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Sing, Unburied, Sing

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2018
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward is a poignant journey through the struggles of a Mississippi family as they confront the intertwined threads of their past and present. The story centres around Jojo, a young boy navigating a road trip with his mother and sister to retrieve his father from prison, while dealing with the lingering presence of familial ghosts. This deeply moving narrative touches on themes of family, race, and memory, woven together in a lyrical style.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're drawn to lyrical storytelling that delves deep into themes of family bonds, resilience, and the South's complex history. It beautifully weaves magical realism with a compelling narrative, exploring the struggles and connections between generations in a touching and haunting way.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

LONG LISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2018
WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD 2017
ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S BEST BOOKS OF 2017
SELECTED AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE NEW STATESMAN, THE FINANCIAL TIMES, THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, TIME AND THE BBC

'A must' Margaret Atwood
'Staggering' Marlon James
'A searing, urgent read' Celeste Ng
'Disarmingly beautiful' Spectator
'Blazing with power, grief and tenderness' Financial Times

An intimate portrait of a family and an epic tale of hope and struggle, Sing, Unburied, Sing examines the ugly truths at the heart of the American story and the power – and limitations – of family bonds.

Jojo is thirteen years old and trying to understand what it means to be a man. His mother, Leonie, is in constant conflict with herself and those around her. She is black, and her children’s father is white. Embattled in ways that reflect the brutal reality of her circumstances, she wants to be a better mother, but can’t put her children above her own needs, especially her drug use.

When the children’s father is released from prison, Leonie packs her kids and a friend into her car and drives north to the heart of Mississippi and Parchman Farm, the State Penitentiary. Rich with Ward’s distinctive, lyrical language, Sing, Unburied, Sing brings the archetypal road novel into rural twenty-first century America.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward has been widely praised for its lyrical and powerful storytelling. Critics have highlighted the novel's exploration of themes such as race, family, and the lingering shadows of history, all crafted with a blend of realism and magic. The book is lauded for its rich emotional depth, poetic prose, and the way it juxtaposes the living with the spectral, echoing literary giants like Toni Morrison and William Faulkner while maintaining its own distinct voice.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781408890967

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 19 April 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 225g

Pages: 304

About the Author

Jesmyn Ward received her MFA from the University of Michigan and has received the MacArthur 'Genius' Grant, a Stegner Fellowship, a John and Renee Grisham Writers Residency and the Strauss Living Prize. She is the first female author to win two National Book Awards for Fiction, for Sing, Unburied, Sing (2017) and Salvage the Bones (2011). She is also the editor of the anthology The Fire This Time, the author of the memoir Men We Reaped and the author of the novel Where the Line Bleeds. She is currently an associate professor of creative writing at Tulane University and lives in Mississippi.
@jesmimi

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