Song of Solomon discussion

So wierd, something made me pick this book off the "Frugal Muse" (second hand books in Madison, WI.) shelf. It about a disturbed guy who travels back to Danville PA to find some gold in a cave and finds instead his own amazing history. Mostly, his grandfather who was shot and killed while sitting on a fence by someone who wanted his land. Amazingly when I lived there 10 years ago, we were told that the original owner of our farm met the same fate, because they wanted to put a road through his farm. How totally strange! The book was earthly, and edgey especially for it's time. Made we want to find out more about Toni Morrison.

She's definitely worth looking into and I think that sequence of events must have been very common at that time because I imagine they would do that later to white land owners if you look at some of the themes in the Westerns where they want to put a railroad through someone's property.

This was a pure joy for me as a reader. The opening sequence about the man who believed he could fly is wonderful. Will reread this one.

I think I need to relook at this again as well because t be honest I read the beginning three times before I felt I could move on and even now I don't think I understand what happened there, what drove him to that and I sense it is of great importance. Perhaps you can explain it to me William. The most tragic thing that happened on that entire book for me was that the woman that loved Solomon to madness never saw him become a better man. That gave me heartache.

Wendy wrote: "I think I need to relook at this again as well because t be honest I read the beginning three times before I felt I could move on and even now I don't think I understand what happened there, what d..."

Oh just reread it when you can. Morrison's novels seem to require rereading; they certainly repay you for the effort. They are so rich, work on so many levels. I guess that's why they gave her the Nobel :-)

This is true. I just got a hold of the Colour Purple and the lady who recommended it had read Solomon and she thought Alice Walker's book was even better. I look forward to that. I must say though that I'm a typical black person in today South Africa, in denial_ :), so I tend to shy away from race and politics related stuff. What I enjoyed about Morrison is that this facet is just one of many such as ambition, madeness, etc. There was nothing special about it. If you get me. She really know her craft.