Training School for Negro Girls

August 13, 2018
This sharp and sensitive collection, Acker’s debut, traces the lives of black women and girls in Washington, D.C., across different neighborhoods, socioeconomic statuses, and decades. In “Cicada,” young Ellery impresses the crowd and emerges victorious at her piano recital, only to be brought back down to reality afterward, noticing the differences between her family and those of the players around her. “All the Things You’ll Never Do” follows a power-obsessed TSA agent—who has never been on an airplane—from her work shift to the bar, where she attempts to feel superior to everyone around her. The heartrending “Now, This” chronicles the daily drudgery of Rae, nearing menopause and haunted by failed relationships, as she decides whether or not to lower her standards for a new romantic possibility. Acker’s eye for simple details illuminates: A young girl notices how “ always knew how much things cost without looking at price tags,” and a game of double Dutch threatens a teacher as she watches—“The ropes would savage you. It was hard to see the escape route and how to land unscathed.” Grappling with ideas like gentrification and social-climbing through the fine-tuned eyes of her characters, Acker never oversimplifies or neatens the complexities that make up life.

Narrators Bahni Turpin and Janina Edwards trade off the saucy short stories in this collection. Their liveliness will have listeners laughing out loud at the audacity of the characters. Portraying a range of people from teenagers who prank unsuspecting adults on the metro to girls who compete to win piano recitals, the narrators work together to create this portrait of African-Americans in Maryland. We experience the ups and downs of gentrification through Turpin and Edwards's creative styles. They move smoothly from male characters to female ones with believable voices and cadences. Whether they're depicting sassy women or deep-voiced men, this is a quick listen as the stories are told at a rapid-fire pace, creating an enjoyable experience throughout. M.R. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine