Hi Julie,
I love that line, there are lots of white people in my books. Similarly, there are lots of black people in books written by white authors over the centuries. I guess there are a million ways to read Toni Morrison, like anybody. I don’t find personal empowerment in her writing, straight white male that I am, but I sure did learn stuff, and I’m glad others did find empowerment there - though as you illustrate, empowerment takes many forms, among them even a license to oppress. It reminds me a bit of Notorious BIG’s character The Mad Rapper, asked on a call in why he’s so madd. Sometimes people are, it can be tough to let go of. Or as John Lydon put it, anger is an energy.
Anyway, I think Toni Morrison is great, irrespective of her readers (such as myself).
Cheers,
John
Oh - at Mount Vernon, they used to sell a book on black-white interaction in America, pre-about 1800, called The World We Built Together. I found that title resonant.
Last edited by John Isbell; 08-07-2019 at 02:10 AM.
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