RaveLos Angeles Review of BooksWard’s essays frequently leave us gasping—amazed, ashamed. Not only does the author bear witness, but she also simultaneously seeks to move to a position of what she terms \'respair,\' by which she means renewed hope in the face of despair. While our society has not yet come to grips with the evils of slavery and ongoing racism, Ward nevertheless finds moments of human connection ... Ward, finally, believes in love. Her own life, as these essays demonstrate, is testimony to those who have loved her, and though anger courses through her words, she ultimately writes out of love. Despite everything, she still believes.
