The death of a jaybird Essays on mothers and daughters and the things they leave behind

Readers may be familiar with Savage's essays on topics like growing up with a mother who struggled with addiction, the failure of the American health system to provide adequate physical and mental health services to African Americans, and the award-nominated "How to Attend a Black Funeral." In this collection, Savage, a New York City--based lawyer, explores the relationships between herself, her mother, and the grandmother who raised her: three women who survived sexual assault. "Granny Poo" was a wiry, tenacious Pentecostal preacher who became the author's lifelong source of strength and her fierce protector until dementia reversed their roles. Savage and her mother, meanwhile, were almost completely alienated until, as adults, they bonded over their simultaneous bouts of breast cancer. Savage's writing is honest, nuanced, and thoughtful as she shares her grief and eventual coming to understanding, forgiveness, and peace. In African American lore, a jaybird's death is a sudden, unexpected, and brutal act; as reinterpreted by Savage's grandmother, dying the death of a jaybird meant experiencing an ultimate, horrifically embarrassing episode. Savage deftly explores these extremes and other vicissitudes of life with wit and grace.

Attorney Savage sets forth an affecting ode to her late mother and grandmother in this stirring debut collection. Savage was raised in Brooklyn by her grandmother, Annie McKinney, while her mother, Cheryl, shuffled in and out of prison as she grappled with addiction and bipolar disorder. When Savage was 28, McKinney developed Alzheimer's, and Savage stepped in as her caretaker until she died. A few years later, Savage and her mother were both diagnosed with breast cancer; Savage survived, but her mother did not. In these essays, Savage turns her relationships with both women over and over in the light: "Searching for Salvation in Antioch," the strongest piece, sees Savage trying to understand how her feminism fits in with her grandmother's beloved Pentecostal Church ("Women make up the majority of most Black churches.... And yet many churches preach sexism and misogyny and violence towards women"). In "The Things She Left Behind," the author frames her hoarding--of documents, photographs, clothes, cassette tapes, unfinished food--as a method of coping with her losses. While each entry contains deep feeling, the collection really sings when it's focused on the radiant bond between Savage and her grandmother--she's less able to make her mother an indelible presence on the page. Still, readers grappling with personal loss will find comfort and sensitivity in these pages. Agent: Mariah Stovall, Trellis Literary. (Nov.)

A collection of essays exploring the experiences of Black women in America. In addition to her compelling personal story, Savage, a writer and attorney, focuses on Black women who have faced the effects of abuse, addiction, and loss. Due to her mother's drug problems and the other "demons" she battled throughout her life, the author was raised in Brooklyn by her grandmother. Granny, Savage called her, was very religious and even considered herself a prophet. Over time, however, the author became bitter and jaded toward her grandmother's faith. "Much of religion," she writes, "is a tower constructed to protect male egos and privilege." She continues, "I didn't need the Bible to tell me about my place in the world. And I was tired of keeping quiet about the things that hurt me." Savage also shares the fact that "Granny, my mother, and I were all sexually abused as children," and she is adamant about her desire to stop the cycle of abuse. When Granny developed Alzheimer's, Savage took on the responsibility of caring for her. She writes candidly about the pain of losing a loved one even before that person is gone and reveals that she hoarded her grandmother's belongings as a means of preserving her memory. Following Granny's death, Savage and her mother were diagnosed with breast cancer, and she ended up losing her mother as well. Other essays examine stereotypes and assumptions that she and other Black women in America face on a daily basis in their encounters with police, treatment by medical doctors, and other situations. Throughout, Savage writes as if speaking with a friend, relating her experiences, and that of others, with sincerity. Readers of all backgrounds are certain to appreciate her struggles and her ability to cope with the challenges she has faced. Raw, honest, and heartbreaking. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.