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cgcpoems's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.0
I’ve only put down a few books in my life in the middle of reading them. Generally, even if a book is terrible, I soldier through on the off-chance that by the end things will be better.
I came incredibly close to giving up on this halfway through, and now that I’ve finished it I think it wouldn’t have mattered if I had. I had a number of issues with the execution of this book, not to mention the fact that it’s labeled a memoir when it’s really a non-focused autobiography that meanders into other subjects. The writing was incredibly stiff, and the author’s tone throughout was off-putting. I didn’t know what to make of this.
There was no flow to this “memoir” told through choppy sections. Why did the author explain to us their use of initials instead of names within the text and not in a note before or after? Things like this made the book unenjoyable, and had me upping the speed on the audiobook just so I could get through it.
I’m glad Jefferson has told her story—the more stories in the world, the better we are for it. But her memoir fell flat, and was wildly disappointing.
I came incredibly close to giving up on this halfway through, and now that I’ve finished it I think it wouldn’t have mattered if I had. I had a number of issues with the execution of this book, not to mention the fact that it’s labeled a memoir when it’s really a non-focused autobiography that meanders into other subjects. The writing was incredibly stiff, and the author’s tone throughout was off-putting. I didn’t know what to make of this.
There was no flow to this “memoir” told through choppy sections. Why did the author explain to us their use of initials instead of names within the text and not in a note before or after? Things like this made the book unenjoyable, and had me upping the speed on the audiobook just so I could get through it.
I’m glad Jefferson has told her story—the more stories in the world, the better we are for it. But her memoir fell flat, and was wildly disappointing.
jazzyjaz6's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
The narrative style of Negroland is perfect for those in interested in a wide range of genres and writing mediums. Jefferson's memoir is raw and real and the fluidity of the styles within the book is the only way to accurately capture her life.
khartke's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
saranies's review against another edition
4.0
Continuing reading non-fiction books in 2017. This memoir was very well written and very intersectional. The author didn't just present a memory of growing up a well off Black woman in the 50s and 60s, but provided a lot of context for her entire world.
merthelibrarian's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
newdayvow's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting material-I liked the section on the author's childhood, but the format of the book overall felt jarringly disjointed which made it hard to follow sometimes.
amlibera's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating cultural history/memoir of race and class in the late 20th century - I particularly enjoyed her stories of growing up and going to the U of C lab school. Some of the latter parts of the book get a bit oblique and I missed the straightforward storytelling of the earlier sections.
gioia1's review against another edition
medium-paced
2.0
was really looking forward to this book, but felt like the author didn’t know she was writing a memoir and instead wanted to write a history book without having to do all the research. i read a memoir to feel closer to the author but i have no idea who margo is. hate giving a memoir a bad rating because experience is subjective, but rlly don’t even think this should be considered a memoir. v muddled and hard to follow to boot
heidihaverkamp's review against another edition
5.0
Jefferson taught me things about growing up "black aristocracy" in Hyde Park (also Park Manor and Bronzeville) that, as a white Hyde Park native, I needed and wanted to know. She went to the Lab School as one of very few black students in the 50s and 60s. Her careful, poignant storytelling about the strain of feeling she must be twice as good as white students, she must be perfect in all things, she must know everything about black history and Shakespeare and caring for her hair made me exhausted just reading about it. Her accounts of young black suicides in her teenage years broke my heart.