A review by jaclynday
Ordinary Light: A Memoir by Tracy K. Smith

3.0

A deceptively quiet book, Ordinary Light becomes more potent the longer you sit with it. Smith is a lyrical, descriptive writer, and her exploration of her relationship with her mother is the best part of this memoir. From the sad events of the opening prologue, to her musings about what her mother might have been like while she was away from her children, there is a lot to dive into here. Faith played a large role in Smith’s upbringing and it’s interesting to read about how she moved away from it and then slowly back to certain elements, looking for a kind of nostalgic peace. That’s something that many people will relate to, I think.