid gets hurt. And now he's on the run to Memphis only to be recruited by his uncle, uncle Hammer to safety with the aid of his friends. And along the road they faces a few bumps some broken hearts and make a few friends along the way as they continue their journey to Memphis.
I started this book because it clearly defines the racism between white people and black people at that time. I find historical fictions intriguing because it tells me a lot about they way people lived their live during that time.
The reason I finished this book is because I would like to know how Cassie Logan and her friends will turn out, like a bitter sweet end? Or a solid ending, for example, good vs evil, who wins ultimately.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is mature enough and can accept a bit of racial slurs (there's some in the book, if they aren't mature enough they will not get what the author wants them to feel. And also I would recommend it to people who are curious enough to venture into the history of racism in the United-states without having access to internet but rather by reading a detailed story that describes it better than other ways of displaying literature.
Pg. 163. While Moe is hanging out with his friends, his white tormentors Harass him and threaten him. But this time he is not obeying. As he repels against them, one of the white kid gets hurt. And now he's on the run to Memphis only to be recruited by his uncle, uncle Hammer to safety with the aid of his friends. And along the road they faces a few bumps some broken hearts and make a few friends along the way as they continue their journey to Memphis.
I started this book because it clearly defines the racism between white people and black people at that time. I find historical fictions intriguing because it tells me a lot about they way people lived their live during that time.
The reason I finished this book is because I would like to know how Cassie Logan and her friends will turn out, like a bitter sweet end? Or a solid ending, for example, good vs evil, who wins ultimately.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is mature enough and can accept a bit of racial slurs (there's some in the book, if they aren't mature enough they will not get what the author wants them to feel. And also I would recommend it to people who are curious enough to venture into the history of racism in the United-states without having access to internet but rather by reading a detailed story that describes it better than other ways of displaying literature.
December 2, 2013
The Road to Memphis, Mildred D. Taylor
290 pages
The Road to Memphis has the most straight-forward plot of the three Mildred Taylor novels I've read. Rather than taking place over the course of a couple of years like in the other two novels, The Road to Memphis takes place in a week in which Stacey and Cassie Logan attempt to get their friend Moe Turner to Memphis, and on to safety in Chicago, after he attacks three white men who are tormenting on the street of Strawberry, Mississippi. The plot—the journey on the literal road to Memphis, Tennessee—provides the same opportunities to explore pre-Civil Rights racism that the other two novels have, but seventeen-year-old Cassie and twenty-year-old Stacey now face it independently, without any direct help from their father and other adult figures. Overall, I think Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the best of the Logan family novels, but the final scene of The Road to Memphis, when Jeremy Simms comes to talk to Stacey after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor and the events on the street in Strawberry have completely disrupted their former lives, is my favorite moment in any of the three books.
290 pages
The Road to Memphis has the most straight-forward plot of the three Mildred Taylor novels I've read. Rather than taking place over the course of a couple of years like in the other two novels, The Road to Memphis takes place in a week in which Stacey and Cassie Logan attempt to get their friend Moe Turner to Memphis, and on to safety in Chicago, after he attacks three white men who are tormenting on the street of Strawberry, Mississippi. The plot—the journey on the literal road to Memphis, Tennessee—provides the same opportunities to explore pre-Civil Rights racism that the other two novels have, but seventeen-year-old Cassie and twenty-year-old Stacey now face it independently, without any direct help from their father and other adult figures. Overall, I think Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the best of the Logan family novels, but the final scene of The Road to Memphis, when Jeremy Simms comes to talk to Stacey after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor and the events on the street in Strawberry have completely disrupted their former lives, is my favorite moment in any of the three books.
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