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Let Us Descend: A Novel

By Jesmyn Ward
 
Edition

Hardcover edition

Publisher Simon & Schuster Imprint Scribner (Adult) ISBN

9781982104498

Let Us Descend: A Novel

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SKU
9781982104498J

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JLG Category

Adult Crossover High Plus
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CONTENT NOTIFICATIONS

Discrimination: Racial Insensitivity/Racism,Language: Infrequent Use,Language: Moderate Language,Sexual Content: Strong Sexual Content/Themes,Social Issue: Slavery in Historical Context,Violence: Sexual Assault/Rape,Violence: Strong Violence

From Jesmyn Ward—the two-time National Book Award winner, youngest winner of the Library of Congress Prize for Fiction, and MacArthur Fellow—comes a haunting masterpiece, sure to be an instant classic, about an enslaved girl in the years before the Civil War.



“‘Let us descend,’ the poet now began, ‘and enter this blind world.’” —Inferno, Dante Alighieri



Let Us Descend is a reimagining of American slavery, as beautifully rendered as it is heart-wrenching. Searching, harrowing, replete with transcendent love, the novel is a journey from the rice fields of the Carolinas to the slave markets of New Orleans and into the fearsome heart of a Louisiana sugar plantation.



Annis, sold south by the white enslaver who fathered her, is the reader’s guide through this hellscape. As she struggles through the miles-long march, Annis turns inward, seeking comfort from memories of her mother and stories of her African warrior grandmother. Throughout, she opens herself to a world beyond this world, one teeming with spirits: of earth and water, of myth and history; spirits who nurture and give, and those who manipulate and take. While Ward leads readers through the descent, this, her fourth novel, is ultimately a story of rebirth and reclamation.



From one of the most singularly brilliant and beloved writers of her generation, this miracle of a novel inscribes Black American grief and joy into the very land—the rich but unforgiving forests, swamps, and rivers of the American South. Let Us Descend is Jesmyn Ward’s most magnificent novel yet, a masterwork for the ages.



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Praise & Reviews

Library Journal

 
Cullen (1980: America's Pivotal Year) offers a dual biography of two highly successful musicians/songwriters and a chronicle of the American music scene from the 1970s to the present. Well-versed in modern U.S. culture and popular entertainment, the author examines the influence of New York City and its different ethnicities on the lives and music of Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel. This work explores the parallel tracks of their careers and troubled lives. Springsteen, from suburban New Jersey, struggled with depression; Joel, from Long Island, faced an addiction to alcohol. Both were poor students who rebelled against formal education, had failed marriages, and were outsiders who craved respect from the music establishment. The most interesting part of the book covers their emergence in the early 1970s and incredible success in the 1980s. Key albums and songs are discussed at length, as well as interactions with an array of record producers and band members. Cullen also assesses the critical response to both performers and their enduring impact (Joel's last studio album was in 1993, while Springsteen has released 10 albums since 2000). VERDICT Fans will appreciate Cullen's insight and respect for Springsteen's and Joel's music in this highly entertaining book.—Thomas Karel

Adult Crossover High Plus (Grades 11 & Up)

Adult Crossover High Plus

Adult Crossover High Plus (Grades 11 & Up)

For Grades 11 & Up
For the more advanced high school reader who is ready for adult reading, our ACH+ Category is a great choice. With more sophisticated and challenging themes, the 14 books in ACH+ open up new worlds for teen readers.
Take note: These selections often contain mature situations and language that could be considered controversial.

14 books per Year
$309.26 per Year
Interests

Fiction, Mature Readers, Novels, Realistic Fiction

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