Yes, I Liked: The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois
Yes, I Liked: The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois
It could also be an excellent doorstop #72
Confession: The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois, which was a very kind birthday gift, has been on my shelf for several months, for two reasons:
The library books just keep coming in like the tides of the ocean, relentless and demanding of immediate attention. I think the library is God’s manifestation on Earth so I’m not complaining, but it does keep one knee-deep in time-sensitive reading material, do you feel me?
It’s very long and I was cowed.
But there has been an uncharacteristic break in the library cadence so I jumped into this one and I’m glad I did.
Power summary: The story of a Black Southern family told in two intertwining tales: one the coming-of-age for modern-day Ailey Pearl Garfield, who is finding her own identity in a long line of women, trauma and heritage; and one starting in the 1800s with her African and Native ancestors in what would become Georgia.
Here’s why it’s great, why it was on all the book lists, and why my book club pals Barack and Oprah liked it (okay, fine, I won’t presume to speak for them but they *did* both like it):
Sheer Ambition
If you’re writing a book about five generations of a Black family, as well as two centuries of a history on a plot of Georgian land, well … you’re basically writing a/the story of America. For a debut novel? What/how/why and also how, Honoree? Every review you read of this book uses words like “sweeping” or “soaring” or “epic” and it’s true - this had a wide aperture married with a confidence and strong point of view that kept it readable and feeling not like a history textbook, but instead like a rich oral tapestry. Primarily due to …
A Panoply of Realized Characters
The main story is told primarily (though not exclusively) from Ailey’s perspective, but almost every character you meet is memorably sketched out and has their own story to tell that’s both individually specific but also deliberately connected to Ailey, as all of us are connected to each other. So when/if they re-emerge, you remember who they are, what they care about, and why we care about them (or not). And this is no mean feat considering this book starts with four pages of family trees.
I think this is all down to …
Art & Science
There are obviously years of research work in this book beyond the obvious spine of her Du Bois scholarship; many of the main protagonists are historical researchers and academics, which feels like the author’s process come to life in the pages. But on the flip side, Jeffers is apparently a published poet, so it’s not surprising that she can make just a few words as potent as possible, that she can make a faintly recurring character feel like an old friend. She also subtly but meaningfully contrasts the written aesthetic of her “modern” story with her “history” story, and it’s … very impressive.
And lastly, while this is a story of resilience and love of people, what has also stayed with me is …
Her Observation of Violence
Of course there is no telling of the story of enslavement without a telling of violence, and obviously this is a strange thing to “like” about a book. But this book has a particularly masterful telling of the violence that is woven into the American experience of being brown or Black or Native, into being a woman. That’s it’s literally a foundation of the history, seeped into the ground of what has built us, and is part of our heritage that, if we don’t address it, will continue to fester. It’s not an easy point to digest but it’s very skillfully done.
Maybe it’s because it’s a very woman-centric story (despite having many men at the center)? But what is done to bodies, what we do to our bodies, the politics of bodies (and hair, and color, and age) is very present and a grounding counterweight to what could be a more historical and intellectual tale.
But ….
Here’s the Thing You Must Know
It’s loooong. Nearly 800 pages. Genuine question: under what circumstances does a novel need to be 800 pages? (Yes, Hanya Yanagihara, you may weigh in here.)
I respect that this sounds like a childish critique. Michiko Kakutani would never. But all I know is, I was constantly checking to see how many pages I had left and then repressing an internal sigh, despite enjoying the reading experience. And I read very quickly so if *I* was thinking that … it’s simply what kept me from loving this, rather than liking it very, very much.
It feels like the author’s point *is* bearing witness, and sitting with the length is another experience of the myriad crimes against and triumphs of Black families in America. I get it, and it’s not only an important theme but a real display of Jeffers’s remarkable skill in keeping the novel compelling despite its heft. There’s not even one clearly extraneous storyline or character I can point to - they’re all well executed - but at the final page I was left feeling that the whole thing could have used one more “unkind cut” from a sympathetic but ruthless editor.
But this critique doesn’t overshadow the overall impact, accomplishment, and beauty of this book, so maybe check it out if it’s up your alley? And let me know what you think.
Good Book News
The Brooklyn Public Library is giving free virtual library cards to any teen across the country, as a way to counteract book bans. (Pretty sure The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois must be banned somewhere for making people feel “uncomfortable.”)
LIBRARIES, y’all. Like dogs and Jose Andres, I’m not sure we deserve them. But I’m glad we have them.
Speaking of works that are too long:
If you made it all the way here, thank you! And if this book doesn’t sound like your jam, no worries, every week is different. Check the archive for non-fiction, memoirs, romances, sports books, food books, and of course …
MYSTERIES; I’m excited to report that last week’s newsletter was *the* most popular one of 71 weeks. (You know Barack and Oprah read those too, and just don’t talk about them amidst their Important Reading.) How about this - I’ll read and recommend more mysteries in future, and you share this newsletter with one book-loving friend? Deal?
If you’re new here, let me explain the purple lambs.
As usual, all links above go to Bookshop.org, supporting independent bookstores (free shipping all weekend!) I mean, you do you, but wouldn’t it be better to support indie bookstores rather than space-traveling billionaires?
You can buy all past recos here; any money made from these sales will go to Defy Ventures, which is is also holding a silent auction this weekend! Check it out and support a great cause!