- Audio CD
- Publisher: Hachette Audio (Jan 3 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1594835462
- ISBN-13: 978-1594835469
- Product Dimensions: 14.7 x 13.2 x 2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 113 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Blending historical fact and fictional narrative, Tademy portrays an endearing generational family saga of her ancestors as they embraced the potential freedoms afforded by Reconstruction and struggled through the backlash of white supremacy in Colfax, La. Despite losing their rights, property and lives, the Tademy family perseveres, carrying a legacy of strength, determination and prosperity to each new generation. Gammy Singer introduces listeners to the story in the brittle yet wise and aged voice of the oldest surviving matriarch, Polly, who witnessed four generations of Tademys from 1873 to 1937. Tim Cain provides the crux of the performance embodying the dynamic members of this family and delivering the narrative in a solemn and deep tone that grips its audience. He remains consistent and distinct with his vocal characterizations while also allowing for some similarity among family members. Inspiring musical interludes announce the end of a CD or the transition of time within the story. Though the abridgment feels evident, listeners don't necessarily feel shortchanged by the production. The author's note read by Tademy at the end also resolves certain questions listeners might have about the story's validity.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Tademy, author of the highly acclaimed Cane River (2001), revisits her fascinating family history in this fictionalized account of the family's survival of a riot in 1873. Colfax, Louisiana, was the site of a massacre of more than 100 black men by white supremacists determined that the voting rights of former slaves not be honored, keeping in place political officials who upheld the racial hierarchy of slavery even during Reconstruction. Tademy family legend credits Sam Tademy with reclaiming the closest phonetic pronunciation of his original African name following the Civil War, and passing it along in the family. Sam is a major figure in this recollection of the events leading up to the massacre and the struggle thereafter. Tademy draws on family legend, official documents, and newspaper accounts to chronicle the determination of the Tademys, the Smiths, and other black families to take a stand against rising racial brutality in the years following slavery. The Tademys were among the black families who sought to make a place for themselves in the town, buying land, opening a store, starting a school, braving continued attacks by racists, marrying, and continuing their family lines. Tademy brings drama and pathos to an epic account of her family history and a shameful account of our nation's history. Tademy is establishing herself as a compelling chronicler of the complex history of slavery and race in America. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
'This is not a story to go down easy,',
By J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Red River (Hardcover)
It is a story of inequality, of racially motivated violence and inequity. At the same time, it is a story of resilience, of faith, of courage, and of hope for a better future.Ms Tademy shows us history through the eyes of her family members. The events of Easter Sunday April 13 1873 in Colfax Louisiana, identified by some as 'the bloodiest single act of carnage in all of Reconstruction' saw 153 people lose their lives. The first part of the novel leads us up to these events. The second part deals with life beyond and of the continuing struggle to establish a 'coloured school', and the battles of people to reconcile the idealism of equality with the reality of survival. For some this is reinforced by the strong belief in the power of the 'written word to help you flesh out those things you know and those you don't'. I do not know much about this period of American history, and I will be attempting to redress this. This is a story worth reading and I recommend it highly. I suspect that this will be one of my outstanding reads for 2007. Jennifer Cameron-Smith
1.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing like the author's "Cane River",
By The Mad Hatter "Seagull Books" (Prince Edward Island, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Red River (Hardcover)
I became completely absorbed in the author's previous four generation family saga, "Cane River" and was hoping for the same dramatic reading from this book. Alas, I was greatly disappointed. While Cane River centred on family life, this one focused primarily on civil unrest, battles and endless fighting, particularly during the first half of the book.The book lacked a plot of any great nature. Character development was poor, if it existed at all, and the reader did not really have the opportunity to know any of the primary characters well enough to take an interest. The book seemed to lack purpose and made for a very long, drawn-out, extremely dry, boring read.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Red River Letdown,
By longdogmom (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Red River (Paperback)
Lalita Tademy's first book, Cane River, was one of my all time favourite reads. I was expecting the same character development and flowing story line. I was disappointed. The first third of the book is spent waiting for the battle to begin, supplemented with some thin character background.I want to be invested in the key players but somehow I just can't be. The transition from generation to generation is choppy at best. It isn't bad...it just isn't great. Maybe a third book can recreate the magic of Cane River but Red River sinks to the bottom for me.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
