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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
I've always wanted to read this book, and I'm sure glad that I finally did.
My father has recommended this to me for years. It's his all time favorite book, and the first book he had to read for school that ever caught his attention. Today, I can officially add this book to my own list of top favorite books.
It is extremely well written in the guise of an autobiography penned orally. Jane Pittman, though fictional, reads like the amalgamation of every very real slave/civil rights narrative. Nothing about her feels fake or inauthentic. And her life story is riveting.
Big shoutout to my girl Jane for that power move on the last page. What a killer last paragraph, it literally left me in shock and awe and pride.
It is extremely well written in the guise of an autobiography penned orally. Jane Pittman, though fictional, reads like the amalgamation of every very real slave/civil rights narrative. Nothing about her feels fake or inauthentic. And her life story is riveting.
Big shoutout to my girl Jane for that power move on the last page. What a killer last paragraph, it literally left me in shock and awe and pride.
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I know that this was fiction, but art imitates life. Being Black in America has never been easy and it probably never will be because there are too many people that teach hate to their children. But I will never be ashamed to be Black nor apologize for it. My people have endured the worst humanity has to offer. So much injustice is done to us merely because our skin is brown. But my people keep fighting. My people, like Miss Jane Pittman, are resilient. We bend with the winds that life blows but we don't break. I heard it said once that a steady drip of water wears a hole in a rock. My people, Black people, we are indeed that steady drip of water.
This is the story of one woman's view of this world having lived on it for a little over a century. She began her life as a slave and, though she was "free" in her later years, you could look at her environment and see that she was still a slave by all accounts. But Miss Jane Pittman knew something deep down inside that many of us still don't know: freedom is not a place, it's a state of mind. Slavery, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights movement....she saw it all....and she never let it dull her spirit. She may not have had much of an education, but she had a quick wit and wasn't afraid to speak her mind to anyone no matter what the color of their skin was.
This may be fiction, but there were many Jane Pittmans that were real and I believe that every Black person carries a little bit of her spirit within us.
This is the story of one woman's view of this world having lived on it for a little over a century. She began her life as a slave and, though she was "free" in her later years, you could look at her environment and see that she was still a slave by all accounts. But Miss Jane Pittman knew something deep down inside that many of us still don't know: freedom is not a place, it's a state of mind. Slavery, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights movement....she saw it all....and she never let it dull her spirit. She may not have had much of an education, but she had a quick wit and wasn't afraid to speak her mind to anyone no matter what the color of their skin was.
This may be fiction, but there were many Jane Pittmans that were real and I believe that every Black person carries a little bit of her spirit within us.
I thoroughly enjoyed this account of a fictional woman born into slavery who lives through 2 world wars and Jim Crow. The first 3/4 of the book were very engaging the last 1/4 dragged a bit for me. One other minor complaint I have has to do with dialogue. I don’t know what it’s called but here’s an example
Oh look she said
Look at what he said
That egg she said
Oh you mean the egg on the counter he said
Whatever that is, it happens a fair bit and it can be a touch annoying but not so much so that it ruined the book.
Miss Jane Pittman was a spitfire who held her own in terrible circumstances and is definitely a character I will remember for a long time.
Oh look she said
Look at what he said
That egg she said
Oh you mean the egg on the counter he said
Whatever that is, it happens a fair bit and it can be a touch annoying but not so much so that it ruined the book.
Miss Jane Pittman was a spitfire who held her own in terrible circumstances and is definitely a character I will remember for a long time.
I'm a little salty about that ending! Miss Jane Pittman was a hoot though.
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Gaines is a master with voices. I came away from the book feeling sad, because I wanted to spend more time with Miss Jane.
I also learned some surprising things about history-- from slavery and the civil war, to the civil rights period--details I haven't seen elsewhere.
It's hard to say which I like more-- A Lesson Before Dying or this book. I think Lesson is probably richer on more levels, but like I said, Miss Jane it just someone you really want to know. I can't wait to read more of Gaines' books.
I also learned some surprising things about history-- from slavery and the civil war, to the civil rights period--details I haven't seen elsewhere.
It's hard to say which I like more-- A Lesson Before Dying or this book. I think Lesson is probably richer on more levels, but like I said, Miss Jane it just someone you really want to know. I can't wait to read more of Gaines' books.