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A Particular Kind of Black Man
A Particular Kind of Black Man | Tope Folarin
3 posts | 4 read | 12 to read
A stunning debut novel, from Rhodes Scholar and winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing, Tope Folarin about a Nigerian family living in Utah and their uncomfortable assimilation to American life. Living in small-town Utah has always been an uneasy fit for Tunde Akinolas family, especially for his Nigeria-born parents. Though Tunde speaks English with a Midwestern accent, he cant escape the children who rub his skin and ask why the black wont come off. As he struggles to fit in and find his place in the world, he finds little solace from his parents who are grappling with their own issues. Tundes father, ever the optimist, works tirelessly chasing his American dream while his wife, lonely in Utah without family and friends, sinks deeper into schizophrenia. Then one otherwise-ordinary morning, Tundes mother wakes him with a hug, bundles him and his baby brother into the car, and takes them away from the only home theyve ever known. But running away doesnt bring her, or her children, any relief from the demons that plague her; once Tundes father tracks them down, she flees to Nigeria, and Tunde never feels at home again. He spends the rest of his childhood and young adulthood searching for connectionto the wary stepmother and stepbrothers he gains when his father remarries; to the Utah residents who mock his fathers accent; to evangelical religion; to his Texas middle schools crowd of African-Americans; to the fraternity brothers of his historically black college. In so doing, he discovers something that sends him on a journey away from everything he has known. Sweeping, stirring, and perspective-shifting, A Particular Kind of Black Man is a beautiful and poignant exploration of the meaning of memory, manhood, home, and identity as seen through the eyes of a first-generation Nigerian-American.
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quote
SaraBeagle
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Focus on you. On the things that make you happy and calm. The things that make your heart beat faster and slower. This is how you will learn who you are, and what you are supposed to do in this life.

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Christine
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I loved this moving, interestingly constructed story about growing up in the U.S. in an immigrant family. Tunde was a wonderful main character, and I learned a lot from his struggle to negotiate belonging, relationships, and identity as a first generation Nigerian-American. My only complaint is that I wanted to spend more time with pretty much all of the characters.

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blurb
Liberty
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It‘s very sad about Toni Morrison, but there are very few of us here she didn‘t shape in some way, and that was through the power of books. So here are some of today‘s new books. Maybe you‘ll find a new one that means something to you.❤️
There are several more out today that I am excited about, including Hollow Kingdom (💚💚💚), A Particular Kind of Black Man, The Right Swipe, and Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion. ❤️📚❤️

Tracey3 Judging a book by its cover....In Other Words completely jumps out at me. All the Water in the World looks good as well. Thank you for the spread of new books to explore! (edited) 5y
Tracey3 We are All Good People Here and House of Salt and Sorrows are also being added to my wish list! 5y
JamieArc Always look forward to your Tuesday new release posts ❤️ 5y
Graciouswarriorprincess The Right Swipe and Ellie and the Harpmaker for me. So sad about Toni Morrison; one of the great ones in the literary world and the world in general! 😥 5y
jillrhudy Celia Imrie????? THE Celia Imrie? 5y
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