Toni Morrison
“Jazz” is a book I have just finished reading written by Toni Morrison, one of my favorite authors.
I love Toni Morrison. She is one of my favorite authors. Her lyrical style is pure poetry and her characters are so well portrayed you feel you know them personally. I have just finished her book “Jazz” I think it’s one of her best. How the woman can keep such an interesting plot going for 229 pages I don’t know. She plays back and forth between her characters and gives such a clear voice to each one of them, from Joe who was born to a wild woman that lived in a cave and was raised by strangers, to Violet who worked in the fields like a man, loved Joe and married him, to Dorcas who Joe shot because she threw him over for a young man. The city as Toni Morrison describes it is a live pulsing beast with breath, bone, and sinew. Luring those who live there into the depth of joy and despair.
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Violet is a hair dresser who goes to clients houses to dress their hair. Some people call her crazy and when she goes to the funeral of Dorcas and stabs her corpse, they know she is. Joe grieves and cries so much over the loss of Dorcas that Violet takes it on herself to find another young woman for him.
After stabbing the corpse Violet goes to Dorcas’s aunt’s house and eventually becomes friends with her. Violet wants to know who this young girl was that Joe cared so much for. And she begins to mourn with him for his loss.
Toni Morrison goes back and forth from the young lives of her characters to the story’s time frame which was in 1926.There were many characters including Violet’s mother and grandmother, Joe’s wild mother and their early friends. She tells the story of how they came to the big city and carries the story outward to include many acquaintances and friends all with troubles and hardships of their own.
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The language is lyrical, earthy, and powerful. The music, city, and people comes alive and speaks directly to you. You will feel that you know these people and understand how they came to be the way they are. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a down to earth, passionate, haunting story.
Liked it
Very useful review.
Interesting read. Thank you.
Great review, thanks.
Very useful and inspiring review.Thank you
Excellent!!..that was lovely article and great review as well..I really liked it..well done and thanks for sharing this great work.
You sold me. You’re better than Oprah.
Sounds very interesting.
I love Toni Morrison too! You always have such great topics.
Sounds interesting.
Inna
Oh! I love.love.love Jazz. Such lyric prose, a plot that I just couldn’t let go… good review, terrific recommendation.
I’ve never read anything by Toni Morrison but your passion for her makes me want to, thank you Ruby, very good review.
moving and passionate review.
interesting article Ruby
Good review. I am always looking for new authors to read and this one is new for me. Thanks for the insight.
Thank you my friends for stopping by during your busy day. I appreciate you all.
Kate and Pam,if you have never read Toni Morrison you should read just one of her books and you will be hooked.
great review friend