Amelia

A heartbreaking beautiful book about black queerness, black male love and liberation and the trauma that has held black people black families hostage.

I loved “don’t cry for me” and i desperately wanted to hear Isaac’s perspective. This book gave us Isaac’s raw pain and loss. His evolution and acceptance of his “difference”. Beautiful book that is a must read for everyone! Especially black men.

“It was the achievement of his life that a man born into slavery raised a free man”. ❤️

A heart breaking book in letters from a black father to his estranged gay son. Jacob is dying of cancer and he is moved to write his story, his apology and explanation of why he was the kind of person/ father he was. While the letters examine all the trauma of violence, pain and subjugation his family has inherited and perpetuated, it was a relatively easy read. It examined the fact that a generation of black people were (may be still) unable to feel, and share desire, joy and love. Survival was the only thing they were allowed to feel which in turn starved their lives of fullness and love. This is just one part of the generational struggle and trauma that Jacob inherited and informed his parenting (and life). He was hateful, mean and violent toward his son Isaac especially bc he suspected Isaac was gay.

The letters examine his entire life, his understanding of “manhood”, love and even friendship. This book should be required reading!!!

I love a good dysfunctional family story and “Long after we are gone” delivered on that. A family (Jnr, Mance, CeeCee and Tokey)are tied together by the “kingdom” where generations of their family have owned. Along with the land, they’ve inherited pain, and desertion (their mother is not there and they have no idea where she is). So many vultures are circling them trying to get thier land in order to build luxury homes. Jnr is hiding himself (he’s gay), CeeCee has been embezzling money from her clients in NYC, Mance has been to jail 2 times already bc of his temper.. and Tokey is addicted to eating. All the siblings have to come together to honor their father’s last wish, and to save themselves.

Redemption comes in the form of the siblings forging their once tight bond, by being honest with themselves and each other.

Oof now this was a book that held me captive till the very last page. Semi- fictional account of a young 14year old who went missing and no one even noticed or tried to find her. Monday and Claudia are best friends. When Claudia gets back from summer vacation in GA with her grandmama, her bff Monday is gone! She never responded to her letters over the summer.. and when Claudia calls incessantly- the number is disconnected. This starts her investigation of her friends whereabouts. This book is heartbreaking and only shows what happens to little black girls. They disappear and no one bats an eye. There are many tough subjects in this book- poverty, child abuse, pregnancy loss…

A Night Shymalan esque plot twist at the end was wow! .. sadly it did nothing alleviate my broken heart. There’s no happy ending here. Just a dive into what it friendship, community and family mean, and what they look like in action.

An especially poignant thought provoking quote was- “Who’s really responsible for your well-being? Your family? Your community or the government”

I do have to say- All the sadness aside, Ms. Jackson gave a delightful tour of SE DC and its surroundings, it was an ode to Gogo music, chicken wings and mumbo sauce and all the things that make the DMV dear to a lot of people’s hearts