Guidebook to relative strangers Journeys into race, motherhood, and history

In writing about new motherhood, changing dynamics in her closest relationships, navigating a demanding career requiring extensive travel, and witnessing her tiny child grow into her own person, Dungy (Tropic Cascade) is unabashedly forthright and perceptive. Her observations are made especially piercing when revealed through the lens of being an African American woman in a predominantly white, privileged world. Dungy's agility with language manifests naturally in this memoir remarkable for its precise prose. What glows through the concern for her child, apprehension about her own independence and individuality, and fear of challenges ahead is-again and again-the kindness of strangers, including fellow travelers, drivers, restaurant workers, and welcoming locals in the many towns Dungy visits with daughter Callie in tow. For most of the narration, Allyson Johnson's voice is richly layered and smoothly rhythmic. She falters, unfortunately, with voices other than Dungy's. From the jarring squeak of young Callie to the inconsistent, unnecessary accent of Dungy's Alaskan host, Johnson's forays into multiple characterizations mar what should have been a satisfying performance. VERDICT Despite occasional aural misinterpretations, Dungy's exceptional insights comprise an essential, ultimately uplifting literary gift libraries will want to share.-Terry Hong, Smithsonian -BookDragon, Washington, DC © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A poet explores her experiences as a mother, teacher, black woman, and "conscientious outsider."In this frank, revealing, and often lyrical memoir, Dungy (Creative Writing/Colorado State Univ.; Trophic Cascade, 2017, etc.) chronicles her travels across the country with her daughter, recording her thoughts on their place in American society. Whether she ponders why so many people are startled by the volume of her infant daughter's hair, the history of the Civil War as it related to the rural farmers of Maine, or the loss of place and home when developers built behind her childhood home, the author's voice rings out loud and clear. As a black woman who travels in circles that are often nearly all white, she has fears that others may never perceive. When she injured her ankle while hiking, she fretted about whether her weight was too much for the men in her group to handle in making it back down the mountain. When she flies, she has to rely on strangers to help with her stuff and her child, and she worries about who will take care of her daughter while she is teaching. On a powerful visit to Ghana to see the slave-holding pens along the coast, she considers her daughter's inability to pay attention to the horrific history all around them. Dungy also discusses the many surprises of being a mother, including the joys of nursing and watching her child learn new skills, which has opened her own eyes to new wonders. Each essay flows smoothly into the next, and they are all interlinked with themes of race, fear, joy, and love, bringing readers eye to eye with the experiences of being a black female poet, lecturer, mother, and woman. Forthright, entertaining, often potent essays that successfully intertwine personal history and historical context regarding black and white in America. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.