The Good Negress
by A. J. Verdelle
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"Haunting . . . To read The Good Negress is to fall under a spell, to open a window, to fly." --Los Angeles Times Book Review Twenty years after its initial publication, The Good Negress continues to be an important part of the literary canon, as relevant and necessary as ever. Set in 1960s Detroit, the novel centers around Denise Palms, who leaves her grandmother's home in rural Virginia to reunite with her mother, stepfather, and older brothers. As a black teenage girl, Denise is show more given scarce opportunity beyond cooking, cleaning, and raising her mother's baby. But an idealistic, demanding teacher opens Denise's eyes to a future she has never considered, and soon she begins to question the limits of the life prescribed to her. With lyrical, evocative prose, A. J. Verdelle captures Denise's journey from adolescence to womanhood as she navigates the tension between loyalty and independence, and between circumstance and desire. The Good Negress is an unforgettable debut--simultaneously the portrait of a family and a glimpse into an era of twentieth-century America. Winner of the Harold D. Vursell Memorial Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters Finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction show lessTags
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Library Journal
This excellent first novel examines issues of the black experience in America in a new voice. It is the coming-of-age story of Denise Palms, who leaves her grandmother's rural home to return to her family in Detroit. Denise's family expects her to concentrate on housework and childcare, but her teacher pushes her to spend time on afterschool lessons in diction and grammar in order to "better" herself. Language is the key to this novel, as the story is told in Denise's own voice, and the evolution of language in her life, as well as the questioning of the need to speak in unnatural words, plunges the book into greater depths than the simple plot would on its own. Contrasts between the urban and rural, show more home and the broader world, and men and women are emphasized throughout. Verdelle's ear for language is excellent, as is her portrayal of the emotional life of this young girl. Like many novels by African American women, this book portrays a matriarchy and the voicelessness of black women in the broader culture. Recommended for all libraries.-Marie F. Jones, Muskingum Coll. Lib., New Concord, Ohio show less
Library Journal
This excellent first novel examines issues of the black experience in America in a new voice. It is the coming-of-age story of Denise Palms, who leaves her grandmother's rural home to return to her family in Detroit. Denise's family expects her to concentrate on housework and childcare, but her teacher pushes her to spend time on afterschool lessons in diction and grammar in order to "better" herself. Language is the key to this novel, as the story is told in Denise's own voice, and the evolution of language in her life, as well as the questioning of the need to speak in unnatural words, plunges the book into greater depths than the simple plot would on its own. Contrasts between the urban and rural, show more home and the broader world, and men and women are emphasized throughout. Verdelle's ear for language is excellent, as is her portrayal of the emotional life of this young girl. Like many novels by African American women, this book portrays a matriarchy and the voicelessness of black women in the broader culture. Recommended for all libraries.-Marie F. Jones, Muskingum Coll. Lib., New Concord, Ohio show less
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International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award
179 works; 6 members
Pen/Faulkner Winners and Finalists
178 works; 9 members
Author Information
5+ Works 237 Members
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Good Negress
- Original title
- The Good Negress
- Important places
- Detroit, Michigan, USA
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- Members
- 196
- Popularity
- 166,087
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.53)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 7
- UPCs
- 1
- ASINs
- 1
