Book Summary

Memphis is a literary/historical/multi-generational family-saga fiction novel. Sherrie chose it because she had heard such beautiful things about this book. It had a celebrated debut that was a national best seller. Also, she had never been to Memphis😊

 The story begins in the summer of 1995 and follows a young girl named Joan, who at ten years old escapes her violent father with her mom and sister to take refuge at the family’s ancestral home in Memphis. From there, the story jumps around in time to piece together the traumas and triumphs in the lives of the women who came before her — including her grandmother Hazel, whose husband was lynched in the 1950s after becoming the first Black detective in the city.

As Joan grows up, she finds relief as she leans into her artwork to cope and slowly starts to understand the weight of everything the women in her family carried so she could have a better life. It covers about seventy years of one family’s story and hits on some heavy stuff — violence, faith, sacrifice — but also a lot of love and resilience. It’s a really moving and beautifully written story.

What did or didn’t we like about this book?

We loved this book. It was beautifully written, and we felt connected to – and empathetic for – the characters. They felt like a real community, and we couldn’t wait to keep reading each week to see how each character turned out and if they received the closure they were seeking. Even though our backgrounds aren’t the same, each of us can relate to at least one of the generational issues faced by the characters: domestic abuse, deep loss, failed dreams, faith, and in a positive way: the power of community. 

Where did we go after the book was over to celebrate finishing the book, why, and what food/drink/activities did we choose?

We stayed in a great two-story VRBO in Memphis, with a lovely front porch (including a porch swing), and a private back yard where we were allowed to add our BOM Squad logo to the fence. We listened to live music and enjoyed some food on Beale Street, saw the marching of the Peabody Ducks, visited the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, visited Sun Studio, hit up a few dive bars, and recreated a few scenes from the book.