Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson

Another Brooklyn
by Jacqueline Woodson

This is a short read that is chock full of emotion. After hearing positive buzz about the book, I read the synopsis and thought, well, I don’t know anything about Brooklyn, I don’t know enough about the 1970s, and I never had a strong pack of girls I roamed the streets with during adolescence, so maybe I’m not the target audience for this book. However, I kept reading positive reviews about the book and so I finally dove in. Once you get started, it really pulls you in.

The main character, August, delves deeply into her work as an anthropologist in order to both take her mind off of her damaged family unit, as well as to better understand it. She’s got an intriguing relationship with her brother in that they both have a lot to teach each other, and they have each coped with their parent issues in different ways. The girls she grew up with each taught her so much. They all made each other stronger and wiser, yet it is sad to know they can never go back to what they were.

It did indeed remind me of my old friends, and though we can easily get back in touch, we have each grown up in different ways so will never completely understand each other again like we did back then.

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Difficult Women, by Roxane Gay – for mature readers.)

( official Another Brooklyn web site ) | ( official Jacqueline Woodson web site )

Recommended by Naomi S.
Eiseley and Williams Branch Libraries

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