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lilcoppertop's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
pbraue13's review
5.0
A great group memoir/collection of essays that looks into the various ways that Toni Morrison's work affects people and how people find their way/themselves through her work. A wonderful and surprisingly filling read, despite the deceptively short length of the book itself. A wonderful celebration of Toni Morrison, if only she'd been able to read it before her passing in 2019.
candelibri's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
This is exactly what those who struggle with Morrison’s work (raises hand) should have on hand as they read through her canon. Just excellent insights mixed in with real life experience that offers a context that I personally do not have. Incredible.
morethanthepages's review
You do not have to have read anything by Toni Morrison to enjoy this beautiful memoir. But once you're finished I'm sure you're going to want to even more than you might have before. This book is to provide you with the moments to think about race, discomfort you may feel and listen to conversations regarding every day racism. It's a conversation starter and it's timely. Toni Morrison impacted each of the authors of this book. Brought them together. And gave so much to them and others through her work.
Each author has a different identity and background. They're not all the same giving the reader a range of voices and perspectives to listen to. As you go through the book you listen to each author explain how Morrison was threaded into their life. You hear about the social injustice they experienced or witnessed and maybe the injustice they just don't understand. And you hear the stories and messages of Black individuals who were attacked for simply being Black.
I truly enjoyed this listen and insight offered in the book. It's a different type of memoir since it's written as a group. But I really enjoyed that piece.
Each author has a different identity and background. They're not all the same giving the reader a range of voices and perspectives to listen to. As you go through the book you listen to each author explain how Morrison was threaded into their life. You hear about the social injustice they experienced or witnessed and maybe the injustice they just don't understand. And you hear the stories and messages of Black individuals who were attacked for simply being Black.
I truly enjoyed this listen and insight offered in the book. It's a different type of memoir since it's written as a group. But I really enjoyed that piece.
smalltownbookmom's review against another edition
4.0
A great analysis of the Black experience in America as seen through the lens of several Toni Morrison novels. I loved that four very different people came together out of their love of Toni Morrison and decided to write a book together about their different experiences as they related to specific books she had written. Its too bad she died before she was able to given feedback on what she thought of their efforts. Definitely an important and interesting read that i highly recommend. Makes me want to go re-read many of her books that I haven’t read since university.
jenlovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to Partner Libro.fm for the digital ALC of The Toni Morrison Book Club in exchange for an honest review. The book is available now.
Juda Bennett, Winifred Brown-Glaude, Cassandra Jackson, and Piper Kendrix Williams wrote The Toni Morrison Book Club collaboratively, an extension of their real-world book club and their experiences reading four Toni Morrison novels. Their book, which I listened to via Libro.fm, mirrors some of my favorite things about the best book clubs and buddy reads: it’s both a serious and analytical consideration of Morrison’s work AND an exploration of the ways that her books reflect the book club members’ realities.
The diversity of the four authors--the publisher explains that they are “black and white, gay and straight, immigrant and American-born”--is a strength of the book, as each author shares the ways that she (or he) connects to a particular Morrison novel. The Toni Morrison Book Club is organized into a series of essays about The Bluest Eye, Beloved, A Mercy, and Song of Solomon, and the authors’ approaches aren’t always straightforward. So, there are focuses on parenthood, on white characters in Morrison’s novels, on humor, on why one of the authors bought a gun, and on toxic masculinity, rather than just examinations of main themes. I should say, as well, that I’ve read three of the four books discussed--and it’s been a long time for two of them--but I still found the essays to be rich, and there’s enough context provided that I wasn’t lost.
Shorter essays connect the main chapters, explaining how the book club members came to write about each topic chosen. I found some of these connecting pieces to be stronger than others, but I did appreciate the details about the journey taken in each discussion. I often find my way to true understandings of books through conversation with others, so to hear that experience reflected through the book felt right.
The Toni Morrison Book Club is a timely and serious endeavor, but one that’s also challenging and enjoyable in the ways that the best, real-life book clubs can be. I would definitely recommend the audiobook, since the multiple narrators helped to reflect the four distinct contributors.
Juda Bennett, Winifred Brown-Glaude, Cassandra Jackson, and Piper Kendrix Williams wrote The Toni Morrison Book Club collaboratively, an extension of their real-world book club and their experiences reading four Toni Morrison novels. Their book, which I listened to via Libro.fm, mirrors some of my favorite things about the best book clubs and buddy reads: it’s both a serious and analytical consideration of Morrison’s work AND an exploration of the ways that her books reflect the book club members’ realities.
The diversity of the four authors--the publisher explains that they are “black and white, gay and straight, immigrant and American-born”--is a strength of the book, as each author shares the ways that she (or he) connects to a particular Morrison novel. The Toni Morrison Book Club is organized into a series of essays about The Bluest Eye, Beloved, A Mercy, and Song of Solomon, and the authors’ approaches aren’t always straightforward. So, there are focuses on parenthood, on white characters in Morrison’s novels, on humor, on why one of the authors bought a gun, and on toxic masculinity, rather than just examinations of main themes. I should say, as well, that I’ve read three of the four books discussed--and it’s been a long time for two of them--but I still found the essays to be rich, and there’s enough context provided that I wasn’t lost.
Shorter essays connect the main chapters, explaining how the book club members came to write about each topic chosen. I found some of these connecting pieces to be stronger than others, but I did appreciate the details about the journey taken in each discussion. I often find my way to true understandings of books through conversation with others, so to hear that experience reflected through the book felt right.
The Toni Morrison Book Club is a timely and serious endeavor, but one that’s also challenging and enjoyable in the ways that the best, real-life book clubs can be. I would definitely recommend the audiobook, since the multiple narrators helped to reflect the four distinct contributors.
ngreader's review
4.0
4.5 stars
Love this book! Short and great literary analysis by examining the impact Morrison has on the four professors in their personal life. Quick and enjoyable read.
Love this book! Short and great literary analysis by examining the impact Morrison has on the four professors in their personal life. Quick and enjoyable read.
ashkitty93's review
5.0
A beautifully rendered collection of deeply personal stories, intertwined with thoughts on several of Toni Morrison's books and how the book club related to those books - Beloved, Song of Solomon, A Mercy, and The Bluest Eye. I want to come back to it after I've read more of Morrison's work.
Edit: It's probably a good idea to be familiar with these four novels prior to reading The Toni Morrison Book Club, but I don't think it's a prerequisite - important plot points are mentioned so, spoilers, but having only read The Bluest Eye (and being partway through Beloved) at the time of reading this, I didn't feel lost when it came to the book discussions at all.
Edit: It's probably a good idea to be familiar with these four novels prior to reading The Toni Morrison Book Club, but I don't think it's a prerequisite - important plot points are mentioned so, spoilers, but having only read The Bluest Eye (and being partway through Beloved) at the time of reading this, I didn't feel lost when it came to the book discussions at all.
bibliobethica's review
5.0
Hearing others perspective on Toni Morrison's novel was fascinating. Everyone bring their own experiences to the books they read, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about how each person was able to reflect on their lives and the experiences of the characters in Morrison's novel.
shandawarren's review
4.0
This book reads like a collection of short stories/essays. I’ve not yet read anything by Toni Morrison but I definitely will now.