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

3.0

I enjoyed this, and more importantly, most of the group did. I think it really resonated with anyone who had a strong relationship with their mother, and/or took care of their mother during her end of life. (But was also a bit difficult for some, for the same reasons) I think it was a really good selection for Black History month, because it is a very typical, middle-class family, allowing the white people in the group to really see themselves in this family, and see their similarities. (Without glossing over issues of race and identity- those are still there; just giving them something easier to relate to). My only star subtraction is because it got a bit wordy, and sometimes went on too long in parts. Don't get me wrong, I still liked some of the descriptive, wordy parts, for the fact that they were beautifully written (definitely a poet!); but other parts just felt... like they could have been edited down or left out.