Homegoing - Yaa Gyasi 4/5

[Nicole D.]

So So So Heavy!

Every review I've read of this book has spoken about how ambitious it is, but you kind of have to read it to understand just how ambitious. Crikey!

This is black history - starting with a mother, whose two African daughters end up on different paths ... one in Africa, one in America. Each chapter is an alternating descendant starting at slavery ending at modern day. I thought this was an extremely comprehensive history, but the end reminded me that there were many unexplored paths.

It's incredibly powerful, and I cannot believe how much was packed into this 300 page book. It's such an incredible accomplishment, and it merits a 5-star review but the heaviness of this book left me feeling weighted down. It's a weighty topic and I don't expect to enjoy it, but it's almost as if it was too much for one book.

Important and worth reading, none the less.

[Denizen]

I'd like to get it read this year. I'll put it on hold as soon as I work through the current batch of holds.

[Booknblues]

Nicole wrote: "So So So Heavy!

Every review I've read of this book has spoken about how ambitious it is, but you kind of have to read it to understand just how ambitious. Crikey!

This is black history - startin..."

I would love it if she returned and told more complete stories of some of the characters. The book's ambition made it necessary for her to tell the story the way she did and I think it admirable so the reader begins to see a full and complete picture of the history, but segments of the history were very compelling.

[Michael]

Gee, Nicole, between you and BnB, you make this a serious contender. Great job on the sizzle without giving away too much steak. I like a writer to have ambition, but not so much ego they have to try prove they are brilliant.

[Kristel]

On my schedule in January.

[JoLene]

Kristel wrote: "On my schedule in January."
That's impressive that you plan so far ahead :-)

[Kristel]

JoLene wrote: "Kristel wrote: "On my schedule in January."
That's impressive that you plan so far ahead :-)" Its the way my face to face book club works. We vote twice a year for books so we always know our up coming reads. I also do some planning for others but not to that specificity.

[JoLene]

Kristel wrote: "JoLene wrote: "Kristel wrote: "On my schedule in January."
That's impressive that you plan so far ahead :-)" Its the way my face to face book club works. We vote twice a year for books so we alway..."

Ahh --- makes sense. For my F2F club, the host picks the book, but we only meet every 2 months so plenty of time to read it :-D

[Kristel]

We meet 11 times a year. We combine November and December, so from December to January is the best time for our longer books. We all bring suggestions and vote, books are chosen by weighted vote and we vote only twice a year.

[Amy]

My book club runs impromptu style. We meet when we feel like it, if there is something a group of us want to read together. It's the book group for moms who are too busy to be in a book group - lol. I am sort of the fearless leader. I use my Goodreads knowledge to make suggestions and even publish my reviews to a drop in group list of forty women. There are about ten who form our core and who show up regularly and we read about three books a year. Though a bunch of them read what I and you guys suggest. In November we are reading the Children Act. In January, Modern Girls, and the author will attend. Somewhere in there we are reading a book one of the members wrote. And in the Spring, possibly Anericanah and/or the Hummingbirds Daughter. This is a lot of action for a group that hasn't met since last January, for the Marriage of Oppisites. There was an attempt for June for Fates and Furies, but we never met. 6 of us read it, and there were mini discussions. Four have since read Ove. I feel like between the challenges and outside book groups, my reading gets pretty dictated these days. But I like having a frame, I think. An occasional surprise slips in... Keep you posted.