RaveThe Christian Science Monitor... a perfectly quilted work of American history framed by the stories of Black Americans in Texas. Through a mix of memoir, analysis, and seldom-shared stories, historian and Harvard law professor Annette Gordon-Reed stitches a clear image of the economic and political reality of slavery in the Lone Star State ... I thought I knew about Juneteenth until I read her latest book, which provides important historical context. So many contemporary celebrations of Juneteenth offer no real connection to the holiday’s roots. Gordon-Reed not only bridges that gap but adds a sense of urgency as she dives deeply into her own life – the story of a Black girl growing up in Texas ... functions as a clear portrait of the diversity and centuries-old history of Texas, which would have been powerful enough on its own. But the addition of her own narrative brings the text to life ... Gordon-Reed is a master researcher and a magnificent storyteller, and she avoids the use of heavy historical terminology. By sharing her experiences and those of her family, she shows the cost exacted by unjust systems. Yet she clearly feels a deep love for her home state. Her personal experience – that of a Black woman who loves Texas in spite of its checkered past – is the perfect gateway into this complex narrative.
Sadeqa Johnson
RaveThe Christian Science MonitorJohnson paints a world of rich details of the antebellum South ... Johnson’s portrayal of privilege and a class system among slaves is particularly striking ... doesn’t sugarcoat the realities of slavery. There is no romanticization of the relationship between enslaved persons and their owners, though that trope has been perpetuated in many novels ... Instead, Yellow Wife is unflinching in its descriptions of the violence, inhumanity, and family separations that Black women living in slavery faced, as well as the choices they made to keep their children alive ... Johnson has no interest in softening the story to make it more palatable. As Americans continue to deal with issues of race today, Yellow Wife is the perfect book to help the country see, in part, how it got here.
Lesley M. M. Blume
RaveThe Christian Science MonitorAs a history lover, I find that Fallout gives powerful insights into the way that a government can weave a story to justify the actions it takes, and also into the fearless reporting about what really happened in Hiroshima. Blume’s tireless reporting gives important context to an understudied slice of U.S. history.
