June 11, 2018

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

American Marriage

Roy Hamilton is a self-made man. He came up in rural Louisiana, but went to college and made something of himself in business in Atlanta. He married Celestial Davenport who was the daughter of rich black folk from Atlanta. When they had been married about a year, Roy was falsely accused of raping a woman at a hotel and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

The book is kind of a commentary on the dangers of living your life while being a black man. The real story is about the relationship between Roy and Celestial and their next door neighbor Andre who has been Celestial's best friend since birth.

The end of this book is truly satisfying. I can't imagine that it would have been believable if it had ended any other way. These characters are real people, not cardboard cutouts. The reader can understand each of their perspectives. Roy's dad is my favorite. He is salt-of-the earth kind of folk, but he is pretty sly. He entertained me.

8 Bookmarks. It was easy to read and the character development is fantastic. I can't say it's a pleasant read, but it is good food for thought. Not being a black man, I know theoretically that it is a dangerous proposition, but I can't really feel that threat.