The Road to Memphis

June 5, 1990
In the tradition of Maya Angelou and Alice Walker, Taylor uses powerful, vibrant prose to express the sentiments of a young black Southerner, as the Newbery Medalist continues the story of Cassie Logan. The year is 1941, and 17-year-old Cassie prepares for college by attending high school in Jackson, Miss., where her brother Stacey and friends Little Willie and Moe work in factories. No longer under the protective wing of her parents and Big Ma, Cassie confronts the hostility of the white community and faces new harsh realities including the betrayal of a childhood friend, the outbreak of World War II and an act of violence that forces Moe into hiding. Although Cassie experiences fear and humiliation, her determination to fight for justice remains undaunted. Offering the same captivating characters, honest dialogue and resonant imagery found in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and Let the Circle Be Unbroken , this enlightening, moving novel will leave readers yearning for the next installment of the Logan saga. Ages 12-up.

Taylor continues the story of an African-American family in Mississippi, which she began in the Newbery Award winner Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. It's 1941, and Cassie, a high school senior, is dreaming of college and law school. But racial injustice forces Cassie and her brother to put aside their lives and help an old friend escape trouble. Thigpen's deep, rich voice conveys the range of Cassie's feelings, from outspoken boldness to fear, grief and bewilderment. While the story sometimes moves slowly--both the writing and the reading suffer from a lack of dramatic pacing--listeners will be entertained, educated and moved by it. J.E.T. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine