Reviews

• A Neglected Masterpiece

  As we approach the thirtieth anniversary of David Bradley's masterpiece it is odd that this novel is not better known. I'm a professor at a large midwestern state university and teach it regularly, and all of my colleagues who have read it share my admiration of it. Frankly, I consider _The Chaneysville Incident_ to be one of the nine or ten greatest American novels of the twentieth century, and place it on a level with Faulkner's _Absalom, Absalom!_, Ellison's _Invisible Man_, and Morrison's _Beloved_. It is also, for the general reader, simply a stunning narrative, one that is impossible to put down and so powerful that it will leave you shaking. It's not unusual in literary history for masterpieces to fall through the cracks for long periods of time. Whitman sold 36 copies of the first edition of _Leaves of Grass_; Melville's _Moby-Dick_ languished in obscurity for over half a century; and Zora Neale Hurston would still be unknown if Alice Walker hadn't discovered her and_Their Eyes Were Watching God_. But it is still amazing to me that a book as manifestly spectacular and important as _The Chaneysville Incident_ is not better known. By the way, my students are always bowled over by it and every time I teach it I see more and more in it. Do yourself a big favor--buy it, read it, and you can thank me for it later.

• A Brilliant, Though Difficult, Read

  This book began very strong. I could not put it down until about halfway when the storytelling technique changes and becomes one long, tedious and unrelenting narrative leading to an obvious conclusion. Nevertheless, it is a very valuable read. It illuminates not only the facts and mentality of post-racism existence but also the emotional turmoil of not belonging. The character pieces are brilliant with the exception of the "girlfriend", Judith. The main character, Johnny, is an extremely accomplished historian, researcher and intellectual. Therefore, it is impossible to believe he would have chosen such a vacuous, judgmental and ignorant and insenstive person for his mate. Of course she is a symbol for those qualities in the white community but her appearance and stupidity takes the steam out of the story. The variety and inventiveness of part one is lost when Johnny settles down to tell her "the story". But if you are interested in ideas through literature, the post-slavery experience and the narrative power of one man (at least in part one), read this book. Recommend this book. Help this book win a second life, just like the dead of the Chaneysville Incident.

• A Good Historical Piece But Not Easy to Get Through

  A good historical read; it really opens one's eyes to so many underlying issues that were resultant from the horrific practice of slavery. The book took awhile for me to get through, however; there were extraneous discussions that one could almost skip through, and the plot sometimes felt bogged down. Additionally, quite honestly, there was so much concerning plot and characters this could easily have been more than one book. I am thankful I read it; it was sad and fascinating, but I don't think I would want to read it again, even though there was so much to process it probably couldn't hurt!

• Gripping, paranoid and dark

  This book is dark, gripping. A black man, now a historian, was relectant to, but forced to face his hometown cause a old friend of his late father was at his last hours. He then embark to search for his past and his father's hidden past. His search bring him many unexcepted stories, including a shocking fact that his father committed suicide, rather than an accident he used to know. He is eager to understand what happened to his father. As the facts unveiled, the protagonist is getting more and more paranoid, and the story and history of his family and the whole town is disclosed bit by bit, leadint to the final answer to his father's tragedy. This is a very gripping read. The language is impressive, entralling and obsessive. After finish the book I am so surprised to learn that the "Chaneysville Incident" described in this book was a true incident. There is even a bike route around the scenes in this book.

• Driven to a Point near Insanity

  This is NOT a happy story. If you need sunshine and flowers, look elsewhere. This is a very good story, however. The characters are vivid and you really understand them. I can see them clearly and their actions coincide with their personalities perfectly. Many of these characters are driven to nearly the point of insanity. They have intensity in everything they do. It's hard to believe that this is fiction. I learned a lot of things about history that I didn't know before. There is a lot of truth in this book and most of it isn't pretty. The main characters are fascinating people and although it may seem things are disconnected, they make perfect sense eventually. This book will make you sad and even angry. It's a smart book that will teach you the reality of being a black person during times of slavery and thereafter. I would highly recommend this book to serious readers.

Purchase links