Brother, I'm Dying

Starred review from July 16, 2007
In a single day in 2004, Danticat (Breath, Eyes, Memory
; The Farming of Bones
) learns that she’s pregnant and that her father, André, is dying—a stirring constellation of events that frames this Haitian immigrant family’s story, rife with premature departures and painful silences. When Danticat was two, André left Haiti for the U.S., and her mother followed when Danticat was four. The author and her brother could not join their parents for eight years, during which André’s brother Joseph raised them. When Danticat was nine, Joseph—a pastor and gifted orator—lost his voice to throat cancer, making their eventual separation that much harder, as he wouldn’t be able to talk with the children on the phone. Both André and Joseph maintained a certain emotional distance through these transitions. Danticat writes of a Haitian adage, “ 'When you bathe other people’s children, you should wash one side and leave the other side dirty.’ I suppose this saying cautions those who care for other people’s children not to give over their whole hearts.” In the end, as Danticat prepares to lose her ailing father and give birth to her daughter, Joseph is threatened by a volatile sociopolitical clash and forced to flee Haiti. He’s then detained by U.S. Customs and neglected for days. He unexpectedly dies a prisoner while loved ones await news of his release. Poignant and never sentimental, this elegant memoir recalls how a family adapted and reorganized itself over and over, enduring and succeeding to remain kindred in spite of living apart.

Starred review from November 26, 2007
Dandicat's moving memoir focuses on her Uncle Joseph, who raised her in Haiti, and her father, who was reunited with her in the United States when she was 12. Robin Miles brings the two brothers to life. Portraying Dandicat's father, Mira, as soft-spoken and wise, she sagely decides not to try to imitate the mechanical voice box he uses after losing his larynx to throat cancer. The women sound much more alike, but Dandicat's mother and many aunts have relatively minor roles. The exception is Dandicat herself, the powerful narrator whom Miles portrays as a calm presence in the midst of political and familial tragedies. Miles's Creole sounds fluid and authentic, and listeners will have no trouble understanding the characters' French accents (Creole phrases are followed by translations). Miles uses the same pace throughout, but she might have given more pep to Joseph's breathtaking escape from Haiti. Miles is a perfect fit for Dandicat's books—she previously read Breath, Eyes, Memory
. She artfully immerses listeners in Dandicat's world and will leave them wanting more. Simultaneous release with the Knopf hardcov. (Reviews, July 16).

Starred review from August 1, 2007
Haitian-born American writer Danticat("The Dew Breaker") is at her bestfearless, persuasive, and captivatingin recounting her family history. We meet the author as a child in her native country when she is left in the care of her pastor uncle, Joseph, after her parents and brothers immigrate to America. Fast-forward several years, and a teenage Danticat joins the family she barely remembers in New York City, leaving behind her beloved "second father" and island country. What comes next are not uncommon threads in an immigrant narrativepolitical uncertainties and the colorful figures imposing them, rogues empowered with guns to protect the interests of a self-serving dictator, visa aspirations, cultural woes, and the soothing power of family. In a world where the concept of the distinct nation is fast giving way to the preeminence of diasporas, this is a tale for all, both uplifting and tragic (in 2004, 81-year-old Joseph fled to Miami after escaping a pro-Aristide mob only to be detained and die in prison). Most readers will likely recognize a kindred spirit or something familiar in this family account, brought so vividly to life and captured for the ages by a fine writer. Recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 5/1/07.]Edward K. Owusu-Ansah, Kingsborough Community Coll. Lib., CUNY

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2008
Adult/High School-A family memoir, this book is sad, but it's a worthy and touching read. The author's parents moved from Haiti to New York in 1976, leaving the two eldest children in the care of an aunt and uncle until they earned enough money to relocate the entire family. "Brother" vividly describes the political unrest of Haiti in the 1970s and '80s, and Danticat details the various elections and upheavals. It is clear that the family must leave, but they maintain much affection for their home country. Their eventual immigration to the United States is difficult and near impossible for some, like Uncle Joseph, who at age 81 and suffering multiple health problems is treated like a political prisoner at the hands of immigration officials. While the book often shifts between various periods of the family history, Danticat narrates the story from 2005. Her father is dying, and their relationship holds the narrative together. While the birth of her daughter provides the author with hope, "Brother" may prove to be a little too grim for some teens. Others, however, will appreciate its realism."Jennifer Waters, Red Deer Public Library, Alberta, Canada"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 1, 2007
In 2004, Danticats uncle Joseph, a pastor in poor health at81, fled Haiti after his church wasburned, only to die under appalling circumstances in Floridas Krome detention center. Danticat drew on aspects of her uncles life in her last novel, The Dew Breaker (2004), and now tells the true story straight in this consuming family memoir. Marshaling her considerable storytelling skills, Danticat vividly evokesthe volatile Port-au-Prince neighborhood she called home after her parents emigrated to America and left her in the loving care of Joseph, her fathers brother, and his wife. As she chronicles her uncles experiences in politics and the churchand the throat cancer that claimed his ability to speak, as well as her parents livesin New York before and after she was reunited with them, Haitis bloody history and ongoing turmoil form her narratives molten core while voice becomes its leitmotif. In a shattering yetredemptivemanifestation of lifes cycles, as Danticats uncleenters his final days, her father is slowlysilenced by lung disease, and she awaits the birth of her daughter. Thismeticulously crafted, deeply feltremembrance is a homageto one remarkable family, andall who persevere, seeking justice and channeling love.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)