Review of God, Mama and Us
Posted: 27 Sep 2021, 15:23
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "God, Mama and Us" by Charlotte Griggs.]
The book God, Mama and Us by Charlotte Griggs is mostly a collection of poems written by Lou Ella Irene Bruton, the author's mother. The poems were published posthumously and were written in the period from 1936 to 1974. Their author, as an African American in the South, felt all the injustice of the then still open and present segregation and racism. The fight for the rights of their compatriots, Christianity, and family are the main motives of the poems.
In addition to her mother's poems, the author included in the book poems by some other authors who were Lou Ella's favorites. Also, the book includes a sermon that the author's mother delivered at her church, but also a speech in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King. In addition, the book is supplemented by two texts, the first on the topic of protests against racial segregation, while the essence of the second is work on one's own progress in the Christian spirit. Author Charlotte Griggs completed the compilation of her mother's literary work with a story about her family and especially about her mother. The narrative places the poems in context and gives us an insight into what the author's mother believed in, what she aspired to, and what she fought for. A very nice addition is made by several photos of the author, the author's mother, and her family.
What I really liked about the book God, Mama and Us is the unwavering faith of the author's mother in a positive outcome. In her poems, but also in her texts, speech, and sermon Lou Ella Irene Bruton consistently represented her ideas, hopes, and prayers for a better life for all people in America. Also, the writer is completely sincere and in every written word, emotions can be seen that reach to the depths of her heart. Devotion to the family is something that the author's mother often emphasized, and she dedicated several songs to her mother, that is, the grandmother of Charlotte Griggs. The poem "The Wearer of a White Rose" talks about the symbolism of wearing a white rose in memory of a deceased mother. Another song I liked was the one called "Why Not a Negro for President?". In this song, Lou Ella Irene Bruton wonders why an African American was not elected President, governor, or at least mayor, and concludes that democracy is obviously not always present. Bearing in mind that this song was written in 1945, it is clear that its author hoped that the moment would come when the first person of African descent would lead the United States, which will happen six decades later.
What I didn't like about God, Mama and Us is the relatively limited number of topics the songs cover. Therefore, after one or two poems read on the topic of the importance of the family, Christian values, or human rights, the reader has the impression that he has already read them because they seem similar.
The decision on how to evaluate the book God, Mama and Us by Charlotte Griggs was quite easy. I rate the book with three out of four stars. Beautiful writing style, exceptional presence of sincere emotions, and topics current for the second third of the 20th century in the USA are the main qualities of the book. These qualities largely exceed the writer's focus on only a few topics.
I would primarily recommend the book to lovers of poetry, family values, and the fight for human rights, as well as fans of poetry inspired by Christianity. Due to the frequent Christian symbolism, I am not sure that the book would be the right choice for readers of other religious beliefs.
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God, Mama and Us
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The book God, Mama and Us by Charlotte Griggs is mostly a collection of poems written by Lou Ella Irene Bruton, the author's mother. The poems were published posthumously and were written in the period from 1936 to 1974. Their author, as an African American in the South, felt all the injustice of the then still open and present segregation and racism. The fight for the rights of their compatriots, Christianity, and family are the main motives of the poems.
In addition to her mother's poems, the author included in the book poems by some other authors who were Lou Ella's favorites. Also, the book includes a sermon that the author's mother delivered at her church, but also a speech in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King. In addition, the book is supplemented by two texts, the first on the topic of protests against racial segregation, while the essence of the second is work on one's own progress in the Christian spirit. Author Charlotte Griggs completed the compilation of her mother's literary work with a story about her family and especially about her mother. The narrative places the poems in context and gives us an insight into what the author's mother believed in, what she aspired to, and what she fought for. A very nice addition is made by several photos of the author, the author's mother, and her family.
What I really liked about the book God, Mama and Us is the unwavering faith of the author's mother in a positive outcome. In her poems, but also in her texts, speech, and sermon Lou Ella Irene Bruton consistently represented her ideas, hopes, and prayers for a better life for all people in America. Also, the writer is completely sincere and in every written word, emotions can be seen that reach to the depths of her heart. Devotion to the family is something that the author's mother often emphasized, and she dedicated several songs to her mother, that is, the grandmother of Charlotte Griggs. The poem "The Wearer of a White Rose" talks about the symbolism of wearing a white rose in memory of a deceased mother. Another song I liked was the one called "Why Not a Negro for President?". In this song, Lou Ella Irene Bruton wonders why an African American was not elected President, governor, or at least mayor, and concludes that democracy is obviously not always present. Bearing in mind that this song was written in 1945, it is clear that its author hoped that the moment would come when the first person of African descent would lead the United States, which will happen six decades later.
What I didn't like about God, Mama and Us is the relatively limited number of topics the songs cover. Therefore, after one or two poems read on the topic of the importance of the family, Christian values, or human rights, the reader has the impression that he has already read them because they seem similar.
The decision on how to evaluate the book God, Mama and Us by Charlotte Griggs was quite easy. I rate the book with three out of four stars. Beautiful writing style, exceptional presence of sincere emotions, and topics current for the second third of the 20th century in the USA are the main qualities of the book. These qualities largely exceed the writer's focus on only a few topics.
I would primarily recommend the book to lovers of poetry, family values, and the fight for human rights, as well as fans of poetry inspired by Christianity. Due to the frequent Christian symbolism, I am not sure that the book would be the right choice for readers of other religious beliefs.
******
God, Mama and Us
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
