A Drop of Patience
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Book Overview
One of the great jazz novels of any era, A Drop of Patience tells the story of a blind horn player's journey through the themes of race, blindness, and music. At the age of five, Ludlow Washington is given up by his parents to a brutal white-run state institution for blind African American children, where everyone is taught music--the only trade by which they are expected to make a living. Ludlow is a prodigy on the horn and at fifteen is "purchased" out of the Home by a bandleader in the fictive Southern town of New Marsails. By eighteen, he is married with a baby daughter, but as his reputation spreads, he seeks to grow musically, leaving his budding family for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in New York City. Navigating the worlds of music and race and women, Ludlow's career follows an arc towards collapse, a nervous breakdown, recovery, a long-delayed public recognition, only for him to finally abandon the spotlight and return to his roots and find solace in the black church.
A Drop of Patience is a brilliant portrayal of a jazz musician. It stands apart as an exemplary parable of African American history, of racial politics, and of musical creative genius.
A Drop of Patience is a brilliant portrayal of a jazz musician. It stands apart as an exemplary parable of African American history, of racial politics, and of musical creative genius.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:1984899317
ISBN13:9781984899316
Release Date:June 2020
Publisher:Anchor Books
Length:240 Pages
Weight:0.62 lbs.
Dimensions:0.7" x 5.2" x 8.0"
Customer Reviews
1 rating
No Deception Here
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
When I saw the first review that was posted, I thought a little correction was in order. This is a reprint of a book that first appeared before Stephen King had even begun to publish. The title has nothing to do with Stephen King and there is no reason anyone should think it does. This is, in fact, one of the most innovative novels of its time, and we are lucky to have it back in print. In you are at all interested in complex narratives about musicians, this is the novel for you. Heck, I bet even Stephen King would enjoy this book. William Melvin Kelley is among the most important African-American novelists of the post-World War II era, and this book ranks among his finest.
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