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From the Bookshelf of The Roundtable…

Song of Solomon

Toni Morrison

Start date: December 1, 2019

Finish date: December 31, 2019

Discussion: Fiction Group Reads

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What Members Thought

Dec 12, 2019 Viv JM rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2019, fiction-literary, author-female, 1001-books-project

There's a lot to process here and I am not sure I can review this with any justice, except to say: read it, you won't regret it. Morrison's writing is wonderful, her characters are fascinating and multi-layered; her understanding of human nature and motivations is razor sharp. ...more

14 likes · Like · see review

Jan 11, 2009 Irene rated it really liked it

This is the coming of age story of a black man living in the middle of the 20th century. Coming from an ambitious, middle-class family, he grapples with personal and community identity, family and social contradictions, the desire to fly and the tethers that keep one grounded. Morrison’s writing is always outstanding and her social commentary insightful and provocative. As with all her novels, there are layers that demand much thought, but this was not as difficult to read and enjoy as some of h ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Jan 20, 2009 El rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 20th-centurylit-late, 1001-books-list

I read Beloved in college and was turned off, as typical, by the extensive feminist discussions surrounding the text. Because of that I've been hesitant to read more Morrison, fully aware of the fact that I probably really do like her. Reading Solomon now is a good indication that I had been right and only putting on this front because of a bad college text experience. Wouldn't be the first time.

I knew a little of what to expect with Solomon as the same people from my school discussed this book I read Beloved in college and was turned off, as typical, by the extensive feminist discussions surrounding the text. Because of that I've been hesitant to read more Morrison, fully aware of the fact that I probably really do like her. Reading Solomon now is a good indication that I had been right and only putting on this front because of a bad college text experience. Wouldn't be the first time.

I knew a little of what to expect with Solomon as the same people from my school discussed this book also, a lot of which I filed away. Their talks of symbolism, mythology, religion, identity - it all went into this little hole in my brain which inexplicably remained filled while all those other more important holes (like where I'm supposed to be on any given day) are suddenly empty. Bizarre. In any case, I could finally use that information and put it all into context. Here we have Macon "Milkman" Dead III, born prematurely, with no real idea of who he is or, more importantly, who his people are. Against his father's wishes he makes contact with his aunt, Pilate, who helps Milkman discover his roots and who he really is. He draws strength from this and goes on a spiritual and physical journey to find certain truths that have been kept from him his whole life and which not even Pilate can tell him - it's that part of growing up that requires the one growing up to do the growing up bit. Everyone else can just help point you in the right direction.

There's so much to this book, so many layers. Unfortunately there are some ridiculous character names that made the symbolism thing a little too heavy-handed - besides Milkman there are his sisters, First Corinthians and Magdalene (always referred to as "Magdalene called Lena" which was fine maybe the first two times but then became quickly repetitive and annoying), his aunt Pilate, her daughter Reba and her granddaughter Hagar, Milkman's best friend Guitar, and other important and plot-driven characters such as Circe and Sing. It made me think back to reading Middlesex and how much I hated that stuff in that book. With Morrison, however, the character names have more to do with the story, symbolically and all. You don't have to have the Bible memorized to get a pretty good grasp on the allusions to the Good Book.

Eventually however the story did hit a point that made me think Morrison had written entirely too long and she should have cut it off a while back. Still, as a whole it was a fantastic book and worth the time and energy. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

May 06, 2018 Elise rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, club, women, 1970s, read-in-2018

Just when I was sure that I didn't enjoy multi-generational family sagas, Song of Solomon is the second one in a few weeks to prove me wrong (the first being The Bridge of Beyond, which I strongly recommend.) Here we get five generations, mostly seen through the eyes of great-grandson Milkman Dead. Names are important here in that they're the key to maintaining a connection. Due to an odd change of name, the history of Milkman's grandparents is already mostly lost, showing just how fragile the t ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Dec 14, 2019 Pamela rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: guardian-1000-read, boxall-1001-read

Imaginative and multi-layered, this novel mixes fable and history into the story of several generations of an African-American family. Macon Dead is born on the day a local insurance agent promises his customers he will fly, and jumps from his roof. Through Macon's story, the reader follows Macon on both a literal and a spiritual journey to discover the truth of his family's origin, what his life is really about and what it means to fly.

This was a joy to read, a fascinating story with memorable ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Feb 19, 2017 Kathy Chumley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio-books

Few novelists, dead or living, are true storytellers. Toni Morrison is among those few. When you read a Toni Morrison novel you expect rich dialogue, fully developed and diverse characters, worlds you can see, feel, and smell, even if you have never been in any place like her settings, and almost always a bit of folktale magic.

Song of Solomon doesn't disappoint. It's a coming of age story, the story of one man's search for his life's purpose and meaning, a family saga, a love story, a story abo ...more

1 like · Like · see review