Gathering of Waters (edition 2012)

by Bernice L. McFadden

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Mentions
226	36	119,161	(3.97)	20
The story is narrated by the town of Money, Mississippi. Tass Hilson and Emmett Till were young and in love when Emmett was murdered in 1955. Anxious to escape the town, Tass marries Maximillian May and relocates to Detroit. Forty years later, after the death of her husband, Tass returns to Money and fanstasy takes flesh when Emmett Till's spirit is finally released from the waters of the Tallahatchie River and the two lovers are reunited.--Publisher's description.… (more)

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Member:	nicole.brito
Title:	Gathering of Waters
Authors:	Bernice L. McFadden
Info:	Akashic Books (2012), Paperback, 250 pages
Collections:	Your library
Rating:
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Gathering of Waters by Bernice L. McFadden

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Beloved by Toni Morrison (cammykitty, cammykitty)

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Showing 1-5 of 36 (next | show all)

This was a wonderfully wrought story which delved into the world of a family line in the prescient town of Money, Mississippi. There is something magical that moves through the entire length of the narrative, and I appreciated the mix of the fantastical and worldly. I read this book quite quickly - its size is deceptive and the story moves along at a quick pace. In fact, that was the main thing I disliked - I wished more time and attention had been taken with the characters. It seemed that just as we got to know them a little bit, they were gone. People's motives were spelled out because they were in and out of the story so quickly and if we had lingered on them longer, their actions would have seemed somehow more natural. (

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carliwi | Sep 23, 2019 |

I was looking for a book for my book club next month. This was not it. While I do not feel the last 3 evenings have been a waste I just did not enjoy this book like I thought I was going to since so many people gave it 4 to 5 stars and great praise. I really had a hard time figuring out the connection to all the different characters and what really was the purpose of the story. I like ghost stories but that never really came to fruition. The tie in to the murder of Emmett Till was very loose. If the point was the intersecting of white people and black people and the issues that exist well I didn't feel like I was supposed to choose a side except for the stupid and unnecessary killing of Emmett. This gave me the most emotion during the whole book. Maybe it was bad timing since I just finished 2 books that I really loved. (

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theeccentriclady | Jul 18, 2018 |

I checked this book out of the library, because another patron was gushing about it! I went home, & started reading it, and couldn't stop! Gathering of Waters is truly a spellbinding tale; it had me smiling, laughing, and at times about to cry. Bernice McFadden has done it yet again! I'm going to buy a copy for my shelves, but I just had to stop by and tell you all, RUN, don't WALK, & get this book! I promise you won't be sorry! (

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Kiera_loves_books | Jan 18, 2016 |

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.

Gathering of Waters is a tale of generations told by the town, Money, Mississippi. The book starts with McFadden's take on Emmett Till's death and takes us through the history of Money, Mississippi and the people that live there. I enjoyed both the historical and magical aspects of the story. If you find it hard to believe that everything in the universe is connected and that energy is transferrable, you may find this a hard story to lose yourself to. However, the story is well-written and imaginative. I thoroughly recommend, it is a great read.

shemsu | Jun 16, 2015 |

A compelling African American novel mixing fantasy and historical realities.

Evil exists, as the African Americans living in Money, Mississippi, know all too well. But so do goodness and love, bringing life joy as well as pain, as Bernice McFadden shows readers in Gathering of the Waters.

Read more on my blog, Me, you and books: http://wp.me/p24OK2-RO

mdbrady | Aug 12, 2013 |

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"...McFadden works a kind of miracle..."

added by queenazsa | editNew York Times, Jesmyn Ward (Feb 12, 2012)

"The rich text is shaped by the African American storytelling tradition and layered with significant American histories. Recalling the woven spirituality of Toni Morrison’s Beloved, this work will appeal to readers of mystic literature."
--Library Journal

added by queenazsa | editLibrary Journal, Ashanti White (Dec 8, 2011)

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
McFadden, Bernice L.	—	primary author	all editions	confirmed
Miles, Robin	Narrator	secondary author	some editions	confirmed

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▾Awards and Honors

Awards

Hurston/Wright Legacy Award (Nominee – Fiction – 2013)

Distinctions

The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Fiction & Poetry – 2012)

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Canonical title

Gathering of Waters

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

2012-01-31

People/Characters

Emmett Till

Tass Hilson

Important places

Money, Mississippi, USA

Mississippi, USA

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

Dedication

First words

I am Money. Money Mississippi.

Quotations

Last words

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Lehane, Dennis

Martin, Lee

Original language

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

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▾Book descriptions

The story is narrated by the town of Money, Mississippi. Tass Hilson and Emmett Till were young and in love when Emmett was murdered in 1955. Anxious to escape the town, Tass marries Maximillian May and relocates to Detroit. Forty years later, after the death of her husband, Tass returns to Money and fanstasy takes flesh when Emmett Till's spirit is finally released from the waters of the Tallahatchie River and the two lovers are reunited.--Publisher's description.

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Book description

GATHERING OF WATERS is a deeply engrossing tale narrated by the town of Money, Mississippi—a site both significant and infamous in our collective story as a nation. Money is personified in this haunting story, which chronicles its troubled history following the arrival of the Hilson and Bryant families. TASS HILSON AND EMMETT TILL were young and in love when Emmett was brutally murdered in 1955. Anxious to escape the town, Tass marries Maximillian May and relocates to Detroit.FORTY YEARS LATER, AFTER THE DEATH OF HER HUSBAND, Tass returns to Money and fantasy takes flesh when Emmett Till's spirit is finally released from the dank, dark waters of the Tallahatchie River. The two lovers are reunited, bringing the story to an enchanting and profound conclusion.GATHERING OF WATERS mines the truth about Money, Mississippi, as well as the town's families, and threads their history over decades. The bare-bones realism—both disturbing and riveting—combined with a magical realm in which ghosts have the final say, is reminiscent of Toni Morrison's Beloved.

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