Welcome to Litsy!

Extensively researched and incredibly sad. George and Willie Muse were only nine and six years old when they were stolen from their home to be exhibited as a circus sideshow and told their mother was dead. Written in a style somewhat similar to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

I picked up Beth Macy's Truevine because it was by Beth Macy. And I have to admit that I was surprised by what it was REALLY about (I found the title to be misleading). Truevine tells the story of the Muse brothers of Truevine, Virginia (near Roanoke), who were taken from their mother and toured around the country as part of various circus freak shows.

American history is just a nightmare. #Audiobooks #Circus

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4)
An excellent but disturbing read, Truevine is my second book in @TheReadingMermaid 's #BookaWeekChallenge. Brings the segregated South, and the still racist U.S., out into the harsh light of day, while telling the story of two black albino brothers who were "stolen" and forced into a career as sideshow freaks.

My review on GR: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2393098998

#BookaWeek #readharder2018 #TrueCrime #MakeMeReadIt (4th)

Here's one for all you King lovers out there.

This book had some amazing information in it - I learned about circus sideshows, different performers and a little history of Roanoke VA. I felt that that the Muse brothers were more of an afterthought. There were so many other stories besides theirs in this book. I know the author didn‘t find much info about their circus life, but the last chapter with stories Willie told was my favorite. #audiobook #nonfiction

Thank you @Alicia for these 4 books I‘ve been anxious to read! What a great surprise to come home to! The bookmarks, tea, and journal are icing on the cake! I love everything!💙💙💙

Thanks @JenlovesJT47 for organizing such a fun swap!

SO MANY BOOKSTORE RECS

@trueisa4letterword Many of these were snapped with the intent of sharing them with you.

Macy did an amazing job of researching, synthesizing, and presenting the information, not only about George and Willie Muse, but also about life in the circus during this time and the Jim Crow south. The content of the book was very interesting and gave me a new perspective on circus life.

5 hour layover in Chicago... let‘s see how far I can get with this one. About 100 pages in and it‘s a pretty interesting read so far.

Circuses, sideshows, Jim Crow, racism, the FBI, family, & America's evolution through the beginning of the 20th century. All are in Macy's book about albino African American brothers George and Willie Muse, who either joined the circus or were kidnapped_joined the circus. I got irritated at times with her repetition of information. What she wrote about the passing of Willie Muse was as gentle and beautiful as a passing can be; I was in tears. 5⭐

Mini #LibraryHaul went to return Exit West (loved it) and couldn't resist these three #ZeroWillPower ~ I wasn't even #ShelfSurfing they were just on the return cart....felt like it was a sign from the Library Gods ⚡️✨⚡️✨⚡️
Happy Friday, friends!

First, Thank you @LEGolasa for such a great read from #CupidGoesPostal Box. What a intriguing look at how the Circus started and mixed feelings using individuals with disabilities as a freak show but they even comment on what other job in that time period and perceptions could they have done. Fascinating and sometimes heartbreaking.

Today's reading is from @LEGolasa from #Cupidgoespostal lol still working my way through my #FebTBR pile. Thought I would enjoy the birds and fountain before it gets to steamy!

This book felt like it should have been two or three shorter books. It was just so unfocused and rambly. The last chapter is the best chapter in the book, I wish the rest of the book was like it.

So hard to do.

Life lesson on anger. "She took that anger, and she took her time, and then she took them to task."

This book covers a wide range of seemingly non related information. Two black albino brothers are 'kidnapped' and work for most of their lives in circus sideshows. So tons of circus history. Cool and interesting! They are from Roanoke. So a lot of Roanoke/Virginia history and how African Americans were treated from the early to mid 20th century. Spoiler, not well. And the story of how their illiterate mom tracks them down,ties it all together.

This book is fascinating. Only 100 pages in, but already so much information within. Continually, audibly, "hmmm"-ing and receiving odd looks from hubs and kids.

Although Beth Macy's book is a frustrating biography (mainly due to the lack of primary resources on the brothers or their plight) it's an excellent piece of social history setting out the experiences of African Americans in the Jim Crow South, the effects of which continue to be felt today.

Author takes a while to warm up to her subject. I feared another case of what plagues Spectacle and Patient H.M., books whose subjects are necessarily defined by the negative spaces around them. But there's more of a documentary record of the Muse brothers, and the author does a top notch job researching and engaging many local sources to get the full and true (to the extent knowable) fascinating, tragic but ultimately triumphant story.

This book was not what I expected. The subtitle is a bit misleading and the narrative meanders at times. It is particularly strong in depicting the Jim Crow south and I appreciated that. I enjoyed getting to know Willie and George Muse a bit, but I'm not sure there was enough of their story available to fill a book. If you are a circus history buff, you'll really like it.

#LitsyAtoZ (authors) M, 13/26

My #currentreads. I was really hoping to finish Truevine yesterday, then today, but have had a bit of a dumpster fire week with no end in site. I can still #MAKEROOMMAKEROOM!

#riotgrams #blackhistory Some of my TBR I haven't shared yet for today's prompt.

Nonfiction story of 2 Albino brothers kidnapped, sold & exploited by various circus shows. Deals with Jim Crow South. Meticulously researched. However, I felt the author did not have enough of a story line and the book went in many directions some of which were a bit dry...

#TBRtemptation post! Wow-wow-wow!!! The true story of 2 black brothers in 1899 in Truevine, Virginia, who were kidnapped and displayed at circus freaks, and their mother's 28-year struggle to get them back! The Muse brothers became superstars, performing at Buckingham Palace, MSG in NYC, etc. The question at this biography's core: were they better off on the world stage or in Virginia's poverty? #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😻

Accidental library haul! I promised I would try to stick with one library book per month, but then I returned one today and oopsie. In my defense, I've wanted to read Truevine since I first read about it, then I've heard good things about Letters. Plus, as soon as I opened the penguin covers book, I couldn't seriously put it back down! Oh well. I knew it wouldn't last. 😂

Not only was this a fascinating look at the allure of the circus and it's perfomers, but it also gave invaluable insight into the South during Jim Crow. Macy did a great job of making Willie, George, and their family seem very real and very human, not always possible when writing about people born over a hundred years ago. Great book.

Who else is scrambling to finish their current read(s) in order to start fresh tomorrow? 🙋🏼 Only 40 pages to go. 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

I love reading little tidbits like this in nonfiction. I mean, who would have thought?! 📪 👧🏻

I was really hoping that B&N would have an MLK/civil rights table. Alas, they didn't, but I did pick up this book today and plan to start it this afternoon to honor a great man. I have had my eye on it for awhile and I couldn't pass up 60% off. #inspiredbymlk #readjanuary

celebrating my birthday in one of the best ways - picking up all my holds at the library & stockpiling my favorite winter teas when they go on sale, cake & everything is coming later but sometimes its just nice to savor the little things & curl up with some good books + lots of tea 📚😀📖🎂

Rating: 🍷🍷🍷/5 Cheers!
The old adage is true,you learn something new every day. I'd never heard of Willie & George Muse prior to reading this book. This is the story of two young African Americans stolen by a carnival in the late 19th, early 20th century & exhibited in sideshows because they were albinos. Located in tobacco country, Truevine is a small town outside of Roanoke, one of the most segregated cities in the Jim Crow South #spinesvines

When the pug steals your comfy reading spot... #puglife

Well researched and written book about two albino negro brothers who are kidnapped and end up traveling as sideshow curiosities during a shameful period at the turn of the 20th century.

I received some BN gift cards for Christmas, so here's today's small #bookhaul and a puzzle (because I intend to glue it, frame it, and hang it, and who doesn't love puzzles?!). And now, instead of reading either of these or starting the puzzle, I'm planning how to spend the rest of my gift cards. 😁

Fascinating. I appreciated the way the author blended social history with Circus history and with analysis of Jim Crow, and "freaks." A thorough and complex look at the lives of the Muse brothers as well as their era. Solid.

TRUEVINE author Beth Macy recommends her favorite books for writers!

"good things come to he who waiteth as long as he hustleth while he waiteth."

It was a little slow for me at the beginning, but once I got into it, I was in for good. The Muse brothers were taken by a circus and kept from their mother for years. Macy explores their individual story, some of the history of circuses and sideshows, and the Jim Crow south that made it difficult for her to find and protect her sons. Weaving through all of this was a wonderful story of intergenerational family love. #nonfictionnovember2016

Next up.

This well-researched account of how two albino, African-American brothers came to appear in circus sideshows in the early 1900s is an important cultural and historical snapshot. While not clear if they were actually kidnapped, the book explores how prejudices of the time would have allowed it to happen, as well as the naïveté of a public that believed the stories told by sideshows and felt it was OK to gawk at the performers. An interesting read.

Just received my signed art print won from Little, Brown & Co! Thank you! It's lovely!

I haven't had a chance to read the book yet but soon!

I love creative inner covers (I don't know whether there is a special name for them). This one especially because I'm very familiar with the area. I drive on Orange Avenue every day on my commute. I've been to that library.

I wasn't born in Roanoke, VA, but I've lived here now for 20 years. I've always enjoyed Beth Macy's journalism. I'm so glad she's writing books now. Good, readable, & relevant non-fiction. It's perfect for where we are today.

Allison couldn't pick just one, so I had to pick a hand. I picked her right and and The winner is Truevine! I think I'll read her other selection next. Good job, Allison!!!

Two brothers kidnapped in to a circus sideshow. Their mother fights to get them back. A crazy story that almost seems unbelievable. Definitely read it.