Rating: 4 / 5
I received a complimentary audiobook copy of THE TONI MORRISON BOOK CLUB by Juda Bennett, Winnifred Brown-Glaude, Casssandra Jackson, Piper and Kendrix Williams for an honest review. Thank you to Libro FM, Dreamscape Media and the authors for the chance to read and review!
I needed a book about a book club and I’m a huge fan of Toni Morrison, so when I saw the ALC on offer for THE TONI MORRISON BOOK CLUB, it was an immediate download for me. Though this came out earlier this year, I didn’t know too much about it, but the title had me intrigued. Written by a group of four diverse authors, black and white, gay and straight, American and immigrant, who all share a tremendous love of Toni Morrison.
Through this book they each contribute essays looking at a few of Toni Morrison’s novels and how it sheds light on their own lives and the present day world. Interspersed with these are glimpses of how their book club came to write this novel, some of the battles that went into choosing who would get to write about which books and the pain of leaving some of Morrison’s much loved books out. Their stories touch on identity, motherhood, mental health, immigration and more.
I really enjoyed reading this book and the stories each of the authors had to share. The audiobook was fantastic, using a cast of narrators to give each of the authors a unique voice which I loved. Each chapter does a deep dive into the novels looking at themes and character development. This in turn was tied to modern day issues and real world implications.
Having recently read Toni Morrison’s BELOVED, the narrative focusing on that heartbreaking narrative were particularly meaningful. The discussion touched on some of the same things we discussed as part of the #classicsbuddyread chat on BELOVED. While knowing the novels being discussed gave me a better connection to what was being discussed, the authors did a good job of explaining enough of the story that their point would come through without having read Morrison’s works. If you are planning to read Morrison’s works, I would caution that there will be some spoilers in the discussions here.
I really am glad that I had the opportunity to give THE TONI MORRISON BOOK CLUB a listen. Part literary discourse, part memoir and part social commentary, I think this is a book that would speak to many!
Reading challenges:
#PopsugarReadingChallenge – a book about a book club
DG Reads 