Praise Song for the Widow: (Of the Diaspora North America)
(Hardback)
Publishing Details
Praise Song for the Widow: (Of the Diaspora North America)
By (Author) Paule Marshall
McSweeney's Publishing
McSweeney's Publishing
26th January 2021
United States
Classifications
General
Fiction
FIC
Physical Properties
Hardback
264
Description
Featuring a new original introduction by Edwidge Danticat
Avey Johnson-a black, middle-aged, middle-class widow given to hats, gloves, and pearls-has long since put behind her the Harlem of her childhood. Then on a cruise to the Caribbean with two friends, inspired by a troubling dream, she senses her life beginning to unravel-and in a panic packs her bag in the middle of the night and abandons her friends at the next port of call. The unexpected and beautiful adventure that follows provides Avey with the links to the culture and history she has so long disavowed. Originally published in 1983, Praise Song for the Widow was a recipient of the Before Columbus Foundation American Book Award, and is presented here in a beautiful new hardcover edition.
'Astonishingly moving.' Anne Tyler, The New York Times Book Review
Reviews
"Astonishingly moving."
--Anne Tyler, The New York Times
"A work of exceptional wisdom, maturity, and generosity, one in which the palpable humanity of its characters transcends any considerations of race or sex."
--The Washington Post
"A strikingly beautiful tale... an eloquent and heart-wrenching portrait."
--New York Daily News
"There is no limit to the kind of readership to which this novel will appeal."
--Booklist
"Marshall is one of our finest American novelists.... [Her] stature is due not only to her exploration of significant themes but also to her ability to create complex characters within the context of their culture."
--San Francisco Chronicle
"Well-knit and sensitively textured."
--Kirkus
Author Bio
Paule Marshall was the author of Brown Girl, Brownstones; The Chosen Place, the Timeless People; Praisesong for the Widow; Soul Clap Hands and Sing; Reena and Other Stories; Merle; The Fisher King; Triangular Road; and Daughters. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, she was Professor of English at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. She passed away in 2019.
