I was skeptical when I first heard about this book, a fictionalized account of Sarah Grimke and Hetty, a young slave Sarah had been given to be her personal maid. As far as I was concerned, the book had two strikes against it even before I cracked the cover.

First, I had vowed to stay away from historical fiction that featured real historical figures, like The Aviator’s Wife, because I always ended up disappointed. And Sarah and Angelina Grimke, the abolitionist sisters from South Carolina, happen to be two women I lecture about at least once every academic year. I never teach about the anti-slavery movement in the United States without including the Grimke sisters.

Second, I worried that the racial dynamics would come across as insipid and insulting as they did in The Help, which seemed to me designed to make whites feel better about their meager efforts to improve southern race relations in the mid-20th century.

So much for an open mind going in. But I ended up admiring The Invention of Wings a great deal. Kidd took great care to make sure that both Sarah and Hetty were fully realized characters, and she didn’t impose an unrealistic, ahistorical sense of sisterhood upon them. For the most part, Kidd resisted any temptation to sentimentalize or romanticize antebellum slavery. She showed it for what it was: a vicious, destructive institution.

  As 2014 winds down, I’ve been looking at the list of books I’ve read this year (though not all were published in 2014). And as usual, I’m mortified that I can’t remember anything about many of them. Some of the titles don’t even ring a bell. But there are several standouts, and today I will mention the chronological first, Andrea Barrett’s Archangel. I have been a big fan of Barrett’s writing from the very beginning. She is a recipient of the MacArthur “genius” award and of the National Book Award for fiction. Continue reading →

This site is in the fledgling stage. My first post of substance will probably be a review of the new movie Unbroken because I am fascinated with the ways in which stories of prisoners of war are told. I admired Laura Hillenbrand’s book and am curious to see how it has transferred to the big screen.

Subsequent posts will contain movie and book reviews as well as ruminations on writing and publishing.

Thanks for stopping by.