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What Members Thought
Lyrical, interwoven short stories spanning eight generations of a family ravaged by slavery. I can’t believe how much information and beauty is packed into this amazing book. Required reading.
Loved this, what an incredible, heartbreaking book. There was so much here I didn’t know. Only because I want to know all the stories there were so many stories I want to hear more of all of and dislike that those stories are unfinished. Mostly, it is the stories of Esi and her descendants, but doesn’t that complete the story that Gyasi is telling. For those brought from Africa as slaves their stories and their children’s stories are never really ever known. The stories are lost, histories incom
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Reread 2023: also moved up one star. It's a masterpiece, and a book that you could find something new within the lines each time.
So this book is one that I'd been meaning to read for several years, but as I started reading it, I realized I had no idea what it was about, going in. The book follows two sisters whose lives take dramatically different paths and follows their ancestors over the course of seven generations. Beautiful imagery, sometimes harrowing tales, thought-provoking tales of colon ...more
So this book is one that I'd been meaning to read for several years, but as I started reading it, I realized I had no idea what it was about, going in. The book follows two sisters whose lives take dramatically different paths and follows their ancestors over the course of seven generations. Beautiful imagery, sometimes harrowing tales, thought-provoking tales of colon ...more
What an amazing first book! This story, for me, is what should appear when you type/ search for "intergenerational trauma", as it perfectly demonstrates the concept. Is it just me or does it also illustrate what a shit deal women universally have gotten? That really stood out to me as well.
Some of the stories I desperately wanted to continue, some I was glad to see end of just to be relieved of connecting with that pain.
I look forward to reading more of what Yaa Gyasi writes. ...more
Some of the stories I desperately wanted to continue, some I was glad to see end of just to be relieved of connecting with that pain.
I look forward to reading more of what Yaa Gyasi writes. ...more
This book was really lovely. I was rapt through each of the sections, and none of them felt particularly hollow or cheesy. She did an excellent job balancing a strong over-arching message with with personal, true stories. The deep sense of resignation in the face of the crushing roll of history was more satisfying than I made it sound just now.
It's hard to believe that this book is only 300 pages. This multigenerational, multifamily story feels at least twice that length in richness. I have to admit it was a bit slow in the beginning and I almost DNFed it. I'm relieved I didn't because it was worth it.
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Apr 14, 2017
Cheryl
rated it
it was amazing
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review of another edition
Shelves:
multicultural,
black-authors
