Day 27 – Favorite Line/Paragraph:
As you know Another Country was one of my favorite books that I read last year. It was such a revelation to me – from the writing style to the complex characters and to all the societal themes that are still relevant today.
There were so many great lines from this book I had difficulty choosing. I went with the scene on page 279 where Ida is trying tell Cass how it really is for black people. Of course Cass thinks things are always exaggerated. “Kept you here, and stunted you and starved you, and made you watch your mother and father and sister and lover and brother and son and daughter die or go mad or go under, before your very eyes? And not in a hurry, like from one day to the next, but, every day, every day, for years, for generations? Shit. They keep you here because you’re black, while they go around jerking themselves off with all that jazz about the land of the free and the home of the brave. And they want you to jerk yourself off with that same music, too, only, keep your distance. Some days, honey, I wish I could turn myself into one big fist and grind this miserable country to powder. Some days, I don’t believe it has a right to exist. Now, you’ve never felt like that, and Vivaldo’s never felt like that…..if he hadn’t been born black.” (Another Country, p. 279 Penguin Modern Classics Edition) If you want to know more about what I thought click here.
What’s your favorite line/paragraph?
Good one! The book just went on my list.
Baldwin is God.
I just think I might have to add this book to my list. Love the cover on your edition. Thanks for all the effort to make the Youtube black history scheduling, instagram hashtag and of course your amazing blog posts throughout this month. I walk away, happy to have new books on my TBR, more black people that I have subscribed to on YouTube and hopefully new friends. Sending blessings your way and happy I found you on YouTube. Have a great day!
Belinda
Thank you Belinda for being so supportive and faithful to the challenge. I’m glad it went well and I’m sorry that it is ending. However #ReadSoulLit365 is what I’ll continue to post. Hearing people on Booktube say they need recs for black writers is one of the reasons that encouraged me to do this. Now there’s no excuse.It’s really been a pleasure and I hope that black writers will have a more central seat on Booktube and on WordPress. That’s probably wishful thinking but I’m going to contribute to that. Blessings to you and have a great weekend! 😀
Such a good choice. I loved this part of the book where Ida was so passionate and forceful with her words. I’m so glad to have discovered Baldwin through Elli and through you, because not only has he become basically my favourite author because of his beautiful wonderful writing, but also he’s taught me so much. I feel like every time I read one of his books, or essays, or short stories, I’m learning more and more. Which can only be good, I think.
I can see why you had difficulty in picking a favourite line though. This entire book is wonderful! I’m sure if I had my copy to hand and tried to pick a favourite quote I would fail most spectacularly.
Yes it took me a while. I have thus entire book marked up. Can’t wait to reread it, but also to continue on the Baldwin discovery….