Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward

At the end of this fine memoir, many very famous authors wrote about the wonder of this memoir. Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward is about a period of tragedy in Mississippi especially in the Black community. This community because of poverty and racism is causing the death of the young Black male. Jesmyn Ward is to be applauded for making her way through and over many obstacles as she strived to become an author. Her way was far from easy. She cried many tears for friends, cousins and her brother who unfortunately found a block in their path to success. It's important to realize these boy-men wanted success too. They didn't choose to settle for hustling drugs or not finding jobs. I blame it on the values and the place where they were born, and they had no choice in that matter. Throughout the memoir the author gives sad statistics for her birth state, Mississippi. While also including the statistics for the Black male who lives there. Once I had read the memoir and read the statistics I saw more clearly the battle a Black male fights daily. It is as if he has not escaped slavery. He is in a different bondage now. Perhaps, this bondage is more horrendous because it bears the name freedom. Also, the women who know and love these men are in a bondage as well.

After the death of one male by suicide, his girl friend sits in the car with Jesmyn West regretting what she didn't say but what she wanted to say. She's hurt deeply. She feels at fault. She wants him back from the arms of death. There is no kindness in these episodes. Only a wild hunger to eat the poor and Black alive.

After her brother's death, Jesmyn West think of suicide. To stop herself from cutting her wrists she tattoos Love Brother on one wrist. She also has the other wrist tattooed with, I think, his name. The latter wrist is tattooed first. She tattoos her wrists out of deep, forever love for Josh.  She knew she could never put a knife to a place where anything about her brother is stamped. This is her creative way of striving to survive for the sake of the men cousins still in her life and most of all for the sake of her daughter. By the way, Josh doesn't commit suicide. His death is a different death. It is done by a drunk driver.

The memoir is tragic. It broke my heart. It breaks the heart of the author daily. She walks and works with the dead on her mind. They are never forgotten. What words are sufficient to write about the author, her sisters, her father, her mother? I won't offer a shallow "I'm sorry." I'm too numbed by their pain. I can only end this book review by writing, "Jesmyn Ward, I heard you. I will not forget you. I thank you for reliving your pain in Men We Reaped. You moved me emotionally.  nprreaped-is-a-reminder-that-no-one-is-promised-tomorrow

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