Daniel BlackReseñas

This was truly powerful and although not my normal read I am so glad I got to read it. It's difficult to form words to really express my feelings without someone getting offended but I will start with an obvious statement that I am neither black nor African American and of course I cannot image the struggles that is meant to be expressed in this book in a lot of areas; however I will express what it made me feel as a parent, a daughter, a Hispanic woman but above all as a Human being.

The journey that this father goes through and sums it up in some letters for his estranged son is, I want to say heartbreaking but not because I feel sorry for the father in the sense that I would personally cry for him but I feel sorry that he didn't realize the mistakes he made a lot sooner.

I will say that this book although fictional really made some things sink in further in my own personal experiences with my own parents, children and life overall. We always try to do better than what our own parents did in raising us and sometimes don't always succeed. But let that be a lesson in it self that we need to continue to grow and get better.

Many of us live our lives not fully thinking of the consequences our decisions will have on not only our lives but in the lives of those we come in contact with.

Jacob, in his way did his best at least in his perspective he meant well and did the best he could, I am sure he did he didn't realize that it was up to him to break generational misguided teachings, instead he made some of them as a parent himself. However, his son also didn't take it upon himself to try to educate his father and maybe try to mend things. I understand why and can even relate, man can I ever relate.

I highly recommend this book, it touches on some deep topics that so many people still till this day can't discuss without hate or anger. It really opens your eyes and heart to things you may already be aware of and things you may not.

With Father's day this month, although I normally do not celebrate it I am thankful to have read it. I can't remember who recommended this book to me but I am thankful, it really is a 5 star rating.

“I find it funny that, at funerals, all dead people go to Heaven, regardless of how they lived. Perhaps this is black people's way of rewarding themselves simply for having been black and survived - even for a while.”

“You must learn to uproot unwanted seeds without destroying the entire harvest. This is the son’s lesson. Nurture good sprouts, Isaac. Toss weeds aside and never think of them again. Just remember that sprouts and weeds are planted together, and weeds have a valuable function. They teach you what to avoid, what not to embrace. There is no good planting without them."

This book deserves a review, but I'm not the one to write it. It is well worth reading.

As Jacob Swinton lies dying, he begins to write a letter to his only son, Isaac, from whom he has been estranged for many years, as he attempts to reconcile with the gay son he was not able to accept. Jacob tries to explain himself, telling stories about his childhood in rural Arkansas on land purchased by his great-grandparents after they were emancipated from slavery. Through the telling, we come to see how certain values and perspectives were instilled in him about manhood and family. Through this letter, he attempts to construct a place in which he and his son might find peace with each other. This fictional confessional illuminates the lived experiences of Black fathers and queer sons through a reckoning and reconciliation. Beautiful prose; so beautiful that it made it hard to believe they were meant to be the words of a barely educated man, even if he did take to reading later in his life.

Nice work, Mr. Black!

4.5 stars. This is one of those books that opened my eyes to an experience that has not been my own. A deep character study that quietly follows the effect of generational trauma on one man's life and his journey of self-discovery.

This book is so goddamn good. I could not put the book down. I kept reading to see what emma jean's crazy ass would do next. It definitely shows how Arkansas in the 30s-40s was like for black american people. I felt so bad for perfect & paul and his brothers.They were a family full of gifts and talents. A blessing in each child. Unfortunately in a lot of black families the trauma of our ancestors and family deeply damages us. If EJ had simply went to her mother when her sister asked the first time the book would have much shorter. The pain of torment, assault, confusion, self hate, colorism, and so much love was incredible. Many of the characters simply wanted to be loved. For who they were or weren't. But ugliness and blackness just couldn't let that be. I think all the boys would get married and have kids beside M and RJ maybe they would adopt if they wanted kids. And they would have a bunch of girls who look as beautiful as EJ.Paul and ella mae should be together as his tailor and fashion design thing set off. Or they could find each other partners to make them happy if they aren't enough for each other. Gus could remarry or simply die a happy man knowing her did the best he could by EJ and the boys. Perfect peace touched me just as Golden boy, When the heart is a home, and others like it had. I am so grateful for the blessings I have and the pain i have overcome.

The writing style was awful. Saccharine, vacuous, off putting. The worst kind of poverty porn + hot topic of the day. Just plain bad. DNF.

Full of raw emotion and hope for redemption. Sticks with you.

Very powerfully told, this is the story of a black man who lived in rural south and moved north when he grew up. Raised by his grandma and grandpa, he thought being a man meant other family members were under his control. It wasn’t until his divorce and his estrangement from his gay son, along with cancer than made him turn inward and start looking at his own behaviors as causes for what happened to him. A friend gave him a copy of a Toni Morrison book to read, and it got him reading many more books about the black experience. But in the end, although he wanted to reunite with his son, he felt the damage been done and it was a useless gesture. A sad conclusion to the book filled with letters Jacob wrote to his son.

I cried for him...
Jacob is dying and reflecting back on his mistakes as a man. He begins to lay out the story of his life for his son in a series of letters, not because he is trying to justify his actions, but as a way of stopping the cycle of trauma within his family history and as a way of saying sorry. He lays his regret and longing out for his son to see in hopes that his son can let go of his pain and live the happy life he always wanted for him.
The book was beautiful in a truthful way but also really simply written. I hope that author found catharsis while writing this book, and I hope anyone reading it who may have had similar trauma can use this book to get them through to the other side.

Black deftly handles so many themes in the highly moving novel.

In his introduction, Daniel Black explains that His father died when the two of the had been separated for years. Black wrote Don't Cry for Me as a way of imagining his father's life in the years when they hadn't had conduct. Isaac, the son in the novel, is gay and Black, as is Black the author, and that was a key factor in the distance between him and his father. Jacob, Isaac's father knows he is dying of cancer and writing out his life's story for his son, not so much as an apology, but as a truth telling—a way of offering Isaac a piece of his past that he can choose to hold onto or release as he sees fit.

Initially, I was dubious about this premise, which suggested a great deal of wishful thinking; however, Black created a father and son pair who were both strong figures, complex, and almost constantly in conflict. In his letter, Isaac describes his life as a child, when he was raised by his maternal grandparents, his courtship, marriage, and that marriage's dissolution, and his life on his own.

It isn't a spoiler, I think, to say that a big piece of Jacob's story is coming to realize how violent and limited his concept of manhood was. As he reflects during his time alone and reads (cameo appearance here for Alice Walker's the Color Purple), he comes to see other versions of manhood, even if he's unable to adopt them as his own. The fact that Jacob acknowledges his inability to change is what keeps this novel from functioning as a wishful thinking. A father and son have a chance to come to know each other, but there is no forced happy ending.

Don't Cry for Me offers readers both an understanding of a specific father-son relationship, and it also opens up the ways in which readers can consider their own intergenerational family relationships. This book allowed me to rethink some issues I've been confronted as my parents (now in their 90s) age. I can thank Black—and his creations Jacob and Isaac—both for the powerful story his novel tells and for insights of my own that resulted from reading Don't Cry for Me.

If you are someone who appreciates family stories, particularly cross-generational ones, who has experienced, wants to learn more about the pressures that race in the U.S. can place on Black families, or about the ways gender identity and sexuality can affect family relationships, this is a book to read sooner, rather than later.

I received a free review copy of this title from the publisher via EdelweissPlus; the opinions are my own.

In Don’t Cry For Me by Daniel Black, a dying father writes letters to his estranged son telling him family stories dating back to slavery. Yes, it is depressing, and at times veers into preachy and melodramatic, but mostly a powerful narrative about the history of Black Americans through the stories of one family. Black’s writing shows moments of real skill as he crafts a family damaged by their failure to understand each other and the burden of their history. Don’t Cry For Me is an excellent book for readers looking for literary fiction about the Black American experience with LGBTQ+ themes.

The writing in this book was beautiful. The prose flowed eloquently and it was a heart touching story.

Different but I enjoyed it quite a bit.

this was a great book despite all the pain which was experienced by the people who were taken

About the early south (love the subject), audio performance is excellent! -- 2017-5-26½

This is the first Daniel Black novel I've read. And I can't praise this writer enough! A wonderful storyteller, Black puts you in the midst of the story, and you will see it all in your mind's eye! You won't want to put this book down!

When a married man, and father, leaves his past behind in search of a "possession-less" lifestyle, he has no idea what may be called of him. To what sacrifices he will truly have to make.

Follow this man as he comes to have friends, who have no idea what true sacrifice is until Lazarus Love III comes into their lives.

I can promise you, this book has a sift enough pace you simply won't want to put it down, and you won't want it to end!

I give this book five stars.

A big thumbs up.

And my personal highly recommended award.

A book that is difficult to read, and while the ending is a bit hard to believe, the characters are rich and full and the descriptions of living homeless in the modern world make up for these down sides.

Lazarus Love is the third of his name. His grandfather owned a sheep farm in Arkansas, and his son became a crack addict. Lazarus Third (Trey) is the son who tries to save his father, visits his grandfather during summers and learns to "listen to the lambs" and raises himself out of poverty to own a home in Buckhead. He marries well then decides there must be more to life than owning things. Which there is, but Trey goes about it so very wrong.

His two children and wife, including his son, Lazarus (Quad) are left wondering how and why, as he leaves them after about 15 years of marriage to go live on the streets. Because he feels it's more honest. And the resulting damage he does to the children of his body are deeply explored, as are the miracles he does for the "family" he brings together under the underpass called "The Upper Room."

The relationships between the characters, all of whom center around Lazarus Trey, are brilliant; the reasons for homelessness are varied and full of despair, including the lack of privacy, cleanliness, and responsibility are also well drawn. Where this book fails is the trial, including the Family's way for hiring the lawyer and the trial's almost instantaneous resolution. Additionally, the explanation for Trey's leaving his family is just flat. Men leave their families all the time and the reasoning in Black's book is as unreasonable as all the others. Which may be the point.½

Found this book on the $1 shelf a HPB. Had never heard of it but it looked intriguing. It is one of the best book I have read in a long time. I was riveted from page one. This is the story of the Peace family and their struggles in the early part of the twentieth century. There certainly is not any Peace in this family. All of the characters are so well written, they jump off the pages and into the room with you. This novel deals with gender identity, child abuse, relationships, small town gossip and beliefs. The story takes place in a small town in Arkansas and the folks who live their add spark and live to the novel. The title is taken from the Peace's seventh child, Perfect, who is born a boy, but for the first eight years, raised as a girl. The sibling interactions the parental interactions are interesting to watch change when Perfect is turned into Paul. The entire Peace family has their struggles, and each of their stories is a great read, but combining them all together makes this book phenomenal.

There is no peace in the Peace household. This book is about gender identity, child abuse, adultery, and mental illness. You really feel for the children that are being raised in the Peace house. But most of all you discover what it takes to survive in a home where these seems to be no hope. At one point you hope that the Father will be the savior, but in the end, it's one of the brothers who may be able to break the chain of .........I'll let you read it for yourself.

Enjoyable read exploring a wide variety of fascinating themes - gender identity, faith, nature vs. nurture, etc - that got a bit bogged down in at the large cast of characters and issues. Great book club discussion book.

This was a hard book to judge. It was well written, vivid and very emotional; but there were few likable characters. The Peace family was anything but peaceful and it was terrible to witness. I really felt for these characters, although I couldn't stand most of them.

I'm happy the Peace brothers were able to find happiness and that the tragedy that began with their grandmother did not ruin all their lives. As much as Perfect's mother was WRONG with what she did, I could not hate her. I could only pity the life she had and wondered if she had had a different childhood, would she have made different choices.

This is a book that I think will stick with me, although I could not explain to anyone what it REALLY made me feel. I'm mostly bothered by it and regretful that these characters were so tortured, and sad that so many kids in real life are treated horrendously by those that are supposed to protect and uplift them.

Daniel Black continues TL's story in his hometown of Swamp Creek, Arkansas, after he realizes a return to New York without the answers he sought would be another futile journey. TL returned to his hometown after a 10 year absence to find his sister dead, and his family unwilling to explain the circumstances surrounding her death.

The real story of his life slowly unfolds as he puts perspective on his New York buddy and a long-suffering girlfriend, accepts his role as the new teacher in the town's one-room schoolhouse, and begins to understand more about his immediate family. The answers come from many places in his community; the church (a traditional devotional hymn is key to the books title), the evening gatherings under the large 'meeting tree,' the secrets of the town's mystical and strange inhabitants, and the slow conversations TL finally has with each member of his family. The joy of the story includes mentions of characters in the author's previous books, including the Peace family of his previous novel, Perfect Peace, so if you've read all of his works, you will delight in some new information.

In Twelve Gates, TL learns the entrance to 'the truth' can be approached from many directions, and he learns each door opened reveals more understanding of where he fits in his life. The author, however, skirts the most sensitive discussion of sexuality and incest, so readers are unsure of how TL feels about it, as well. We read of many ways of life, some are gay, some cross-dressers, and others just plain incestuous or promiscuous, yet TLs sexuality (or comment on anyone's sexuality) is never revealed and furtively skirted. I must confess, the author's ploy makes TL seem more open-minded and less judgmental in his quest for truth. I truly enjoyed this story and hope to see another book on the adventures in Swamp Creek. I could rate it no higher because all the loose ends were not tied up. There are a few other questions not yet revealed; they must have slipped through one of the remaining eleven gates to the city.½

A debut novel's source must cut close to the author's thigh-bone to be considered authentic, authoritative and believable. If readers come from Daniel Black's traditional black Baptist/AME religious background, had a working-class family farm in close proximity, were educated within a one-room schoolhouse by a superb teacher, or enjoyed the hilarious banter of distant relatives at huge family reunions, they will relate to the pace and storytelling style of this novel. My Nebraska childhood made this novel's setting very familiar, but the universal appeal of the storyline went far beyond the novel's setting.

The author stepped forward to relate the anguish of a young, educated black male (T.L. Tyson) returning home to wrestle with the demons that drove him away. Although he tells the story brilliantly, this novel alone does not completely answer the questions asked on TLs return to Swamp Creek, Arkansas. The author has penned some subsequent unrelated novels, but I am particularly delighted to know this story is revisited in his recent novel, "Twelve Gates to the City."

If you gravitate toward the 'light and happy' family saga, this is not your novel. I identify with any protagonist who questions why he/she is not loved by a parent at a fulfilling level, or is loved or motivated only by one or two individuals encountered in their lifetime, yet strives to persevere in spite of numerous setbacks.

TL returns to his parents' home to visit his closest sibling, Sister, and question his mother and father about their parenting styles with him and each of his three siblings. As often happens, he learns a lot more about their hidden lives and individual childhoods that helps explain more about his personal motivations than he ever expected, prompting him to act in ways he never anticipated.

The town's eccentric characters add familiar amusements that lighten the dark, plodding storyline, and the successful character developments that ultimately blossom between the Tysons and some of the inhabitants of Swamp Creek make this novel worthwhile reading. I am excited to read the sequel.