Stories from the Tenants Downstairs

"...because until then porches was like quicksand. The longer you was out on them, the more people saw you dyin."

Stories From the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana is my sleeper hit of 2022. I tried to take my time with this short story collection but after reading the intro I was hooked. The way these stories were neatly interconnected was perfection.

Stories set in NYC always warm my heart. This collection takes place in Harlem in Banneker Terrace, a low income building. Tenants are facing eviction due to rapid gentrification. The building is a community within itself and everyone knows each other. Each story gives you a glimpse into the lives of the people that make up this neighborhood and the ways they choose to thrive and survive. show more I loved that Fofana uses AAVE to give each character a unique and authentic Harlem voice. He introduces you to an unforgettable cast of Black characters with stories and experiences that oftentimes go unnoticed or ignored. Their full humanity is sprawled out on the pages.

This collection was powerful in the ways it showed the real people that are displaced when gentrification violently disrupts the lives of those already struggling to survive. There is a recurring theme of choices, the ones people choose or not choose to make, the unpopular and dangerous ones that are made and the ones that are almost forced upon some because of poverty and circumstance. He explores the ways that Black people construct their identities and what constitutes home. Fofana also shows how a failing, racist education system hurts Black kids. The book shows the ways you cling to family, community and hope when the world is violently trying to get rid of you and constantly telling you that you don't belong. "Lite Feet" was my favorite story tore my heart into pieces but honestly every single essay hit the mark for me.

This debut was stellar and I highly suggest you add this one to your personal libraries. I am immediately adding Fofana to my auto-buy list. He knocked this one out of the park. show less

"Everybody got a story/Everybody got a tale/Question is: Is it despair or prevail?" This amazing deck of eight interconnected stories comes from the hearts and vernacular of the residents of a soon-to-be-gentrified building in Harlem. They're struggling with emotional and financial issues while fending off eviction notices. The core is a group of middle school students and their paraprofessional, who not only has to deal with behavioral issues, but also with a Harvard grad first year teacher who reeks of privilege and who makes everything worse. The theme is the brevity of triumphs and the heaviness of discouraging outcomes. This is a very memorable collection, highly recommended, comparable to Deesha Philyaw's The Secret Lives of show more Church Ladies. Each story is so touchable and real and tragic. show less

I received an advance copy from Scribner's publishing. Thank you
Wow, this book packs a punch. It is considered a collection of short stories, but each story is interconnected, so it's as cohesive as a novel.
The book takes place in Banneker Terrace, a high rise in Harlem. There are new owners, and the current tenants are being squeezed out, as the area begins to gentrify. Each story highlights a tenant as they face the fear of losing their home, their everyday life, their struggles and even their hopes. Banneker Terrace is a community made up of the tenants, and like it or not, they all know each other's business. Sidik Fofana makes their lives and voice authentic. At times it took concentration to get into the dialect, but each person's show more story was so compelling, I wanted to find out more. This all seemed very real and gritty to me, and I was pleased that by reading this book, I was given a chance to really see beyond my borders. show less

4.5. Just really well written short stories, each written from the first person perspective of a different resident of a single New York City apartment building where new owners are trying to evict people behind on rent. The writing is well done in terms of giving a genuinely very different voice to each person - the weakest one is written in the form of a letter by a kid who's bad at writing but it's still alright. You get in their head and really feel for them.

For most of the stories there's a pretty similar theme - the daily struggle to survive, trying to get joy where you can find it, the attempts to get somewhere slightly better and the inevitability that a single bad moment will screw up all your plans. The stories are almost all show more pretty downbeat in that sense but they're not depressing exactly (well, mostly - there's one with a total downer ending). Even at the end when your plans have failed it's like, fuck it, tomorrow is another day.

Obviously I dunno how *realistic* what's depicted here is but the author is great at really showing all the details and small moments that really make it feel real. It made sense at the end when I read that he's a public school teacher - the schools scenes are very well detailed in ways that are recognisable. Overall just a really great book. show less

Stories from the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana features eight interconnected stories revolving around the residents of a low-income high-rise residential building in Harlem. The ownership of Banneker Terrace has recently changed hands. With gentrification knocking on the door, the new owners intend to renovate the units hoping to attract a new crowd. As rents are slated to rise, the existing tenants struggle to keep up with payments or face having to relocate to smaller units. Those who are behind on their rent are being served eviction notices.

The first story, “Rent Manual”, revolves around a single mother, Mimi, who juggles two jobs to make rent and care for her little boy whose father, Swan resides in another unit in the show more building. In another story, “The Okiedoke”, Swan celebrates the release of his friend from jail but finds himself in a dilemma when the celebration involves swindling another person. Swan’s mother “Ms.Dallas” also holds two jobs – as a paraprofessional in a local school and as security at the airport. We meet the children attending the school, which is facing threats of closure, among whom is Kandese (“The Young Entrepreneurs of Miss Bristol’s Porch”) a girl who loses her home and then her father and has to move in with a relative. Another student and street dancer Najee(“Lite Feet”) is dealing with his guilt over the accidental death of a close friend and pens a letter to his late friend’s mother. “Camaraderie” features aspiring hairstylist, Dary, who once worked with Mimi but now is forced to resort to other means to supplement his income. “Tumble” revolves around Neisha, a college dropout who once dreamt of becoming a gymnast. She now works with Emeraldine Heard for the Banneker Terrace Committee of Concern, an association of women from the building who try to assist those facing eviction. The final story, “Federation for the Like-Minded” sees several tenants band together in support of the elderly Mr. Murray, who is constantly harassed by the police for playing chess on the sidewalks nearby.

Gentrification, homelessness, poverty, inequality and injustice, hope and hopelessness, family and community- the author touches upon several themes in this collection of stories that are intense and heart wrenching . The stories are told using a range of styles and narrative forms– third-person omniscient narrative, a story in the form of a single letter written by a child, as well as first-person accounts. Every one of these distinctive characters comes across as real as do their struggles, their dreams and aspirations- both attainable and yet out of reach and the hopes they harbor. The tone and language used to tell these stories are commensurate with the character(s) in question, which makes each of the voices distinct and authentic. As a debut, this collection is beyond impressive. This is a powerful read, to say the least. Sidik Fofana is a masterful storyteller and I cannot wait to read more from this talented author in the future. show less

This is a strong collection of interconnected stories set primarily in a low-income apartment building in Harlem. Each story details one character's struggle through daily life, contending with poverty, lack of opportunity, a failing education system, and systemic racism. Like any collection, some stories are stronger than others but taken as a whole, Fofana has created a searing portrait of a community in crisis.

4.25 stars

A great premise of a book: people's reactions to the gentrification of Harlem. This book contained 8 inter-connected stories about people that lived in a slum apartment building in Harlem. I didn't find the stories very connected. It was a difficult read for me with the use of black dialect, hip-hop lyrics, and frequent use of the N word. I had to interpret as I read; which irritated me. Guess this book was just too cool for me. 223 pages