Name: Don't Cry for Me
ISBN: 9781335425737

Daniel Black

"Don't Cry for Me is a perfect song."--Jesmyn Ward A Black father makes amends with his gay son through letters written on his deathbed in this wise and penetrating novel of empathy and forgiveness, for fans of Ta-Nehisi Coates, Robert Jones Jr. and Alice Walker As Jacob lies dying, he begins to write a letter to his only son, Isaac. They have not met or spoken in many years, and there are things that Isaac must know. Stories about his ancestral legacy in rural Arkansas that extend back to slavery. Secrets from Jacob's tumultuous relationship with Isaac's mother and the shame he carries from the dissolution of their family. Tragedies that informed Jacob's role as a father and his reaction to Isaac's being gay. But most of all, Jacob must share with Isaac the unspoken truths that reside in his heart. He must give voice to the trauma that Isaac has inherited. And he must create a space for the two to find peace. With piercing insight and profound empathy, acclaimed author Daniel Black illuminates the lived experiences of Black fathers and queer sons, offering an authentic and ultimately hopeful portrait of reckoning and reconciliation. Spare as it is sweeping, poetic as it is compulsively readable, Don't Cry for Me is a monumental novel about one family grappling with love's hard edges and the unexpected places where hope and healing take flight.

Don't Cry for Me

Listening to this in audiobook form made this a truly special experience because the author reads it himself. You can tell how much of himself he poured into this novel, and it’s hard not to come away from it changed. From a queer, Black American standpoint, I resonate a lot with this. My parents grew up in the same time period as the main character and undoubtedly share a lot of the same thoughts and comprehension of the world around them. I’ve seen my own parents in this story, including their flaws as well as their strengths. There are some devastating moments in this alongside really bright spots. What I enjoy most is that we get an understanding as to how the narrator ended up the man he is without excusing his actions. Despite his shortcomings, he is still a sympathetic character to me.

Nik ✨

Bria

** spoiler alert **
           I definitely am more understanding of previous generations' views now. It was fueled by fear this whole time.

Q&D: I loved this book. A story on love, forgiveness, generational trauma and masculinity. It's told as a series of letters a man writes to his estranged son while on his death bed to explain why he wasn't the father he wanted to be, their history, and all the things he couldn't say. Powerful messages on love, interesting insight on masculinity. Most books on gender norms seem to come from female perspectives so to read one that challenges norms from a male POV that use to strictly uphold them was refreshing. Gave me Red at the Bone vibes for the snippets of storylines readers are shown and then jumped to another snippet quickly after. 

Abigail F

Cloudface

This book will stick with me for a long time. I’m glad I listened to the audiobook because the author’s voice brought another layer of emotion to the writing. Jacob is a deeply flawed character, but I couldn’t help empathizing with him even when I disagreed with his choices—in my opinion, that’s the mark of great writing. I’m not sure what else to say; I just think this book is beautiful.

Kristen Claiborn

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my Facebook book club? I’ve been reading with this group since August 2020. We have multiple books to read each month, including a TBR challenge, a social perspectives pick, and the main selection each month that comes from the Book of the Month Club’s main selections. This group has managed to increase my own range of books, which used to only include romance and Stephen King. 
	I can’t imagine making the decision to NOT love my children. They could do pretty much anything and I’d love them. Kill somebody? Still love you. Take hostages for no rational reason? Still love you. Maim a bitch? Yep, still love you. So, deciding that a child doesn’t deserve YOUR love because of who THEY love makes zero sense to me. I cannot tell you how glad I am that this is a piece of fiction, because my anger is directed towards not real people…and this book made me irrationally angry. Except, it’s not irrational. This man was emotionally and physically abusive, and he justified it his entire life. Women were required to “submit,” men made all the decisions, women did what they were told to do. 
	So, the gist of this whole spiel: This book made me introspective and sorta angry. Which is definitely not terrible. This book made me think. I don’t always enjoy that, but with this one I did.

Aileen Ruiz 

"Don't Cry for Me is a perfect song."—Jesmyn Ward A Black father makes amends with his gay son through letters written on his deathbed in this wise and penetrating novel of empathy and forgiveness, for fans of Ta-Nehisi Coates, Robert Jones Jr. and Alice Walker As Jacob lies dying, he begins to write a letter to his only son, Isaac. They have not met or spoken in many years, and there are things that Isaac must know. Stories about his ancestral legacy in rural Arkansas that extend back to slavery. Secrets from Jacob's tumultuous relationship with Isaac's mother and the shame he carries from the dissolution of their family. Tragedies that informed Jacob's role as a father and his reaction to Isaac's being gay. But most of all, Jacob must share with Isaac the unspoken truths that reside in his heart. He must give voice to the trauma that Isaac has inherited. And he must create a space for the two to find peace. With piercing insight and profound empathy, acclaimed author Daniel Black illuminates the lived experiences of Black fathers and queer sons, offering an authentic and ultimately hopeful portrait of reckoning and reconciliation. Spare as it is sweeping, poetic as it is compulsively readable, Don't Cry for Me is a monumental novel about one family grappling with love's hard edges and the unexpected places where hope and healing take flight.