Push

Rating:
Summary: worth reading
Review: Although this book was eye-opening and certainly speaks volumes about a world from which the average reader is far removed, I found it difficult to read in that the author seems to have trouble staying in the voice of Claireece-- at one point she's got the protagonist butchering words that a second grader uses with ease, and then, a few paragraphs below, her vocaulary and sentence structure is full of parenthetical expressions and a much higher level vocabulary. It would have been one thing if the style of language, like Claireece herself, had matured throughout the story, but I felt like it kept bouncing back and forth. Very distracting, especially when the book is otherwise enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: I'm glad I read this book!
Review: When this book arrived in the mail, I almost sent it back. It looked too short. The author looked like an angry black woman. I read the first page and the content, language and style shocked me. But I kept the book and read it. Boy, am I glad I did! The book moved me to tears. The world the author created is so far from the one I live in. But I was drawn into that world and lived it for a short time. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK. Everyone should. "Push" should be required reading in suburban schools where everyday life can sometimes be too easy. I will not foget Precious Jones anytime too soon

Rating:
Summary: Totally saddening, vibrant, depressing, yet motivating
Review: I too lived in the same environment , and attended a school located less than fifty yards away. The realism in the book is what grasped my attention. She represents unfortunately, a vast majority of the children who are systematically abused. The beginning is the home and then in the educational system.. Precious is reaching out for society's hand to lead her into the warm part of our world. The book is dynamic and merits recognition for its originality

Rating:
Summary: Unlike anything you will read.
Review: The story of the young Ms. Jones is simply one of enlightenment for probably anyone well-of enough to be reading this review on your own computer screen. The world that she inhabits is horrific, terrifying, uplifting, and sober. Few books explore such subjects of abuse, and how one deals with it, in today's setting. A must read for any teacher, many students (though it's filled with profanities), and others wishing to learn about a sadly numerous segment of American culture

Rating:
Summary: PUSH: A Stunning First Novel
Review: To call "Push", the first novel by noted African American poet and singer Sapphire, shocking or devastating would not adequately describe its incessant power.

The book is basically a diary that is both stark and realistic, as we are offered a look into Clareece Precious Jones' world: pregnant for the second time by her step-father, mentally and sexually abused by her own mother and neglected by an overwhelmed school system that makes it all too easy for a 16-year old from Harlem to fall through the cracks.

In the beginning the book may cause many readers to backtrack to get a true understanding of what they have just read. I would implore all to keep at it for "Push" drips with realism -- a realism that is all too often ignored or disbelieved. Luckily for Precious, her salvation comes at the hands of one dedicated teacher from an alternative school and her fellow students with whom she quickly bonds.

Sapphire, herself a former reading teacher, was clearly influenced by real-life people and that is conveyed strongly throughout the novel as all of the characters -- major and minor -- are complete and three-dimensional.

A very brief novel, "Push" does not offer a storybook ending and may even disappoint many with what they see as an incomplete ending. However, it concludes realistically as we AND Precious will have to wait and see what the future holds.

Rating:
Summary: straight through read
Review: This is one of the most incredible books I've ever read. The intense subjects that Sapphire tackles in Push are compelling enough, but her writing makes Push the kind of book that you don't want to put down. Alternately makes you wish the book wasn't so short and makes you want to end what is happening to girls like Precious right now

Rating:
Summary: Pushing for a better life
Review: In Sapphire's first novel we are introduced 16 year old Precious Jones who is pregnant with a second child from her father. This is a brutal, but very believable story of a young girl overcoming horrendous circumstances. The author uses language in a most convincing way and is able to transmit the feelings and thoughts of her protagonist to the reader. It deeply explores the personal feelings of an incest survivor and graphically details her molestation. It should be read by all who seek a greater understanding of sexual abuse. It captures the daily existence of America's ghetto life and is balanced with a healthy humor that all who survive there must possess. The ending leaves the reader wanting to know more of Precious and her family. Otherwise, a very solid offering from a cutting edge author. Read it with strong stomach.

Rating:
Summary: A stunning work
Review: Apart from the deceptively simple story that promotes thought, action, discussion and acceptance, SDapphire has, in one novel, cast herself into the Female African-American literary canon alongside such notable as Alice Walker and Toni Morrisson, in a work that should be read and discussed in conjunction with those books, or, read by itself, will promote enough discussion on its own

Rating:
Summary: Provocative ... weak ending
Review: Our book group read Push about one month ago. I will attempt to summarize my impressions as well as themes from the group's discussion. I found the book extremely readable. It flowed well and Sapphire's use of language was extremely powerful in catapulting middle class white readers into the environment she describes. If I had to point to the novel's singlemost successful aspect, it would be this use of language to emphasize mood, setting, frame of mind, etc. To me, the book represents an opportunity for most people to identify with a character's redemption regardless of race and class -- the story is that powerful. In my opinion, it can be thought of as an "everywoman" story of conflict, discovery, self-awareness and finally, mastery. My main problems with the book are its weak ending and lack of conclusions. The rest of the book is so well-developed that the ending seems too pat. Also, I would have liked an ending that drew more conclusions or offered a tie back to the undercurrent of cultural/social policy opinion throughout the novel. The book group thoroughly enjoyed the book. It surprisingly was something that we universally agreed bridged social, racial and class biases and emerged as a clear, convincing voice. Most of the group thought that the ending was lacking something. Our discussion, inevitably turned to welfare reform, individual responsibility, class/race/economics. Overall, Push represents a beautifully crafted, artistic work of vibrant imagery. One interesting discussion in our bookgroup surrounded where Push (as a literary work)ranks in the annals of "great literature". Without getting into too much detail, we pretty much agreed that Push might not be everyone's taste for a novel (style, tone, etc.) but that it was an extremely powerful well-articulated book

Rating:
Summary: A view of life from the eyes of a New York teenage mother
Review: I was impressed with the way that Sapphire was able to create a character like Clarice and tell the story from her point of view, without making it seem foolish. The ending could have used a little work, I thought -- if the attempt was to just show a snapshot of her life, that's fine, but it seemed there was just too much history and too much story given for that to work well. A nice novel, and a nice view into another world, but there wasn't much there that a reader wouldn't have known.