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Mary: An Autobiography
Born in rural North Carolina in 1933, into the last generation before the lines of segregation were broken, the young Mary Mebane felt herself trapped in a "world without options." But even in the face of poverty, racism, and the chilling certainty that her mother's affection would never be won, she vowed to escape.
In this powerful autobiography, first published in 1981, Mebane recalls the joys and chores of her country childhood, the pain of her alienation from her family and community, and her dawning awareness that in her gifts for language and learning lay her key to freedom. With her graduation from college comes a triumph that is both hard-won and bittersweet.
In this powerful autobiography, first published in 1981, Mebane recalls the joys and chores of her country childhood, the pain of her alienation from her family and community, and her dawning awareness that in her gifts for language and learning lay her key to freedom. With her graduation from college comes a triumph that is both hard-won and bittersweet.
256 pages, Paperback
First published March 22, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 21, 2011
I can't describe the brilliancy with which Mary Mebane writes about the struggles she encountered trying to improve her self, so that she would not be a maid,custodial worker, or any type of domestic worker.
She did not want to lead a life already claimed to be her niche in society by the prejudice world she lived in.
Mary's language is so real, passionate and indescribably vivid when she narrates about she and her mother's relationship-toxic. Her mother did not want her to get an education, while Mary felt it was the only way to rise above.
Nonetheless, when Mary does 'make it', she is never comfortable in either world. To the blacks, she is not black enough, to the white's she is too black to be so educated and capable. It is no wonder her life ends tragically later on.
To me, Mary is an unsung heroine.Many will not discover her tremendous accomplishments and contributions to history, until they go to college, and stumble upon her many essays. Her work is very powerful!
THB
She did not want to lead a life already claimed to be her niche in society by the prejudice world she lived in.
Mary's language is so real, passionate and indescribably vivid when she narrates about she and her mother's relationship-toxic. Her mother did not want her to get an education, while Mary felt it was the only way to rise above.
Nonetheless, when Mary does 'make it', she is never comfortable in either world. To the blacks, she is not black enough, to the white's she is too black to be so educated and capable. It is no wonder her life ends tragically later on.
To me, Mary is an unsung heroine.Many will not discover her tremendous accomplishments and contributions to history, until they go to college, and stumble upon her many essays. Her work is very powerful!
THB
December 8, 2024
The blurb under the title corresponds to the second volume, titled Mary, Wayfarer. Mary: An Autobiography is of course the first of the two volumes. Putting either title in Goodreads leads you here.
The world outside was threatening to me and I was very scared, without self confidence. What would I do? Who would help me? If the people in the outside world were anything like my blood family and the other people around me, they would be harsh, disapproving and exert every effort to try to discourage me.
A huge thank you to the Internet Archive for solving a 45 year old mystery. In 1980 I was a freshman in college. I was waiting in the library to be picked up for the weekend, and as time passed I took this book from the shelf to while away the wait. I'd only read a few pages when my mother appeared; I asked her to wait a moment while I checked it out to take home with me. "No time for that!" she snapped, "You can check it out some other day." Never mind that she was the one who was over an hour late. I remembered the title "Mary" but of course that wasn't much to go on when I couldn't remember the author's full name. Mary Maybe? Mary...what was it?
Sitting here at the computer a few weeks ago, suddenly the name came back: Mary Mebane. Checked the Internet Archive and joy of joys, there it was--and there was a second volume as well. Reading the first chapter told me I had the right book at last.
In high school and in later years I read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings several times. There are common threads and events that run through both women's experience, and indeed they grew up at the same period, but Mebane writes without the bitter self-aggrandising anger that runs through Angelou's work. She doesn't have main character syndrome, in fact she sees herself as almost a nonentity in the world around her. I was startled by the depth to which her experience and mine resonated, in spite of the fact that we come from completely different backgrounds. And then that quote up there hit me amidships like a literary iceberg and left me floating in a wintry sea. That, and the moment at the end that she visits a black woman psychologist in search of advice on how to break out, only to realise that you can't get that from someone who's also locked in.
Indeed.
Mebane speaks of "color racists", the African American professionals who despise "black black women" and are clearly classists within their own cultural group. This is the first time I've seen the phenomenon so clearly delineated and acknowledged.
I can't wait to read Book Two.
The world outside was threatening to me and I was very scared, without self confidence. What would I do? Who would help me? If the people in the outside world were anything like my blood family and the other people around me, they would be harsh, disapproving and exert every effort to try to discourage me.
A huge thank you to the Internet Archive for solving a 45 year old mystery. In 1980 I was a freshman in college. I was waiting in the library to be picked up for the weekend, and as time passed I took this book from the shelf to while away the wait. I'd only read a few pages when my mother appeared; I asked her to wait a moment while I checked it out to take home with me. "No time for that!" she snapped, "You can check it out some other day." Never mind that she was the one who was over an hour late. I remembered the title "Mary" but of course that wasn't much to go on when I couldn't remember the author's full name. Mary Maybe? Mary...what was it?
Sitting here at the computer a few weeks ago, suddenly the name came back: Mary Mebane. Checked the Internet Archive and joy of joys, there it was--and there was a second volume as well. Reading the first chapter told me I had the right book at last.
In high school and in later years I read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings several times. There are common threads and events that run through both women's experience, and indeed they grew up at the same period, but Mebane writes without the bitter self-aggrandising anger that runs through Angelou's work. She doesn't have main character syndrome, in fact she sees herself as almost a nonentity in the world around her. I was startled by the depth to which her experience and mine resonated, in spite of the fact that we come from completely different backgrounds. And then that quote up there hit me amidships like a literary iceberg and left me floating in a wintry sea. That, and the moment at the end that she visits a black woman psychologist in search of advice on how to break out, only to realise that you can't get that from someone who's also locked in.
Indeed.
Mebane speaks of "color racists", the African American professionals who despise "black black women" and are clearly classists within their own cultural group. This is the first time I've seen the phenomenon so clearly delineated and acknowledged.
I can't wait to read Book Two.
December 21, 2018
I really liked the ways Mary Mebane talks about the difficulties in her life in a vivid way, it's like you're there experiencing the hurt and the disappointment with her. This book mainly covers the hardships Mary faces from her family, the betrayals from the "friends" she meets and the colleagues in her teaching career. It also covers the struggle of African American rise against various forms of discrimination because of their skin color.
December 10, 2012
Mary Mebane writes about her deepest thoughts and insecurities in this book. She creates readers to feel the emotions she went through as she struggled to find her place in society. I thought this book offered powerful insight as to how things were in the past, and the dangers of miscommunication and a lack of understanding. She is so aware of everything that is occurring around her, that it is hard to not connect with her experiences.
Mebane starts her story right from the beginning, and the reader is able to connect and grow with her as the pages are turned. When she gets older later on in the book, one would believe her struggles would slowly fade away. However, her awareness and memories create a whole different woman.
Mebane starts her story right from the beginning, and the reader is able to connect and grow with her as the pages are turned. When she gets older later on in the book, one would believe her struggles would slowly fade away. However, her awareness and memories create a whole different woman.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews