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judithdcollins's review against another edition
4.0
BLACK HISTORY MONTH PICK.
CAROLINA BUILT is beautifully rendered and inspiring!
Author Kianna Alexander (romance writer) crosses over to the historical genre with an inspiring story based on the life of Josephine N. Leary, born into slavery and later built a real estate empire in North Carolina.
Being an NC native, I found this bit of untold history very interesting and had not heard of it previously. I appreciate this author's meticulous research into Mrs. Leary's history.
Born in 1856, Josephine was born into slavery. Following the Civil War, she was freed when she was 9 years old.
From the 1870s in Williamston, NC, she was a quick learner, a reader, and ambitious when Josephine was a child. After moving from the plantation where she was from. Her father was white, which was their former master, Colonel Lamb. Her mother, grandmother, and brother lived in a small cabin.
Set in Edenton, NC, after moving from the plantation Josephine was ready to settle down and live her dream. She worked in a barbershop as a teen, where she met her future husband, "Sweety" Leary. In 1873 Josephine Williams married Sweety Archer Leary; both worked as barbers.
She wound up later buying the building with money from her father as a wedding gift. In 1881 Mrs. Leary, skillfully maneuvering the real estate market purchased six properties in the "Cheapside" district.
In the novel, Sweety is supportive at first, but they get jealous of an ambitious woman like most men. Plus, often times the community did not respect her being a woman and of color. However, she preserves, becomes a mother of two daughters, and teaches them the importance of reading, education, and independence.
There were many challenges in a man's world during this era, but Josephine was set on investing in real estate. She became successful and ran several businesses while raising her family while overcoming many challenges being a woman of color in a man's world.
As we advance to the Epilogue, March 1894 in Edenton, NC, she has a new building, the J. N. Leary Building, with several tenants. The author includes photos of the historical site and other images and an extensive bibliography.
In 1893, a fire destroyed the east side of Broad St; everything from King to Water St is lost. Mrs. Leary's investment is a pile of ashes. In 1894 Mrs. Leary had a big decision to sell land or rebuild? Optimistically chooses to build her signature building.
Most of the time, back in the 1970s in NC, they would not even allow a woman of childbearing years to sign on a mortgage and would not count her income. So I appreciate this tenacious, courageous, and determined woman making history.
On a side note:
A highly recommended read for black history month and honoring the courageous life of Josephine Napoleon Leary. A special thank you to the author for the re-imagining and retelling of an essential biographical fiction of this admirable and passionate woman. I think she would be proud. #CoverCrush
Many thanks to #NetGalley and #GalleryBooks for an advanced reading copy.
Blog Posted at:
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Feb 22, 2022
CAROLINA BUILT is beautifully rendered and inspiring!
Author Kianna Alexander (romance writer) crosses over to the historical genre with an inspiring story based on the life of Josephine N. Leary, born into slavery and later built a real estate empire in North Carolina.
Being an NC native, I found this bit of untold history very interesting and had not heard of it previously. I appreciate this author's meticulous research into Mrs. Leary's history.
Born in 1856, Josephine was born into slavery. Following the Civil War, she was freed when she was 9 years old.
From the 1870s in Williamston, NC, she was a quick learner, a reader, and ambitious when Josephine was a child. After moving from the plantation where she was from. Her father was white, which was their former master, Colonel Lamb. Her mother, grandmother, and brother lived in a small cabin.
Set in Edenton, NC, after moving from the plantation Josephine was ready to settle down and live her dream. She worked in a barbershop as a teen, where she met her future husband, "Sweety" Leary. In 1873 Josephine Williams married Sweety Archer Leary; both worked as barbers.
She wound up later buying the building with money from her father as a wedding gift. In 1881 Mrs. Leary, skillfully maneuvering the real estate market purchased six properties in the "Cheapside" district.
In the novel, Sweety is supportive at first, but they get jealous of an ambitious woman like most men. Plus, often times the community did not respect her being a woman and of color. However, she preserves, becomes a mother of two daughters, and teaches them the importance of reading, education, and independence.
There were many challenges in a man's world during this era, but Josephine was set on investing in real estate. She became successful and ran several businesses while raising her family while overcoming many challenges being a woman of color in a man's world.
As we advance to the Epilogue, March 1894 in Edenton, NC, she has a new building, the J. N. Leary Building, with several tenants. The author includes photos of the historical site and other images and an extensive bibliography.
In 1893, a fire destroyed the east side of Broad St; everything from King to Water St is lost. Mrs. Leary's investment is a pile of ashes. In 1894 Mrs. Leary had a big decision to sell land or rebuild? Optimistically chooses to build her signature building.
Most of the time, back in the 1970s in NC, they would not even allow a woman of childbearing years to sign on a mortgage and would not count her income. So I appreciate this tenacious, courageous, and determined woman making history.
On a side note:
After reading, of course, I went "googling" and was sad to learn in late 1893, the fire that destroyed the entire section known as "Cheapside," a 17th Century London name describing an area of shops—Nothing was insured. Her buildings were gone, but she had the land. You can read more about it here: Historical Marker Data Base (view the building, photos, notations, and her name after rebuilding in 1894).
For a woman born into slavery to reach her status is incredible. Unfortunately, her life of success and admiration became one of despair as she was fighting cancer. She borrows against her investments to cover medical bills. Her holdings dwindled while she fought cancer for 8 years, dying at 67.
In 1823 she died from stomach cancer while still owning 133 E. Church St, 102 S. Broad St, and 317 S. Broad St properties. All mired in a tangle of debt supporting her medical expenses.
Mrs. Leary bought her first property when she was 17 years old for $550.00! I can appreciate this since I was age 18, living in NC when I purchased my first property for $14,500 plus the cost of land. I cannot imagine living in the 1800s and doing so.
A highly recommended read for black history month and honoring the courageous life of Josephine Napoleon Leary. A special thank you to the author for the re-imagining and retelling of an essential biographical fiction of this admirable and passionate woman. I think she would be proud. #CoverCrush
Many thanks to #NetGalley and #GalleryBooks for an advanced reading copy.
Blog Posted at:
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Feb 22, 2022
celia25's review
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
This book charts the life and rise of real estate magnate Josephine Leary, it was very well written and very informative.
The book is written in a prose style more akin to a fiction book than a non-fiction.
The book is written in a prose style more akin to a fiction book than a non-fiction.
mmc6661's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up Carolina Built 1st for the beautiful cover and 2nd for it being historical fiction in my home state of North Carolina. Once I read the author's preface I knew I had to read it. Kianna Alexander is also a native Carolinian and she tells of taking a required in depth state history class in the 8th grade. One that covered from the first colonies to the 2oth century. She had never heard of Mrs. Leary till a social media tweet much later. I being an avid reader of historical fiction in school had never heard of her or of so many other African Americans that make up our history in NC.
In the 1870's any woman becoming a real estate magnate on her own would be quite an achievement. Josephine Napoleon Leary was born into slavery was emancipated, married and moved from the Williamsburg plantation to Edenton NC where she and her husband started a very popular barber shop and tonics. She did not stop there. Her two daughters were the 1st in her family to be born free and Josephine made sure they both attended college. Her husband Tweety knew from the start that she was headstrong and determined to build a future for her daughters. He never dreamed of what she could and would achieve all on her own though and often resented it. She never waivered a minute with her goals. Josephine Leary became a very important business woman in Edenton NC buying and renting several properties. You can see the beautiful J.N. Leary Building today still. This building was her true accomplishment to herself but to other's I'd say she left a legacy of pride and achievement for all woman of independence.
This is a novelization of the marriage of the Leary's and Josephine's climb to success. I totally enjoyed every page and the author did her research although there is very little written. I hope to read more about the awesome Mrs. Leary in future history books.
In the 1870's any woman becoming a real estate magnate on her own would be quite an achievement. Josephine Napoleon Leary was born into slavery was emancipated, married and moved from the Williamsburg plantation to Edenton NC where she and her husband started a very popular barber shop and tonics. She did not stop there. Her two daughters were the 1st in her family to be born free and Josephine made sure they both attended college. Her husband Tweety knew from the start that she was headstrong and determined to build a future for her daughters. He never dreamed of what she could and would achieve all on her own though and often resented it. She never waivered a minute with her goals. Josephine Leary became a very important business woman in Edenton NC buying and renting several properties. You can see the beautiful J.N. Leary Building today still. This building was her true accomplishment to herself but to other's I'd say she left a legacy of pride and achievement for all woman of independence.
This is a novelization of the marriage of the Leary's and Josephine's climb to success. I totally enjoyed every page and the author did her research although there is very little written. I hope to read more about the awesome Mrs. Leary in future history books.
ali27's review against another edition
3.0
Dialogue and themes seem out of step with the otherwise historical fiction presented.
smalltownbookmom's review against another edition
4.0
I really, really enjoyed this historical fiction novel based on the real life of Josephine N. Leary ("Jo"), who became one of the first Black women real estate magnates post emancipation in North Carolina. This story was very much about family and pursuing one's dreams despite many obstacles.
Jo was both a wife and mother and devoted daughter and granddaughter. She had great street smarts and invested her money well, buying her own barbershop business and expanding to other real estate ventures. She was also very active in Black women's movements at the time, fighting both for women's rights and greater African American people's rights.
Highly recommended and great on audio! I so enjoy reading about strong women I never knew existed and the author did an amazing job drawing on historical papers to create a very compelling story of Josephine's life. In particular I really related to Jo's struggle to be both a good mother and a good businesswoman and how that often caused conflict and resentments in her marriage.
Jo was both a wife and mother and devoted daughter and granddaughter. She had great street smarts and invested her money well, buying her own barbershop business and expanding to other real estate ventures. She was also very active in Black women's movements at the time, fighting both for women's rights and greater African American people's rights.
Highly recommended and great on audio! I so enjoy reading about strong women I never knew existed and the author did an amazing job drawing on historical papers to create a very compelling story of Josephine's life. In particular I really related to Jo's struggle to be both a good mother and a good businesswoman and how that often caused conflict and resentments in her marriage.
schray32's review against another edition
3.0
I love that this is based on the true story of Josephine Leary but it seemed too perfect. I wish it was non fiction instead.
thea_d_brown's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. I was elated to learn that the main character was a real live businesswoman.
autumnous17's review against another edition
3.0
This one fell a little short for me. I had such high hopes for it going in. The premise is good, and I liked the beginning and the style of writing, but I struggled with the forced dialogue and the random scenes that didn’t seem to add much to the storyline.
The second half of the book was a tad boring, as well. I noticed the timeline began to hop quicker and it became harder to be invested in the characters. There was a lack of depth that could have been developed a bit more. Looking through the references, I got the feeling the author read through a bunch of articles and tossed them in, even if the event was super random and didn’t really fit.
I do see that a lot of time and research was done going into the book, and I appreciate being introduced to a woman I had never heard of before this, but with more character development, this could have been amazing. Due to the lack of it, this was a 3 star read for me.
The second half of the book was a tad boring, as well. I noticed the timeline began to hop quicker and it became harder to be invested in the characters. There was a lack of depth that could have been developed a bit more. Looking through the references, I got the feeling the author read through a bunch of articles and tossed them in, even if the event was super random and didn’t really fit.
I do see that a lot of time and research was done going into the book, and I appreciate being introduced to a woman I had never heard of before this, but with more character development, this could have been amazing. Due to the lack of it, this was a 3 star read for me.