Song of Solomon - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0451152611 ISBN 13: 9780451152619

Publisher: Penguin, 1988

Synopsis

The story, which runs from the 1930s to the 1960s, centres on Macon Dead Jr, the son of a wealthy black property owner, who has been brought up to revere the white world. Toni Morrison won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993 and also wrote "The Bluest Eye" and "Tar Baby".

About this title

Review

In an effort to hide his southern, working class roots, Macon Dead, an upper-class northern black businessman, tries to insulate his family from the danger and despair of the rank and file blacks with whom he shares the neighbourhood. The plan leads his son, "Milkman"--a named he earned after his mother nursed him well past the proper age--onto a path exactly opposite the one his father had hoped. Milkman is driven into the arms of a violent, lower-class woman, into a clandestine circle of blacks who repay white violence in kind and into an awareness that he can fulfil his own potential by understanding the mistakes of his ancestors as they relate to his own.

Review

"A rich, full novel. . . . It lifts us up Ýand¨ impresses itself upon us like a love affair." --"The New York Times Book Review
""Exuberant. . . . An artistic vision that encompasses both a private and national heritage."
"A rhapsodic work. . . . Intricate and inventive." --"The New Yorker
""Stunningly beautiful. . . . Full of magnificent people. . . . They are still haunting my house. I suspect they will be with me forever." --Anne Tyler, "The Washington Post
""If Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man went underground, Toni Morrison's Milkman flies." --John Leonard, "The New York Times Book Review
""It places Toni Morrison in the front rank of contemporary American writers. She has written a novel that will endure." --"The Washington Post
""Lovely. . . . A delight, full of lyrical variety and allusiveness. . . . ÝAn¨ exceptionally diverse novel." --"The Atlantic Monthly
""Morrison is a terrific storyteller. . . . Her writing evokes the joyful richness of life." --"Newsday
""Morrison dazzles. . . . She creates a black community strangely unto itself yet never out of touch with the white world. . . . With an ear as sharp as glass she has listened to the music of black talk and uses it as a palette knife to create black lives and to provide some of the best fictional dialogue around today." --"The Nation
""A marvelous novel, the most moving I have read in ten years of reviewing." --"Cleveland Plain Dealer
""Toni Morrison has created a fanciful world here. . . . She has an impeccable sense of emotional detail. She's the most sensible lyrical writer around today." --"The Philadelphia Inquirer
""A fine novel exuberantly constructed. . . . So rich in itsuse of common speech, so sophisticated in its use of literary traditions and language from the Bible to Faulkner . . . it is also extremely funny." --"The Hudson Review
""Toni Morrison is an extraordinarily good writer. Two pages into anything she writes one feels the power of her language and the emotional authority behind that language. . . . One closes the book warmed through by the richness of its sympathy, and by its breathtaking feel for the nature of sexual sorrow." --"The Village Voice
""Morrison moves easily in and out of the lives and thoughts of her characters, luxuriating in the diversity of circumstances and personality, and revelling in the sound of their voices and of her own, which echoes and elaborates theirs." --"The New Yorker
"

" A rich, full novel. . . . It lifts us up [and] impresses itself upon us like a love affair." -- "The New York Times Book Review
"" Exuberant. . . . An artistic vision that encompasses both a private and national heritage."
" A rhapsodic work. . . . Intricate and inventive." -- "The New Yorker
"" Stunningly beautiful. . . . Full of magnificent people. . . . They are still haunting my house. I suspect they will be with me forever." -- Anne Tyler, "The Washington Post
"" If Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man went underground, Toni Morrison's Milkman flies." -- John Leonard, "The New York Times Book Review
"" It places Toni Morrison in the front rank of contemporary American writers. She has written a novel that will endure." -- "The Washington Post
"" Lovely. . . . A delight, full of lyrical variety and allusiveness. . . . [An] exceptionally diverse novel." -- "The Atlantic Monthly
"" Morrison is a terrific storyteller. . . . Her writing evokes the joyful richness of life." -- "Newsday
"" Morrison dazzles. . . . She creates a black community strangely unto itself yet never out of touch with the white world. . . . With an ear as sharp as glass she has listened to the music of black talk and uses it as a palette knife to create black lives and to provide some of the best fictional dialogue around today." -- "The Nation
"" A marvelous novel, the most moving I have read in ten years of reviewing." -- "Cleveland Plain Dealer
"" Toni Morrison has created a fanciful world here.. . . She has an impeccable sense of emotional detail. She's the most sensible lyrical writer around today." -- "The Philadelphia Inquirer
"" A fine novel exuberantly constructed. . . . So rich in its use of common speech, so sophisticated in its use of literary traditions and language from the Bible to Faulkner . . . it is also extremely funny." -- "The Hudson Review
"" Toni Morrison is an extraordinarily good writer. Two pages into anything she writes one feels the power of her language and the emotional authority behind that language. . . . One closes the book warmed through by the richness of its sympathy, and by its breathtaking feel for the nature of sexual sorrow." -- "The Village Voice
"" Morrison moves easily in and out of the lives and thoughts of her characters, luxuriating in the diversity of circumstances and personality, and revelling in the sound of their voices and of her own, which echoes and elaborates theirs." -- "The New Yorker
"

A rich, full novel. . . . It lifts us up [and] impresses itself upon us like a love affair. The New York Times Book Review
Exuberant. . . . An artistic vision that encompasses both a private and national heritage.
A rhapsodic work. . . . Intricate and inventive. The New Yorker
Stunningly beautiful. . . . Full of magnificent people. . . . They are still haunting my house. I suspect they will be with me forever. Anne Tyler, The Washington Post
If Ralph Ellison s Invisible Man went underground, Toni Morrison s Milkman flies. John Leonard, The New York Times Book Review
It places Toni Morrison in the front rank of contemporary American writers. She has written a novel that will endure. The Washington Post
Lovely. . . . A delight, full of lyrical variety and allusiveness. . . . [An] exceptionally diverse novel. The Atlantic Monthly
Morrison is a terrific storyteller. . . . Her writing evokes the joyful richness of life. Newsday
Morrison dazzles. . . . She creates a black community strangely unto itself yet never out of touch with the white world. . . . With an ear as sharp as glass she has listened to the music of black talk and uses it as a palette knife to create black lives and to provide some of the best fictional dialogue around today. The Nation
A marvelous novel, the most moving I have read in ten years of reviewing. Cleveland Plain Dealer
Toni Morrison has created a fanciful world here. . . . She has an impeccable sense of emotional detail. She s the most sensible lyrical writer around today. The Philadelphia Inquirer
A fine novel exuberantly constructed. . . . So rich in its use of common speech, so sophisticated in its use of literary traditions and language from the Bible to Faulkner . . . it is also extremely funny. The Hudson Review
Toni Morrison is an extraordinarily good writer. Two pages into anything she writes one feels the power of her language and the emotional authority behind that language. . . . One closes the book warmed through by the richness of its sympathy, and by its breathtaking feel for the nature of sexual sorrow. The Village Voice
Morrison moves easily in and out of the lives and thoughts of her characters, luxuriating in the diversity of circumstances and personality, and revelling in the sound of their voices and of her own, which echoes and elaborates theirs. The New Yorker
"

-A rich, full novel. . . . It lifts us up [and] impresses itself upon us like a love affair.- --The New York Times Book Review
-Exuberant. . . . An artistic vision that encompasses both a private and national heritage.-
-A rhapsodic work. . . . Intricate and inventive.- --The New Yorker
-Stunningly beautiful. . . . Full of magnificent people. . . . They are still haunting my house. I suspect they will be with me forever.- --Anne Tyler, The Washington Post
-If Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man went underground, Toni Morrison's Milkman flies.- --John Leonard, The New York Times Book Review
-It places Toni Morrison in the front rank of contemporary American writers. She has written a novel that will endure.- --The Washington Post
-Lovely. . . . A delight, full of lyrical variety and allusiveness. . . . [An] exceptionally diverse novel.- --The Atlantic Monthly
-Morrison is a terrific storyteller. . . . Her writing evokes the joyful richness of life.- --Newsday
-Morrison dazzles. . . . She creates a black community strangely unto itself yet never out of touch with the white world. . . . With an ear as sharp as glass she has listened to the music of black talk and uses it as a palette knife to create black lives and to provide some of the best fictional dialogue around today.- --The Nation
-A marvelous novel, the most moving I have read in ten years of reviewing.- --Cleveland Plain Dealer
-Toni Morrison has created a fanciful world here. . . . She has an impeccable sense of emotional detail. She's the most sensible lyrical writer around today.- --The Philadelphia Inquirer
-A fine novel exuberantly constructed. . . . So rich in its use of common speech, so sophisticated in its use of literary traditions and language from the Bible to Faulkner . . . it is also extremely funny.- --The Hudson Review
-Toni Morrison is an extraordinarily good writer. Two pages into anything she writes one feels the power of her language and the emotional authority behind that language. . . . One closes the book warmed through by the richness of its sympathy, and by its breathtaking feel for the nature of sexual sorrow.- --The Village Voice
-Morrison moves easily in and out of the lives and thoughts of her characters, luxuriating in the diversity of circumstances and personality, and revelling in the sound of their voices and of her own, which echoes and elaborates theirs.- --The New Yorker


"A rich, full novel. . . . It lifts us up [and] impresses itself upon us like a love affair." --The New York Times Book Review

"Exuberant. . . . An artistic vision that encompasses both a private and national heritage."

"A rhapsodic work. . . . Intricate and inventive." --The New Yorker

"Stunningly beautiful. . . . Full of magnificent people. . . . They are still haunting my house. I suspect they will be with me forever." --Anne Tyler, The Washington Post

"If Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man went underground, Toni Morrison's Milkman flies." --John Leonard, The New York Times Book Review

"It places Toni Morrison in the front rank of contemporary American writers. She has written a novel that will endure." --The Washington Post

"Lovely. . . . A delight, full of lyrical variety and allusiveness. . . . [An] exceptionally diverse novel." --The Atlantic Monthly

"Morrison is a terrific storyteller. . . . Her writing evokes the joyful richness of life." --Newsday

"Morrison dazzles. . . . She creates a black community strangely unto itself yet never out of touch with the white world. . . . With an ear as sharp as glass she has listened to the music of black talk and uses it as a palette knife to create black lives and to provide some of the best fictional dialogue around today." --The Nation

"A marvelous novel, the most moving I have read in ten years of reviewing." --Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Toni Morrison has created a fanciful world here. . . . She has an impeccable sense of emotional detail. She's the most sensible lyrical writer around today." --The Philadelphia Inquirer

"A fine novel exuberantly constructed. . . . So rich in its use of common speech, so sophisticated in its use of literary traditions and language from the Bible to Faulkner . . . it is also extremely funny." --The Hudson Review

"Toni Morrison is an extraordinarily good writer. Two pages into anything she writes one feels the power of her language and the emotional authority behind that language. . . . One closes the book warmed through by the richness of its sympathy, and by its breathtaking feel for the nature of sexual sorrow." --The Village Voice

"Morrison moves easily in and out of the lives and thoughts of her characters, luxuriating in the diversity of circumstances and personality, and revelling in the sound of their voices and of her own, which echoes and elaborates theirs." --The New Yorker

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin
• Publication date: 1988
• ISBN 10: 0451152611
• ISBN 13: 9780451152619
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 352