2018 Mississippi Book Festival: Miss Titta Nurse Chloe by Regena Hoye

Regena Hoye

Last year, I attended the Mississippi Book Festival for the first time. I met the author, Regena Hoye, who wrote the book, Miss Titta Nurse Chloe.  Ms. Hoye was extremely nice and shared her book with me. I didn't get to stay long because of the heat, and having to pick up my children from the library. However, Ms. Hoye was the highlight.

Here is the excerpt from her book:

Miss Titta is a southern mystery. Miss Titta, a widow, is a graceful woman, of medium height and caramel skin, with brown eyes that wisely appraised. In the 1950’s, she applied her hands on the southern community of Lena that had faith in, and depended on her healing powers. Miss Titta is the midwife, the healer, and the comforter and a mentor to thirteen-year-old Chloe Harris. The southern country town’s daily life was familiar, but among the familiar came the unexpected.When Chloe’s father is involved in a terrible accident while on the job at the turpentine plant and all the plant workers find themselves being dangerously compromised, Miss Titta intervenes to seek justice.Then another cruel tragedy happens to Chloe’s family that caused Miss Titta to risk her life to investigate the cause and to bring justice so that the perpetrator of the horrific crime is punished.
Will you join Miss Titta as she risk her life for justice and to expose the truth?

I would highly recommend that you check out her book. Her book is truly a "southern gem." Learn more about Regena Hoye on her website.

Quote of the Day - Nikki Giovanni

Mistakes are a fact of life. It is the response to the error that counts.  

-Nikki Giovanni

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Book Review: The Future Has A Past by J. California Cooper

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Book Title: The Future Has A Past
Book Author: J. California Cooper
Format: Paperback
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Source: Public Library

My first exposure to J. California Cooper was in 2011. Life at this time for me seemed plagued with misfortune and sadness. Nothing appeared to be going right. I was going through a horrible divorce. At this time, reading was my best escape. I read about as much then as I did as a child.

I transferred to Wingfield High School for the Spring Semester. One day, my duty assigned included an extended period in the library. I decided to grab a random book off the shelf. I chose the book, A Piece of Mine, by J. California Cooper. Before getting the book off the shelf, J. California Cooper's work was unfamiliar to me. I am so glad that I was exposed to her then. I have read quite a few of her books and just can't put them down. Her storytelling skills demonstrated in. her books leave you feeling like your grandmother just gave you a wealth of knowledge that you need to store for later.

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Recently, things have been kind of difficult for me, and I felt that I needed a J. California Cooper book to make me feel better. So, I made a special trip to the library to find a book that I haven't read by J. California Cooper. My library did not have any of her books, and I was so disappointed. However, I requested two books from other libraries in the county system.  

When I received my notice, I raced to the library to get my book. The librarian informed me that the books were not on the shelf. I am working on being patient and not easily irritated, but I couldn't help it. I needed these books. I needed to feel better. I wanted the books. She only found one of the books in the back. Was someone trying to save my books for a friend? These books are not popular books, but still, I was surprised. So that day, I only walked away with The Future Has a Past. I had to wait for the other one to arrive. 

I often do not like reading short stories because sometimes I become so engulfed in a story that I am filled with disappointment when it stops, usually before I am ready for it to finish. Yet, J. Califonia Cooper's short stories are well worth the read. The Future Has a Past is a collection of four short stories that illuminate how true love can happen when you least expect it and no matter what you have experienced in your past.

"You got to watch life, cause it's moving all the time, every minute!"

The first story, The Shooting Star, is full of the reality that if children aren't given love as a child, they spend their adult life searching and suffering for that same love. Lorene's life and its quick demise remind you of how people can recognize your weaknesses and prey on you.

"Learn a little about what love is."

A Filet of Soul is the second short story in The Future Has a Past. Luella's gullibility to Silki is probably a familiar story to some many women. Everyone else could see Silki as the crook he was, but Luella's inexperience and desire to feel important and loved by someone blinded her from the truth. Even though she paid tremendously, there was a ram in the bush for her. Silki's departure was the best thing to happen to Luella. She would have never met Sidney.

"She just working herself to death for them useless grown kids of hers."

The story, The Eagle Flies, is about Vinnie. She is a single mother, who has spent her entire life being overworked to support her children. Even though her children are adults and living their own lives, Vinnie continues to sacrifice her needs and to overwork herself. Her blind desire to support her adult children conceals how much her children are taking advantage of her.

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"We have a whole life apart from you and you didn't think enough of use to look and see it."

The final story, The Lost and Found, is about Irene. She is a single mother of two boys. The surprising ending tickled my soul. Witnessing the demise of a womanizing arrogant man at the hands of the only woman, who truly loved him, gave me great pleasure. I won't give away the details, but I would recommend that you read it to see how this story unfolds.

I must say this book gave me just what I needed. When I finished it, I could not help but be pleased. I smiled and held it closely, while silently thanking her for sharing her talents with us. I am grateful.

The wisdom etched within the lines of this text will make you want to write it down, agree with it, tweet it, and appreciate it. J. California Cooper's books appeal to every type of reader, especially one who enjoys a good story. I wished that I would have gotten to meet her or even the chance to listen to her.  Check out the YouTube video above to see who J. California Cooper was.

Top 3 Books When You Are Looking for Love

Finding love seems to be a growing theme in people’s lives. The options to find love range from speed dating events to dating apps. I vehemently believe that these three books can provide you some insight into your quest for love. 

Anna Karenina was chosen because of the themes of love, faith, infidelity, and marriage. A true classic, Anna Karenina, embodies the reality of relationships and love. Even though the novel is somewhat a tragic love story because of the unlikely transgressions of Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky, many life lessons can be learned and applied. 

An American Marriage challenges the beliefs surrounding the institution of marriage and relationships Roy and Celestial’s marriage is tested when Roy is falsely accused and convicted of rape. Since Roy and Celestial are newly wedded when the event happens, the reality if how hard marriage can be when challenges occur is illustrated in this novel. The novel makes you question your ideology of marriage and love. 

Me Before You proves that love can quietly creep up on you in the most unlikely and uncomfortable situations. In Me Before You, Louisa Clark’s life becomes transformed when she takes a job as a caregiver for Will, who uses a wheelchair to move around. The ending surely surprised me, but the journey was well worth it. This book is the first in a series of three. I've read them all and enjoyed each one. 

Book Review: In the Heart of Texas by Ginger McKnight-Chavers

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Book Title: In The Heart of Texas
Author: Ginger McKnight-Chavers
Format: Paperback
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

In the Heart of Texas is a story about an actress, Jo Randolph, and her unexpected transition to her hometown, Midland Texas.  Having a desire to be an actress since her childhood, Jo achieves her dream, but she has to pay a cost.

This book was quite entertaining.  Striving to be more than a desperate actress, Jo became entangled in a unique love affair that ultimately costs her a coveted job and a familiar life. Ultimately, as Jo's life falls apart, she partakes in a journey of self-discovery, which transforms her life right before her eyes.

Once Jo's love affair explodes into a media circus, she quickly retreats to her hometown, Midland, Texas.  Having promised herself that she would not return to her hometown, she quickly experiences a culture shock.  Adjusting to the slow pace of Midland, Texas from Hollywood is a very interesting transition for Jo.

While home, Jo is hired as a drama teacher at her former high school.  Being a teacher in Midland was something that Jo never dreamed possible, but after the media circus, it was very necessary for her to survive.  Ironically, Jo reconnects with a former classmate, but her attempt at reconnection was a complete wreck. Returning to Midland, Texas forces Jo to embrace her humble beginnings and start a new chapter filled with renewed hope.

Through Jo's mid-life crisis, the reader is exposed to Jo's often convoluted attitudes and beliefs about her life.  The unexpected events in Jo's life catapult her to appreciate what she has in her life rather than what is missing. Resilience is a theme throughout the text that is significantly illustrated as Jo pushes forward and embraces her new future.




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Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Carl Van Vechten [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

My oldest son is finished his first, freshman semester of his advanced English course with an exam on Their Eyes Were Watching God, which was written by Zora Neale Hurston, who is one of my favorite authors. When he informed me that he needed the book, I became excited and disappointed.  I was excited because he would be experiencing real literary talent from the Harlem Renaissance. I was disappointed because even though I own numerous copies of this book, all of them are packed away deep in my storage unit.  ( I really miss seeing my books.)

Hearing my son say that he enjoyed reading Their Eyes Were Watching God, I felt all warm and fuzzy inside. I appreciated how my son was able to recognize the work of a writer, who had inspired authors like Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison.

Due to traveling for my job and dealing with family emergencies, I have been unable to engage in "book talk" with my son about Their Eyes Were Watching God. I am hoping that during the holiday break, I am able to engage him in literary conversation about his analysis of the text.  I want to compare my analysis of the book with his and just chat about it.  Engaging in in-depth discussion about various literary texts is something that I miss since I no longer teach English.

I must say that my son was never tempted to watch the movie version of the book.  I even mentioned it once to him, and he did not take the bait.  I was so proud of him. He wanted to read the book, and he finished it without being entangled in the web of comparing the book to the movie.  So many students fall deep into this trap. He did not. He wanted to devour the text, and knowing this fact makes me very proud.

My children know that my love for reading is very serious.  Give me a book, as a  gift, and I am overjoyed.  Take me to a bookstore and allow me to sit undisturbed for hours, I am forever grateful.  However, when my children share my love for a book(s), like my son did for Their Eyes Were Watching God, "my cup runneth over."

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My love for books was instilled in me by my mother and father. When we traveled, we always found a bookstore or a library.  Because of this habit, I do the same thing when I travel.  My parents always read.  They read to us. They taught us how to read. They read in front of us.  To this day, I love seeing my father fall asleep with a book in his hand.  He is always reading and always learning.  To be able to share my love of Zora Neale Hurston and Their Eyes Were Watching God with my oldest son is such a blessing. I am trying to savor each and every moment with him.  Before I know it, he will be in college, and he will be away from "my nest."

Have you read Their Eyes Were Watching God? Who do you share you love of reading with?

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Book Review: for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf

Book Title: for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf 
Author: Ntozake Shange
Format: Audiobook
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I checked this audiobook from my local public library.  I have been procrastinating on reading it because of the scene with the children being dangled out of the window.  I watched the movie first, and that image still resonates with me.  

However, since I have a two-hour commute one way, I felt that now would be a good time to be entranced by Shange, and I must say that I was.  I cannot believe how talented she is.  She entraps you inside almost every emotion and feeling that women encountered, as they journey through life.  Shange chooses the language within the text to articulate power, beauty, anger, happiness, and so much more.

I hate to admit that the stories of the seven women are very familiar.  Why? I have either experienced the incident or know of a woman or women, who have experienced it.  

Within this text, Shange captures what it means to be a woman and what it means to be a woman of color.  Regardless of race, all women can relate to this text.  Incidences of infidelity or abuse are well known to women.  Shange's ability to capture the reality is amazing.  

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Audiobooks

Initially, I started with a subscription to Scribd. However, I did not like how I could not access the books after I read them.  If you haven't guessed it, I am a book hoarder, whether in paperback, hardback, or electronic form.  I checked out available audiobooks at my local library.  Also, I downloaded free audiobooks from LibriVox. Additionally, I decided to sign up for Audible.  Audible costs more than Scribd, but I own the books, and I can replay them, which is very important to me.  I love that I can download them to my iPod or in iTunes, or I play the audiobooks in the Audible app on my phone.  Since I have been commuting to work, I have devoured several audiobooks:

1. for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf
2. Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
3. Meditations
4. The Art of War 
5. The Science of Getting Rich
6. The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels
7. The Power of Now

Currently, I am listening to The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.  I am really enjoying how many books I have completed in less than 30 days.  I will review them as soon as I can, but for now, I will keep listening.  

Do you enjoy audiobooks?  What is your favorite audiobook? 

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Book Review: Keeping Secrets (The Essien Trilogy #1) by Kiru Taye

Book Title: Keeping Secrets (The Essien Trilogy, #1)
Author: Kiru Taye
Format: eBook
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars


I finished reading Keeping Secrets (The Essien Trilogy, #1) by Kiru Taye today.  At first, the story unfolded rather slowly, but I enjoyed the unsuspecting twists and turns throughout the plot, which is full of drama and suspense.  Taye makes you feel intertwined with the characters' feelings and emotions.   I think that I will finish the other books in The Essien Trilogy.


Based on the theme of arranged marriage, this book follows the love story of Ebony and Felix, who happens to be a wealthy financial businessman.  Trying to appease the board members of his organization, Felix agrees to get married and determines that Ebony is a perfect fit. Even though their marriage is only paper, but the relationship quickly transitions to something else, almost beyond their control.

Many life lessons can be taken away from the first book in the trilogy.  If you want your relationship to last, forgiveness is critical.  True love can withstand betrayal, heartaches, and loss.  Secrets are unhealthy for marriage.

I would recommend this book for adults, who are fans of good romance.  Be warned that there are adult scenes, but Taye explains them in a tasteful manner.

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Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Guest Post: Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

Song of Solomon - Toni Morrison
By Mtutuzeli Nyoka
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison is a song for the ages. This is the first Toni Morrison book that I discovered, and for over two decades I have repeatedly gone back to it. It has cast a magical spell on me since, and has been my best introduction to modern works of literature. Its narrative never ceases to invigorate and enthrall.
The language is rich, apt, deliberate, uninhibited, and beguiling. The novel is a reflection on family, community and nationhood. It is about the torment of dispossession, power without bounds, and the ugly face of bigotry. It is also about survival, about human resilience and the indestructible quest for identity. The narrative is carefully crafted and wonderfully lyrical-a song with almost no equal.
We journey with the story's main protagonist, Macon (Milkman) Dead Jr, from birth, through the vacuous, stultifying, and even lurid terrain of his adolescent life. We finally witness his life-and-death encounter with a world, a repellant landscape, which sought to drown him when he desired was to find purpose to his life. His history, his metamorphosis and his flight are the foundations of the song.
Milkman is the son of Macon Dead Sr,-a rapacious, irascible, but successful entrepreneur. The father suffocates and poisons his family, and his son, with his rage, his contempt, and his disappointments. His tormented spirit becomes the swamp in which the Dead family daily wades in. His success is no balm to his bitterness. His wife, Ruth (Forster) Dead, the main object of his outrage is reduced to a pathetic creature that exists only in the shadows-daily reproached, maligned, despised, and humiliated by the husband that she loves.
His daughters' Magdalena Dead and First Corinthians Dead shrivel from the isolation that their closeted life bestows upon them. Their father's wealth, stained with his scorn and pomposity, begets them a life of loneliness and disappointment. Their friends are scared even to touch their silk stockings and expensive dresses. Like their mother, Ruth, their souls are emptied of all emotion-rendering them incapable of loving or being loved. They are frustrated and querulous spinsters whose fury for their father rages like a flooded river.
Their contempt for their selfish brother, Milkman, is irrepressible. 'You've have been laughing at us all your life, Corinthians. Mama. Me. Using us, ordering us, and judging us: How we cook your food; how we keep your house... Who are you to approve or disapprove anybody or anything?... When you wanted to play we entertained you, and when you got grown enough to know the difference between a woman and a tow-toned Ford, everything in this house stopped for you.'
The world that Toni Morrison describes is grim. In Dante's Inferno the gates of Hell are flung open, and in Song of Solomon the reader is immersed in a world that has a disturbing odour of slavery, with depravity hovering menacingly in the background. It is a pernicious domain that produced men and women whose souls were deformed by loss and suffering.
Milkman Dead's narcissism is juxtaposed to the nihilism of his friend Guitar. Guitar responds to the mayhem around him with rage. Throughout the book he sizzles, like a piece of bacon burning in its own fat. It is with violence that he tries to reclaim his own freedom. Guitar possesses all the destructive sentiments that an organically dysfunctional society imposes on its denizens. However, Milkman, in order to go beyond his father's drive for more wealth embarks on an odyssey to his ancestral home of Shalimar. It is the discovery of these roots that finally leads him to discover his inner self.
Professor Morrison once again raises the bar very high with this novel. The reader is enchanted by the story's characters, and is besotted even with the minor ones. There are long passages of dialogue in the vernacular unique to the epoch and people she describes, and it is mostly written with simple and yet jarring language. This book is a portrait of the world, a time which may be hidden but not forgotten, through her gaze-and that of her clan's.
Song of Solomon is a work of extra-ordinary beauty and integrity... a true masterpiece.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mtutuzeli_Nyoka/1284358
http://EzineArticles.com/?Song-of-Solomon---Toni-Morrison&id=9115313

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Book Review: Life is Short by J. California Cooper

When I started reading this book, I had no idea that I would finish it in one day.  Life is Short But Wide" by J. California Cooper is a complicated romance novel that leaves you wondering so much.

As I maneuvered through "Life is Short But Wide", I felt the pain that Cooper was describing.  The grief, the abuse, and the poison are all elements of the book that made me cringe.  Cooper forced me to question human nature.  How can someone be evil or selfish or uncaring?  What motivates someone to be full of spite?

In "Life is Short But Wide", Cooper tells a story that makes you crave true love.  She gives you hope that real love is possible.  I could relate to both Herman's desires, as well as Myine.  The ending of the text was everything I hoped it to be, but ironically, it made me appreciate the beginning even more.  I love stories that end on a happy note.

If I continue writing more, I will have to include spoilers.  However, I must say that J. California Cooper is a masterful storyteller, who did not disappoint me in "Life is Short But Wide."

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Book Review: Master Your Sleep by Dr. Tracey Marks

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If you experience sleeping problems, I would suggest that you read Master Your Sleep by Dr. Tracey Marks.  Not only does Master Your Sleep explains sleep and its importance in your life, but you discover proven strategies to improve your sleep.

Master Your Sleep provides suggestions on how to ensure that children are getting enough sleep. Interestingly enough, one important fact, which I did not know about sleep and sleeping patterns, was that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is directly linked to inadequate sleep in children. Since reading this book, I make a more conscious effort to calculate the number of hours of sleep that my children are getting. Master Your Sleep highlights how important it is to have a sleep routine.  An established sleep routine increases the likelihood of improving your ability to sleep.

Master Your Sleep is filled with valuable information.   When visiting Dr. Marks website, various printables are available  to improve your sleeping habits.  If you are having problems sleeping, I would highly recommend this book.

Have you considered your sleeping patterns? How many hours of sleep do you get a night? For me, I have started using my bullet journal to monitor the amount of sleep that I am getting each night.  I have also discovered apps on the iOS platform to monitor my sleep, as well.

When you finish reading Master Your Sleep, I would love to hear from you and how it helped improve your life.

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March Featured Writer: Addie Citchens Book - The Fire-Starter

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Knowing Addie, since my undergraduate years at Jackson State, I was so happy to read her first book. She is so talented. I recently finished the book, The Fire-Starter. This book is amazing. Every word stuck to me like glue. Stay tuned for my official review of the book. I cannot wait to read more of her books. 

Check out the Q&A session with Addie! Don't forget to purchase The Fire-Starter. Visit her website to learn more about her text. 

Questions and Answer Session

1. Give us some background, what did you do before writing this book?

Before writing this book, I lived a lot, observed people, asked questions, wrote 50 bad drafts, and read many books, sometimes over and over. I write because I’m nosy, and I love people and want to live their lives, too. That might sound crazy, though. I write because I want to understand.

2. What were the events that inspired the book?

I was watching a crime show on television where a girl was murdered and raped, and her murderer got like seven years. The prosecutors couldn’t “prove” rape, so he ended up getting off on some version of manslaughter. I was incensed and very, very sad. I began to wonder what a black girl’s life was worth to the justice system and to the community that made her. I didn’t like what I was seeing.

3. What was your favorite part of writing this book?

My favorite parts of writing are the ritual I create around it as well as the feeling that I have stepped into someone else’s world or alternate universe.

4. Do you anticipate a sequel? No

5. What was the most difficult part about writing this book?

Sometimes some of the scenes were a bit much to go through. I also edit over and over in a single section, and it can get irritating as well as ineffective.

6. What were some of your favorite books?

My favorite books are Their Eyes Were Watching God, Sula, The Color Purple, The Little House on the Prairie books, Night by Elie Wiesel, The Hunger Games, Song of Solomon—those are just the ones off the top of my head. It’s really too many to narrow.

7. Who is your favorite author? What were a few books that inspired your writing?

Photo Courtesy of Addie Citchens

My favorite author is Zora Neale Hurston. Her books inspired my writing because she did what I want to do. She chronicled blackness in a way that is soulful, gorgeous, appreciative, respectful, unflinching, authentic, and unforgettable.

Each month I will feature a new writer. Stay tuned to next month's featured writer. If you are interested in being featured, send me at email bkwrmdva@gmail.com!

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Book Review: A Lesson Before Dying By Ernest J. Gaines

"I was crying."

As I read the last sentence of A Lesson Before Dying, my heart ached for Jefferson, for Ms. Emma, for Reverend Ambrose, for the people in the quarter, for myself, for my children, for the world...

I started reading A Lesson Before Dying to determine if I would use it for my class this summer.  I knew that this was a popular book.  However, I decided not to research about the book and just began with the first page. The first line started...

I WAS NOT THERE, yet I was there.

Was Gaines predicting how I would feel once I read this book? I now know Gaines knew that I would feel this way.

Set in the 1940s, Gaines wrote about a common trend during this time.  A common trend of executing African Americans based on association and based on being at the wrong place at the wrong time.  Similar to the story of George Stinney, Jr, Gaines followed Jefferson's life from the moment it took a drastic turn until the sealing of his demise.

Gaines ability to place you in the novel transformed my desire to just read and finish the book into a defined desire to understand the numerous lessons entangled within the words written on each page.

I zoned in immediately to figure out the significance of title.  Why is the book named A Lesson Before Dying? My first assumption was the lesson that the Professor was assigned to teach Jefferson. Yet, I soon discovered that Jefferson's lesson was not the only one.  So many lessons can be taken from this book.

Furthermore, this book forced me to start to think of my role as an English instructor.  What lessons do I want my students to gain beyond "reading, writing, and 'arithmetic," and what lessons do I need to gain from my students?

I am left wondering exactly what happened in the quarter after the major event took place.   Even though this book is fictional, the unfolding of the novel seemed so real.

I definitely will be reading this book with my students this summer. I hope you add this book to your "To Be Read" pile. This book is definitely an amazing and riveting PIECE OF WORK.

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