What Are You Waiting For?

Have you read A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines yet? All of Paterson is reading this book for the One Book One Paterson campaign. Before the campaign launched in February, I searched online for an audio version but with no luck. So, I downloaded and listened to the play instead. The play, based on the book, was easy to listen to in the car. Although it is very emotional and a tearjerker in some places, it was good distraction for my trips to Trenton, up and down the Parkway and Turnpike.  In fact, I listened to nothing else on the car radio while I was driving alone. Some evenings I would pull into my driveway and sit there listening for a while until I got to the end of the chapter. My husband would call from inside the house to see if I’m OK. (After so many years you’d think he expected this by now!)

Once the campaign launched, I knew I would have to make the time to read the actual book. I’m about halfway through and WOW! This an awesome piece of literature! While it is fiction, so much of it rings true to our history. The author really brought it alive. And I thought listening to the play was emotional. I can imagine myself in the bar or in the kitchen or in church. I can almost smell the foods and hear the songs. I get seriously angry at the racism, injustice, mistreatment and micro-aggression. I welcome the discussions with others who are reading the book. The conversations are therapeutic. 

Although I already know how the story ends, I’m enjoying all the surprises that had to be left out of the play. In my search, I was amazed to discover essays, short stories, study guides, chapter lessons, spark notes and so much more.  Who knew? I may end up reading them all. My nerd is showing!

Thanks to Paterson Free Public Library for initiating One Book One Paterson and I’m honored to be a member of the amazing planning team. Please join us in promoting this book to our community.  Could you host a book club? Perhaps a viewing of the film or a read-aloud session? We need your help to truly make this a success.  My hope is that this will be the start of many books that we read together. 

Have you read A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines yet? What are you waiting for?

Rosie Grant