The autobiography of an ex-colored man (Group Classics read Dec16/Jan17)

[Gill]

Our group Classic Read for December 2016/ January 2017 is The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson.

The book is available free as an ebook from Project Gutenberg, and also free on U.K. Kindle.

[LauraT]

Ops! I've already read it! I'll joyin the discussion gladly since I liked it quite. I've decided to read Uncle Tom's Cabin because of it!

[Greg]

Looking forward to it! :)

[Chrissie]

I'll join in too, but not immediately.

[Gill]

I've downloaded a copy of this to join in with.

[Pink]

I thought this was a great book, I'll look forward to seeing what everything else thinks of it.

[Alannah]

Looking forward to this, have it downloaded in my kindle.

[Leslie]

Oh, I forgot to include this in my December to-read list! I have this as an audiobook. Depending on when I finish The Mists of Avalon, this will be my next audiobook.

[Gill]

I've just started reading this.

[Chrissie]

Well I finished this and expected something better. For me it was simply OK, so two stars.

My review explains my reaction: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Many seem to have enjoyed this more than I did. BUT...... there are a couple who have taken ages to get through it. Either they are very busy or they are having a hard time with it.

[Diane S ☔]

I have to agree with you on this one, Chrissie. The matter of fact, unemotional tone is not resonating with me either. Never really feel like I know this man. I am almost done but admit it is not a book that calls to me.

[Gill]

Chrissie wrote: "Well I finished this and expected something better. For me it was simply OK, so two stars.

My review explains my reaction: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Many seem to have enjo..."
I've taken ages because I started reading other things. The fact that I've got 2 months to read it has resulted in my grinding to a halt! I think it will be after Christmas before I start again.

[Chrissie]

Diane S ☔ wrote: "I have to agree with you on this one, Chrissie. The matter of fact, unemotional tone is not resonating with me either. Never really feel like I know this man. I am almost done but admit it is not a..."

Yes,the tone that is all wrong.....and other things too.

[Chrissie]

Gill wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Well I finished this and expected something better. For me it was simply OK, so two stars.

My review explains my reaction: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Many ..."

Gill, maybe you are not like me, but if I love a book I cannot put it down.

[Gill]

Chrissie wrote: "Gill wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Well I finished this and expected something better. For me it was simply OK, so two stars.

My review explains my reaction: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"

I've not read enough to have a view on this book, Chrissie.

However, if I do think a book is going to be wonderful, sometimes I will put it down and leave it until I have more free time or headspace to be able to savour it.

[Gill]

I've read about a quarter of this now. It's very matter of fact. It reads more like nonfiction. I'm going to do a bit of background reading about the author and the novel.

Has anyone else read Invisible Man? I thought that was a very powerful book.

[Chrissie]

Yes, Gill, I REread Invisible Man last year. I liked it better when I read it years ago. Today it feels dated. Today what is written there no longer has the same impact, well at least not for me. I also disliked the glass eye ball bit. I gave it two stars on the reread, meaning sure it was OK but could have been better.

[Diane S ☔]

I read it years ago, not recent enough to comment.

Here is my review The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

I should have mentioned that the even tone throughout the book, despite the circumstances was strange to me. It made this book just a recitation of facts. Still there were some interesting bits, but it could have been more.

[Pink]

Gill, I've read this and Invisible Man, I liked them both very much and rated them 4 stars. Although they're similar in subject matter and in how they have factual elements within their fiction, I found them quite different books.

[Gill]

I read the article about James Weldon Johnson on Wikipedia:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James...

I thought it was very informative. I have to confess that I'd never heard of the Harlem Renaissance until last year, when I first read a book by Nella Larsen (Quicksand).

[Leslie]

Gill wrote: "I've read about a quarter of this now. It's very matter of fact. It reads more like nonfiction. I'm going to do a bit of background reading about the author and the novel..."

I have finished the first 4 chapters. It does read like nonfiction to me too -- I read somewhere (the GR blurb maybe?) that it is considered to be a nonfiction novel. I remember that because I had thought that Truman Capote had invented that peculiar category with In Cold Blood. Off to look at the link you provided...

[Leslie]

Now that I have skimmed through that Wikipedia article, I can see that this is a novel, as it clearly isn't his autobiography. I went back and looked at the GR description and see that it says "fictional memoir" not nonfiction novel (though to me both terms are oxymoronic!). Does this mean that David Copperfield is a fictional memoir?

[Gill]

I've just finished chapter 5.

2 thoughts at this stage:
1/ I'm finding the content very interesting

2/ I'm not ciear what audience the author was writing for. Must have a dig-about to find out more about this.

[Gill]

Just found a free online study guide, which looks quite detailed:

http://www.gradesaver.com/the-autobio...

Note to self, don't read too far ahead in the study guide.

I found the analysis at the end of the notes for chapters 1 and 2 very enlightening. Now for the notes on chapters 3 and 4.

[Pink]

I remember wanting to learn more about the author after reading this book too. I'm going to have a look at the study guide as well, thanks for posting Gill and don't read too far ahead!

[Guy]

I have finished it and I like it. It was a bit dry, yet it is precise in its telling of the "facts" of this persons life as they unfold before him. I think it is important to keep in perspective the date it was written, 1912 is when it was first published. The writer was a founder of the NAACP, worked on T.R.'s Presidential campaign, wrote Broadway tunes, Poetry, was American Consul to Puerto Rico and Venezuela. The "Autobiography" having been written anonymously until he was credited in 1927 and the fact that it was so realistic in its telling caused debate as to weather it was fiction or Non during the 15 years between.

The writer is pinning back and forth over his life about just what to do with himself and where he fits. The guilt he feel over his ultimate decision. I am glad to have read it. I think it an honest telling of things as they were for the subject from the perspective of the writer.

[LauraT]

Gill wrote: "I've read about a quarter of this now. It's very matter of fact. It reads more like nonfiction. I'm going to do a bit of background reading about the author and the novel.

Has anyone else read [bo..."

That is really a great book!

[LauraT]

Guy wrote: "I have finished it and I like it. It was a bit dry, yet it is precise in its telling of the "facts" of this persons life as they unfold before him. I think it is important to keep in perspective th..."

My same thinking!

[Gill]

I've finished this now. I found it interesting, especially in its context. I found it worth reading.

[Pink]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it Gill :)

[Greg]

Gill wrote: "I read the article about James Weldon Johnson on Wikipedia:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James...

I thought it was very informative. I have to confess that I'd never heard of the H..."

Oh Gill, so many brilliant writers were part of the Harlem Renaissance! I suspect you've heard of many but just haven't associated them with that name. Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Claude McKay, Jean Toomer, to name a few.

I'm starting this book just today! Very late I know but better late than never!

[Greg]

I'm on chapter 4 now.

The most interesting thing for me so far is the subtle ways race shapes him despite it not even being visible in his face. The mere idea of his ancestry changes the way others react to him and also his way of reacting.

So foreign to my experience what he says about the Bible in chapter 2! He's "impatient and disappointed" that Jesus doesn't use his power when "he most needed to," in defending himself I guess? That really does seem like a natural reaction, but it's so foreign to my way of thinking. I wonder if it makes sense in light of all the petty indignities Johnson must've had to suffer in his era - this preference for a personal power of self defense.

A lot of the first few chapters feels a bit too much like a boy's fantasy, all the adulation, the encores, the sentimental weeping in his mother's arms afyer being carried away by the piano music. But some parts were amusing in the first chapter, and his (view spoiler)[mother's death (hide spoiler)] at the end of the third chapter really touched me. I liked the simplicity of the line: (view spoiler)["She died with the fingers of her left hand entwined in my hair." (hide spoiler)] That line struck me.

As far as the fiction/non-fiction thing, I really think this is fiction. Johnson was not light skinned as the narrator or able to pass as white. Perhaps he used some experiences in the novel as all writers do, but I think it's intended as an autobiography as it would've been written by a fictional character of light skin.

[Leslie]

Good points Greg! I found it got better as he reached adulthood so I think that you have the best to come!

[Greg]

Leslie wrote: "Good points Greg! I found it got better as he reached adulthood so I think that you have the best to come!"

I'm enjoying it better in the adult years too Leslie!

Even in chapter 5 when the story halts for a lot of exposition on the different "classes" of black people in the social system of the South of that era, I found it fairly fascinating. He doesn't go too deep into any one perspective, but I like the panorama he portrays.

I'm also enjoying seeing how he views figures such as Stowe and Joel Chandler Harris. His views of both are so different than what I've seen before.

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

I am starting the book today.

[Greg]

aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "I am starting the book today."

Great April! I actually just finished. I'll post some more thoughts when I get a moment.

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

Here is my review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Despite that it is actually fiction, I felt it was very authentic.