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Air Traffic
Air Traffic: A Memoir of Ambition and Manhood in America | Gregory Pardlo
9 posts | 4 read | 15 to read
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, his first work of prose: a deeply felt memoir of a family's bonds and a meditation on race, addiction, fatherhood, ambition, and American culture The Pardlos were an average, middle-class African American family living in a New Jersey Levittown: charismatic Gregory Sr., an air traffic controller, his wife, and their two sons, bookish Greg Jr. and musical-talent Robbie. But when "Big Greg" loses his job after participating in the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Strike of 1981, he becomes a disillusioned, toxic, looming presence in the household--and a powerful rival for young Greg. While Big Greg succumbs to addiction and exhausts the family's money, Greg Jr. rebels--he joins a boot camp for prospective Marines, follows a woman to Denmark, drops out of college again and again, and yields to alcoholism. Years later, he falls for a beautiful, no-nonsense woman named Ginger and becomes a parent himself. Then, he finally grapples with the irresistible yet ruinous legacy of masculinity he inherited from his father. In chronicling his path to recovery and adulthood--Gregory Pardlo gives us a compassionate, loving ode to his father, to fatherhood, and to the frustrating-yet-redemptive ties of family, as well as a scrupulous, searing examination of how African American manhood is shaped by contemporary American life.
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8little_paws
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Firstly, this isn't really a straightforward memoir but more like a collection of personal essays. But they're REALLY interesting and I love his writing style. It's biking season now so my reading has really slowed down, but I'm loving this.

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LauraBeth
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My kid: “I never appreciated the smallness of Grey Cat‘s head until we got the other cat.” 😹

Tanisha_A 🤣 5y
Tanisha_A I like that philosophy! 🤣 5y
Bookzombie 😂 💕🐱 5y
LeahBergen 😂😂😂 Im going to have to see a GC vs The BFG side-by-side comparison soon! 5y
DebinHawaii 🐱❤️ 5y
106 likes5 comments
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Christine
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Pickpick

Great book - Pardlo‘s writing is dense and very impressive. (I‘ve never read his poetry but want to now.) His story is compelling, but even more so is his ability to deliver many truths about American culture through this story (see extra-timely quote above). Plus I learned so much about the 1981 air traffic controller strike, scarily relevant now due to the ridiculous shutdown (during which my hubby has been working full time without pay 😣).

Reggie That sucks!!! I‘m so sorry. 5y
Christine Aww, thanks @Reggie!! ❤️ It does suck. And is so senseless. Argh. 5y
42 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Christine
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Just sat down to read the intro and first chapter of this, which will likely be the sum total of my holiday season sitting-down-to-read time (😭! Hosting, partying, peopling, etc.). But at least it was time very well spent, because so far Pardlo‘s writing is EXCELLENT. Can‘t wait to continue!

Reggie This sounds sooo good!! 5y
55 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Suelizbeth
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Pickpick

Had this book not been picked for me, I would not have read it. I enjoy a good memoir, and this one was OK, but was constructed more as a series of essays, and it became somewhat disconnected. I enjoyed the author‘s writing, although he does tend to love to show off his vast vocabulary. All of that aside, it is the author‘s insights into black America and what it is to be a black man in America, that make this a book worth reading. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

65 likes1 stack add
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Suelizbeth
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I really need this #Readathon because my reading for September tanked! Thank you @TheReadingMermaid for these end of the month boosts. #24B4Monday

BeansPage You are very welcome 🤗💕 6y
47 likes1 comment
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Vbrrgirl
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Finished this up this morning. I worked with the author‘s father in the railroad industry and curiosity got the best of me. Regardless of my original intentions, the writing was excellent and the author‘s thoughts on unions and poetry were so intriguing to me.

9 likes2 stack adds
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Well-ReadNeck
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#LibraryHaul

I‘m positively drowning in new books!! 🌊🏊🏼‍♀️🤩

IheartYA That's the only kind of drowning I'm ok with..lol 6y
Samplergal Terrible problem to have! 😂 6y
157 likes3 comments
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Liberty
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Evening reading. It‘s tremendous. 📖

117 likes7 stack adds