Song of Solomon

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Summary: an outcast find self-recliamation in a community of outcasts
Review: WHAT I LIKE ABOUT MORRISON'S WORK IS THAT SHE PAYS HOMAGE TO THE OUTCASTS OF SOCIETY; NOT ONLY BLACKS, BUT INDIAN TRIBES AS WELL. HER MOTIF DOES NOT CHANGE, I.E. OUTCASTS, BUT SHE ARTISTICALLY PAINTS A PORTRAIT OF THOSE WHO REALLY SHAPE AND DEFINE A COMMUNITY. OF COURSE, I AM SPEAKING HERE OF PILATE. DURING A DISCUSSION OF PILATE IN A BOOK CLUB, WE ALL AGREED THAT PILATE WAS OUR FAVORITE CHARACTER; BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT FOR SOME OF US, PILATE WOULD NOT BE WELCOME IN THAT BOOK CLUB; AFTER ALL, IMAGE IS EVERYTHING. WHAT MISS MORRISON MADE ME DO THOUGH, WAS TO EMBRACE THAT CONVENTIONAL WISDOM, EVEN IF IT MUST BE FROM A DISTANCE. HER PAINTSTAKING CARE OF THE REBIRTH OF MILKMAN WAS ASTOUNDING. I WILL CONFESS THAT IT TOOK THE BOOK, THE CRIME OF INNOCENCE IN THE NOVELS OF TONI MORRISON TO GIVE HER WORK THE LITERARY WEIGHT, I HAD MISSED. HER IMAGERY AND MERGENCE OF BIBLE AND FOLKLORE ARE TO BE ADMIRED.THE AMBIGOUS NATURE OF GUITAR AND MACON SR. WAS SUPRISING AND SHOCKING. I FELT BAD FOR RUTH FOSTER DEAD, RESIGNED AND DEAD TO A SOCIETY OF SPURIOUS MORALS, WHICH UNDOUBTEDLY LEAD TO ATROPHY, BUT VERY HAPPY FOR CORINTHIANS, WHO FINALLY FOUND LOVE THROUGH SOMEONE WHO HAD BEEN DEEMED BY SOCIETY FOR NO ONE.

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Summary: much better than Beloved
Review: beautiful storytelling, though the first few chapters were very hard to follow-unsatisfying ending, like she just wrote herself in a corner

Rating:
Summary: Good. Very, very GOOD.
Review: Of all of the books I've read in recent years only "The Triumph and the Glory" and "Beloved" can compare to "Song of Solomon". It is Toni Morrison's best book ever and a highly recommend it. It is just magnificent!

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Summary: Closed depiction of African lifestyle
Review: Toni Morrison makes a mockery of the African American people in this book. She takes them to a low and never portrays them in a postive light. Overall, this book was an utter waste of time and time should be spent focusing on more enlightened books.

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Summary: song of solomon....five stars!!!
Review: I first read Song of Solomon when I was thirteen. For someone accustomed to reading only Nancy Drew novels, school assigned classics, and greek mythology, the Song of Solomon was shocking, erotic,unprecedented, and overall the best book I'd ever read. Morrison's work was my first introduction into black literature. Yes, I had read novels by Mildred Taylor and various autobiographies,and I managed to sneak a few peeks at my mother's James Baldwins' but I never truly felt a connection between myself and a novel as I did with Song of Solomon. Just a case of affective fallacy some might correctly deduce, but how intellectually stimulating and puzzling Song of Solomon was can not be ignored. It was a novel that exhaustively depicted the essential nature of the blacks: their community, their relationships, their pride,and their strength. The symbolism, underlying themes, and what I considered at the time, bold characterization makes me eagerly recommend Song of Solomon to anyone who wishes for a deeper insight into black literature.

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Summary: By Cheryl Davidson
Review: In this novel, Morrison boasts her extraordinary literary style. She weaves African American folklore and the reality of the struggle of the Black American -- trying to find a sense of place, respect, and dignity in a land they do not "own" and are not wanted, together with the human search for meaning into a beautifully lyric tale. The prose is poetic and stirring, and the story is absolutely gripping. I thought about the wonderful ending for weeks. If you enjoy African-American folklore, you will love this book. However, if you are unfamiliar with African American folklore you may find the reading difficult. In either case, the book is definitely worth reading.

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Summary: You have to be willing to think to enjoy this one
Review: Initially, at my completion of this book, I felt unfulfilled. There is a definite climax, and your eyes start darting across the pages more and more rapidly as you frantically try to see what will happen next. But, I was angry at first when I finally reached the end. With this book, it takes a few days of digestion to appreciate it and gain that cernel of knowledge that can be carried with you long after finishing the book. Overall, I thought this was a wonderful journey of a man finding out about his ancestry and learning what it means to fly. I recommend this book, but only if you are willing to take something personally valuable to you from it. If you are looking for something that is generic, this book is not for you. There are elements that are universal, but they still mean different things to different people.

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Summary: Life Changing Prose!!!
Review: Awe inspiring! Toni Morrison is a brilliant writer with the ability to draw the reader in from the first page. Not only a riveting story, but a very philosophical book as well. Each character was fleshed out so well, even the secondary characters seemed like people I know. Every character is deeply flawed, even the hero...much like real people. This book helped me to understand some of the motivations of people in my own life. Not because they resemble the characters, but because the situations the characters were in were similar (metaphorically) to much of my own life. I can't forgive these things, but at least I can see where some of the feelings were coming from. This book also helped me to recognize how important it is to know, not only where you come from, but to respect the things that your "people" have gone through. That is something that I had not put much thought into during my lifetime. As I reviewed some of the concepts in this book, I realized that Toni Morrison had changed my life. She added texture and depth to the way that I view others. Very few authors have the ability to describe human emotions and motivations to that degree. She is easily the most brilliant writer I have ever read...and I read alot!!!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: One obviously has to be an analytical thinker to deeply understand all of the symbolism in this book, but once you get started everything falls into place. This book is definately on of my favorites! Its right up there with Message in a Bottle. Toni Morrison really captures the essence of the times! Excellent, Excellent book!!

Rating:
Summary: WHAT WAS THIS TRYING TO SAY?!!!!!!
Review: The first 50 pages or so it was really good, but beyond that point it got really slow and it just didn't make any sense and doesn't get to the point well enough. I felt that Toni could've done a lot better and should have been. I wouldn't recommened this book to any one. It's not worth the time or the effort to try to understand it.