Last Summer on State Street

(Hardback)

Available Formats

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Chicago, 1999. Four friends. One life changing summer. State Street Chicago, 1999. One summer that changes everything. An unlikely trio- Felicia 'Fe Fe' Stevens, daughter of fiercely protective mother; Precious Brown, daughter of a prominent church Elder; and Stacia Buchanan, daughter of a Gangster Disciple Queen-Pin. They have a simple friendship, whiling away sunny days with games of Double Dutch. But when Fe Fe invites mysterious Tonya into their fold, life as they know it will never be the same again. Last Summer on State Street is a profound coming-of-age story about the restorative power of community, the claiming of one's own past, and the defining friendships which form the heartbeat of our lives.

Reviews

Last Summer on State Street is a beautifully observed portrait of family and female friendship. Toya Wolfe is a marvellous writer. * Audrey Niffenegger, New York Times bestselling author of The Time Travelers Wife *
Tragic, hopeful, brimming with love, Wolfe's debut is a remarkable achievement. * New York Times *
Toya Wolfe is a storyteller of the highest order-a wise and compassionate chronicler of girlhood, of Chicago, and of the things that make us human. Last Summer on State Street is a stunning debut. * Rebecca Makkai, New York Times bestselling author of The Great Believers *
Last Summer on State Street is an ode to Black girls who are often forgotten. Toya Wolfe tells a compelling, warm, and funny story about a group of girls growing up in a Chicago public housing development. * Natalie Y. Moore, author of The Billboard *
I can't stop thinking of Toya Wolfe's novel Last Summer on State Street. Wolfe writes with such grace and such restraint, I felt like I was sitting on the front porch listening to a story told by a friend. What a spectacular debut. * Alex Kotlowitz, author of An American Summer *
Last Summer on State Street is a love letter to girlhood, the tenuous bonds of friendship, and the places we call home. * Nancy Johnson, author of The Kindest Lie *
Wolfe's arresting and atmospheric narrative comes fully realized. This is a gut punch. * Publishers Weekly *
First-time novelist Wolfe writes with lacerating precision and authenticity. Wolfe's deeply compelling characters, sharply wrought settings, and tightly choreographed plot create a concentrated, significant, and unforgettable tale of family, home, racism, trauma, compassion, and transcendence. * Booklist *
LAST SUMMER ON STATE STREET is an astonishing debut, and Toya Wolfe is a remarkable talent. The novel is a hymn to girlhood, a loving and nuanced portrait of a place and a clear-eyed dissection of brutal social forces that catch Fe Fe, Tonya, Stacia and Precious in their crossfire. Wolfe's prose is rich, elegant and assured - a joy to read. * Jessica Moor *

Author Bio

Toya Wolfe grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes on Chicago's South Side. She earned an MFA in Creative Writing at Columbia College Chicago. Her writing has appeared in African Voices, Chicago Journal, Chicago Reader, Hairtrigger 27, and Warpland- a journal of Black Ideas. She is the recipient of the Zora Neale Hurston-Bessie Head Fiction Award, the Union League Civic & Arts Foundation Short Story Competition, and the Betty Shifflet/John Schultz Short Story Award. Last Summer on State Street is her debut novel.