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Summary: Unparalleled lyricism, a Black symphony of the human soul
Review: This is my third of Toni Morrison's novels (SULA and JAZZ are both magnificent; I will dive into PARADISE probably next), and I can honestly say that I can't imagine anything surpassing it on any number of levels in print. I never thought I would experience a novel whose scope, power, subject matter, ruminations on the art and consequences of being human and evident mastery of style could ever come close to Ellison's INVISIBLE MAN; Morrison has done it in SONG OF SOLOMON. She has in fact equalled it, if not surpassed it.Toni Morrison's way of creating this infinitely and immaculately detailed tableau of multi-dimensional characters in a number of multi-dimensional communities is already legendary. (I am almost afraid to think it may have been surpassed in later novels.) Yet with SONG OF SOLOMON it all gravitates sublimely around what for me is the central theme of the book, made evident by the drama of its protagonist, the young "Macon Dead", and his affair with a troubled woman and his secretive family. The theme is so powerful that one cannot hear it set to her lyricism without it breaking your heart: without a psycho-mythic/spiritual connection with one's roots- one's ancestors and ancestral stories- and the otherwise inexplicable and incomparable courage in the individual heart that only comes from it, it is altogether impossible to experience, give or submit to uncondidtional love. All of the characters express this fundamental truth in ways that are shocking, amusing, appalling, enlightening, saddening, frightening, and ennobling- often simultaneously. Toni successfully, perhaps unlike any writer before her, connects the knowledge and embracing of one's ancestral past with the self-knowledge of the architecture of one's individual soul, and the glory of human love, in such a way as to prove the three are synonymous. Thus without one, the others cannot by definition truly exist. Such a message in today's times could only be told by Toni, whose craft as a writer has transcended mastery. I don't ever remember being so moved by a novel. When I was done, I knew myself better than I ever thought I could... and I wanted to fly. "If I'd knowed more, I would have loved more." Toni Morrison, SONG OF SOLOMON This book is a gift unlike any other.
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Summary: A believable man...
Review: One of the most realistic male characters ever created exists in this book. Toni Morrison writes male characters with depth and intense passion. I often wonder if she believes men are actually like this, or if she wishes they were. One of my favorite books.
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Summary: Fabulizing the Folk
Review: This is the first Morrison novel I've read, after years of being prodded and being assured that it's her masterpiece. It was an enjoyable and somewhat challenging read, in the sense that it took, in effect, a couple of mulling weeks to make sense of it. Basically, the problem is that it is a "throwback" kind of literature. In a word, the novel is a "tale," in the senses explored in the works of the scholars V. Propp and W. Burkert (particularly chap. 3 of Creation of the Sacred). The "tale" of the novel is a kind of fictional excursus on the themes developed in Black Bourgeoisie, by the sociologist E. Franklin Frazier. Whatever "difficulty" the novel has stems from the irresolution or "senselessness" of its ending -- i.e., why is Guitar so relentless (since Milkman gets to the place represents)? why must he also kill off Pilate? Etc. This is ersatz mythologizing, leavened by occasionally marvelous invention and, equally often, leadened by almost contemptuous boilerplate (e.g., "Sweet," or How to Skin a Bobcat,or Hagar's death, or Corinthians' come-downance. Etc.) In the end, unlike Propp's or Burkert's tales, Song of Solomon doesn't quite make sense, but that's because neither did, quite, Frazier's model -- nor Marx's.
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Summary: Morrison explores males
Review: One of her easiest books to understand, it is also one of her more disapointing. It's a traditional coming of age story, boy must find who he is, what his identiy means in the world. He navigates non-communicative parents and black hole pasts. The characters are extreamily creative, vibrant and intreaguing. But the book does not have all the lyrical aspects of her other books and does not seem as deep or thought provoking as the others. But the book is a good way to start reading Morrison, whose style is extreamily difficult, because it is one of the most linear of her stories. But while it stays in a fairly straight line, there are places where she jumps around and you just have to have faith and read on knowing that she'll answer most of your questions eventually.
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Summary: The Song of Morrison's Heart
Review: This novel, about the self-discovery of a black man, captivated me. By embarking on a journey, which eventually leads to learning about his ancestors, Macon Dead III (aka Milkman) begins to understand himself. This excellent novel by Toni Morrison let the reader do some individual thinking; it was purposely NOT written in the easiest of prose. Morrison has made a great accomplishment with this novel; it not only depicts the evolution of a fictional character, but, also, the evolution of a family. I was enthralled by it, and recommend it to the reader who likes to spend time reading, thinking, and absorbing. This novel is worth it.
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Summary: Better than her more popular novels
Review: The world of Milkman is a world of confusion, violence and wild excess. His best friend kills white people in vengeance for black deaths. His family is trying to make him upper class and his ancestry is uncertain. As Milkman unravels his life and his history you are along for the journey as the book winds through unexpected twists and turns. THis book is about history, violence, family, anger, and a heritage stretching to Africa. As Milkman's fate is uncertain so is the fate of the black man in America, and so is the fate of America. Amazing book.
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Summary: A masterpiece
Review: If you read only one novel by Toni Morrison this should be it. This was the one great work that she was meant to write; her works that follow read like recycled material. This is one of my three all-time favorites (the other two being Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" and Garcia Marquez's "One Hundred Years of Solitude" - the three share many similarities.) There is already a body of literary criticism on this book so I'll make one comment: Through what I admit to be an irrational prejudice I tend to read male authors; one reads novels to identify with the characters and this is easier done when there is no gender gap. The incredible thing about Solomon, however, is the amazing authenticity of the two complex male leads: Milkman and Guitar. The internal turmoil, confusion, chaos, search for manhood, all are perfectly done. This is a beautiful, complex, perfectly accurate piece of writing. These characters are developed against (and as part of) a background of race and racism, society and clasism, rich vs. poor, North vs. South, frivolity vs. idealism, all woven in an amazing literary tapestry. A masterpiece. Hypnotizing. Compelling. I've read it three times. I couldn't recommend it more highly.
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Summary: One Of The Best I've Ever Read
Review: I like this book precisely because it is difficult. I don't like books that hand you the message or tells...this book shows. And it is an example of great fiction because the writing is beautiful and subtle and unique, the storyline is complex but richly woven, and the characters are belivable. To tell the plot is like saying what the Bible is about. There is so much to it that the plot couldn't be told in a sentence..maybe in a thesis, but to ask about the plot is to ask a heck of a lot. It's not just a novel, it's a history lesson, it's social and political commentary. It captures the essence of the sixties and seventies and African ancestory and the family structure. It is not an easy book--it took me three reads to get it--but it is worth it. This is literature. This is writing.
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Summary: Flight for Freedom
Review: Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon is an excellent novel for any student or adult. Milkman's discovery of his ancestors sets up for his flight for freedom. Morrison's use of African myth and the Bible set up for an educational story and is a novel that can relate to anybody. We learn that we must have roots to find our wings. I give this novel two thumbs up.
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Summary: Worth reading again
Review: I have read this book three times, now, and I find that I get something new from it with each re-reading, plus I have the pleasure of revisiting an old friend. This is probably my favorite Toni Morrison book (Beloved is, in my opinion, somewhat overrated), one that contains many joyful moments along with more serious fare. I recommend it because of the mixture of pleasure and sorrow, anger and reconciliation, humor and ultimately, hopefulness. I think this hopefulness is the key to my enjoyment of the book. There are so many things in a person's history that make them what they are; Milkman's journey as he gradually understands, struggles with, various rejects and embraces his own and his family's history is unique and yet also reflects the struggles that everyone goes through. You can learn a lot from this book; when I first read this book at age 16, I had trouble understanding/accepting the final lines, but I've found them resonating for me many times since then.
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