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The Rib King
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
26 posts | 17 read | 18 to read
Ladee Hubbards voice is a welcome original. Mary Gaitskill Upstairs, Downstairs meets Parasite: The acclaimed author of The Talented Ribkins deconstructs painful African American stereotypes and offers a fresh and searing critique on race, class, privilege, ambition, exploitation, and the seeds of rage in America in this intricately woven and masterfully executed historical novel, set in the early twentieth century that centers around the black servants of a down-on-its heels upper-class white family. For fifteen years August Sitwell has worked for the Barclays, a well-to-do white family who plucked him from an orphan asylum and gave him a job. The groundskeeper is part of the households all-black staff, along with Miss Mamie, the talented cook, pretty new maid Jennie Williams, and three young kitchen apprenticesthe latest orphan boys Mr. Barclay has taken in to "civilize" boys like August. But the Barclays fortunes have fallen, and their money is almost gone. When a prospective business associate proposes selling Miss Mamies delicious rib sauce to local markets under the brand name The Rib Kingusing a caricature of a wildly grinning August wearing a jewel-encrusted crown on the labelMr. Barclay, desperate for cash, agrees. Yet neither Miss Mamie nor August will see a dime. Humiliated, August grows increasingly distraught, his anger building to a rage that explodes in shocking tragedy. Elegantly written and exhaustively researched, The Rib King is an unsparing examination of Americas fascination with black iconography and exploitation that redefines African American stereotypes in literature. In this powerful, disturbing, and timely novel, Ladee Hubbard reveals who people actually are, and most importantly, who and what they are not.
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TheKidUpstairs
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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@AmyG - what an amazing surprise! You totally made my day, thank you so much 😁

(And can we all take a minute to appreciate the gorgeous spine on this edition?! 😍)

AmyG You are so welcome! I really enjoyed this one so hope you do, too! 13mo
57 likes1 comment
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Soubhiville
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Mehso-so

I started out really liking this. The unfortunate circumstances that kept stacking up against Sitwell had me rooting for him, hoping something would finally go his way.

The first half of the book is from his point of view, and the second half, which I didn‘t like nearly as much, is from the point of view of a former coworker and potential love interest of Sitwell‘s, named Jennie.

The switch felt really abrupt and I couldn‘t settle back in.

Soubhiville @TheAromaofBooks this was my #doublespin 🙂📚 2y
TheAromaofBooks I'm not a fan of a major POV shift in the middle of a book, especially after I've gotten attached to the first one! 2y
59 likes2 comments
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HeathHof
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Mehso-so

First book finished for #trappedonanisland
This had some interesting characters and started off strong but in the end, was kind of lukewarm.
@aperfectmjk

aperfectmjk Bummer. 😒 2y
HeathHof @aperfectmjk it wasn't all bad, glad to be able to check it off the 'ol TBR pile🤓 2y
38 likes2 comments
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HeathHof
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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It's a warm and rainy on the island, a perfect day to hide out in my hut and work on the first of the 5 books that made it here with me..I'm on chapter 4 and this one is starting to get good!
🌧🛖📖👀🏝
#trappedonanisland
@aperfectmjk @Littlewolf1

45 likes1 stack add
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Mitch
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Oh my goodness @Soubhiville I don‘t know what to say. You‘ve really spoilt us both. I just heard Liberty Hardy gushing about the tagged book - it‘s her book of the year so I can‘t wait to read it. The playing cards are going to be used on Christmas night - love them. Love it all. Xxxxx

Mitch And Mr K is a happy happy man! He‘s considering BBQ on the Turkey! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 3y
Soubhiville I‘m glad you like everything. I‘ve never considered bbq Turkey, but it sounds tasty! I‘ve also heard really good things about The Rib King, it‘s on my audio TBR. Happy Holidays, hug each other for me! 3y
Mitch @Soubhiville oh we will xxxx And the same to you …. I still hope one day soon so have you both sitting around our kitchen table x 3y
65 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Tera66
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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@FallTreasures #Slowburn
@Eggs & @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
Looks like you girls had a great weekend, I'm so glad you two ladies got to hang out!😊

Eggs Thanks so much Tera!! It was great! 3y
19 likes1 comment
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BrownGirlReading
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Panpan

I started The Rib long with high hopes but sadly this book just didn‘t deliver. The first 40% of the book we are introduced to quite a few interesting characters. The last 60% has a storyline that doesn‘t hit the high notes. Hubbard turns the story into something that isn‘t interesting at all. The book loses steam and I list interest. The writing is very good but Hubbard dabbles in way too many themes and the story gets lost - a real shame.

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mhillis
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Pickpick

I went in to reading The Rib King not having any idea what it was about and to tell the truth, I hadn‘t even looked at the table of contents, so I was surprised by the turns this story took. Jams, wafers, sauce, healing salve—disparate elements come together in this book about race, money, and loyalties.

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ferskner
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Is there anything better than reading through a Sunday afternoon storm?

Tamra Nice! 3y
Chelsea.Poole Love this photo 3y
ferskner @Chelsea.Poole thanks! 3y
63 likes3 comments
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Cortg
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Mehso-so

This one was actually an online horoscope recommendation 😂
It was ok, not the type of book I usually go for, more on the light side without a lot of oomph to it. It did remind me of white privilege in America and how we really haven‘t come all that far since the early 1900‘s.

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Cortg
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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I love that Libby now tells you when your book expires! I can plan my days accordingly to finish the last 2 hours by 4:41pm...tomorrow!

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Cortg
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Got some audio listening in on the drive to and from the trail heads yesterday! It was a beautiful day for a looong bike ride. This audiobook loan expires soon so I‘m hoping to get some yard work and a dog walk in today to wrap it up! Happy Sunday ❤️

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Graciouswarriorprincess
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Another book win arrived today.

Tera66 I loved this book. Hope you love it too! 4y
Graciouswarriorprincess @Tera66 Good to know! 👍🏻😊📚 4y
49 likes2 comments
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KimmyM
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Pickpick

4⭐I was so absorbed in the first half of this book and couldn‘t stop thinking about it.The second part was faster-paced but captivated me less.I loved how things came together (but I struggled with the abrupt ending). The pacing added tension the hectic, frantic scenes in the end and the book weaves matters of race, exploitation, class, and gender into a tense story in a historical setting, in a way that shows how significant they still are today.

NikkiRobson73 I'm almost finished with it and it did lose its momentum with me when it did the time jump. 3y
14 likes1 comment
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Tera66
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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My goal was to post my books every month this year. Already messing up🙄. So here is January, better late than never. Not a great start to the year, but got time to hit that reading goal for the year.
The Rib King was fantastic!

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Christine
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Pickpick

Loved this, and I‘m going to be unpacking it for a while. A really enjoyable reading/listening experience - great language that evokes the time period, often funny, and top-notch audiobook narration. The many different ways in which the (well-drawn and memorable) characters respond to racism, oppression, and exploitation are rich food for thought. (Pun unintended, but the book‘s full of food talk, too! ❤️)

Reggie I‘m so glad you liked it which makes me excited to read it. I loved her other book, The Talented Ribkins. 4y
Christine @Reggie Oh good! That‘s a must-read for me now. :) 4y
44 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Hooked_on_books
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Pickpick

Overall, this is a terrific book, looking at the gulf between black and white people not long after abolition, white privilege and entitlement, and the richness and difficulty of the lives of black folk trying to get by. I do think the title does it a bit of a disservice as it focuses the book in a way that doesn‘t help it, and the ending is a tad abrupt. But I really enjoyed the characters and relationships.

Christine Totally get what you mean about the focus and ending. I'm still mulling those over and considering different messages and meanings that each might be conveying. 4y
47 likes1 comment
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Mitch
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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I usually vehemently disagree with this monthly round up - they always seem to pick the covers I‘ve pointedly disliked! 🤣. This month I kind of agree with their choice! 🥳

https://lithub.com/the-10-best-book-covers-of-january-2/

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Tera66
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Pickpick

The writing is excellent and the story so complete. I really loved this book. This story is told in two parts and wow, It takes a hard swerve to the second half. It becomes a whole other kind of story. And it's great. 😃

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Well-ReadNeck
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Reggie Thanks for the reminder, I loved her other one. 4y
Well-ReadNeck @Reggie Then you will love this one ... it‘s a prequel of sorts ... the Rib King was the first Ribkins. 4y
47 likes2 comments
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Read_By_Red
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Pickpick

The Rib King is honest, timely, and enjoyable. This novel could not be coming out at a better time. It reminded me of how far we have come, but also how far we have to go as a country, specifically the treatment of POC and women. From women needing a man‘s signature to secure a loan, to caricatures on products, to segregation, The Rib King speaks on numerous topics that have become a relevant part of the current conversations being had today.

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Cortg
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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I‘m loving my 2021 horoscope and book recommendations so much, I added the book to my TBR! https://www.google.com/amp/s/bookriot.com/january-2021-horoscopes-and-book-recom.... #TBRCrew

jenniferw88 I'm a Taurus sun and Virgo moon and neither book appealed to me. I have a Capricorn rising though and it's the only one I wanted to stack but forgot the title, so thanks for posting! 4y
Cortg @jenniferw88 Yay! I‘m glad the post was helpful. I love quirky books and this sounds like one! 4y
34 likes2 comments
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Well-ReadNeck
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Pickpick

So excited about this novel coming in January. I got both the #audiobook and e-galley and planned to switch back and forth. The narration was great, but when I sat down with the book, I accidentally kept reading until the end. Whoops. #SorryNotSorry

I immediately put the author‘s backlist novel, The Talented Ribkins on my TBR.

#ARC #Edelweiss #Netgalley

ferskner I'm so excited for this one! 4y
77 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Liberty
The Rib King: A Novel | Ladee Hubbard
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Pickpick

It‘s time for another recommendation for incredible 2021 releases, so go get your TBR list. I‘ll wait here.

Okay, ready? This book ripped the top of my head off! It‘s another one that I immediately read again as soon as I finished it. I‘m pretty sure it‘s already my favorite book of next year. It‘s so freaking brilliant, and I want everyone to read it. 👑❤️👑

83 likes6 stack adds