![The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration | [Isabel Wilkerson]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61cQ+jHlNNL._SL175_.jpg "The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration | [Isabel Wilkerson]")
The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration
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- Regular Price :$17.49Special Offer: Learn how to get this for $7.49 !
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LENGTH22 hrs and 42 mins
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RELEASE DATE03-10-11
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AUDIO FORMATS
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Program TypeAudiobook
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PUBLISHER
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Audible Editor Reviews
Narrator Robin Miles has a heroic task at hand as she performs The Warmth of Other Suns by Pulitzer Prize-winner Isabel Wilkerson. Part oral history, part scholarly analysis, and part the author’s own family experience, the book tells in unsparing, vivid detail why African-Americans migrated in huge numbers from the southern states to points north and west during the years 1915 to 1970. Recalling what can only be labeled a shameful period in American history, The Warmth of Other Suns chronicles the racist bondage under which African-Americans lived, years after being legally emancipated.
Miles lets us hear the anger, exasperation, fear, and extraordinary nobility of three individuals whose stories serve as the narrative of the book. Ida May Gladney, George Starling, and Dr. Robert Foster were not players on the national Civil Rights scene, but their stories typify the lives of millions of African-Americans who found themselves virtually, if not literally, imprisoned in the American South. Terror is palpable as Miles recounts how young Mrs. Gladney defiantly challenged a night-time lynch mob at her family’s door. George Starling’s anger after 50 years is clipped, short, and intense as Miles relates the ludicrous travel protocols African-Americans had to abide by when simply trying to enjoy their right to travel freely. Finally, it is Dr. Robert Foster’s soul-crushing drive across the Southwest, attempting to flee the encumbrances of Southern racism and merely wanting a place to sleep after a long day’s drive, where Miles triumphs in capturing the staggering weight that racism layered on perpetrators and victims alike. She depicts Dr. Foster’s exhausted, emotional breakdown with compassion and, it seems, the weariness of all fellow travelers on this particular road.
Wilkerson offers her family’s personal experiences as illustrations of the hold that the South maintained on so many people, no matter how ill-treated they were. Miles captures the joyous midnight revelries of Wilkerson’s grandmother and her neighbors, who would gather on warm Georgia summer nights to await the once-a-season blooming of the grandmother’s highly-prized cereus flowers.
Miles also leads listeners through the roughest of Wilkerson’s scenes, allowing all to grasp the absolute horror that could develop during a simple errand, a normal work day, or a hoped-for family outing. She crisply and coolly recounts the laws — written and unwritten — that kept African-Americans bound to servitude in the South. It is American history unvarnished, needing to be told, heard, and understood. The depth and breadth of Wilkerson’s research and her ability to tell stories, while also relating facts and figures, makes The Warmth of Other Suns a compelling experience. Miles lends a talented voice to Wilkerson’s words, imbuing Gladney, Starling, Foster, and many others described in the book with the respect and dignity they have long deserved. —Carole Chouinard
Publisher's Summary
In this epic, beautifully written masterwork, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Isabel Wilkerson chronicles one of the great untold stories of American history: the decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities in search of a better life. From 1915 to 1970, this exodus of almost six million people changed the face of America. Wilkerson interviewed more than a thousand people, and gained access to previously untapped data and official records, to write this definitive and vividly dramatic account of how these American journeys unfolded, altering our cities, our country, and ourselves.
With stunning detail, Wilkerson tells this story through the lives of three unique individuals: Ida Mae Gladney, who in 1937 left sharecropping and prejudice in Mississippi for Chicago, where she achieved quiet blue-collar success and, in old age, voted for Barack Obama when he ran for an Illinois state senate seat; sharp and quick-tempered George Starling, who in 1945 fled Florida for Harlem, where he endangered his job fighting for civil rights, saw his family fall, and finally found peace in God; and Robert Foster, who left Louisiana in 1953 to pursue medicine, becoming the personal physician to Ray Charles as part of a glitteringly successful career that allowed him to purchase a grand home where he often threw exuberant parties.
Wilkerson brilliantly captures her subjects’ first treacherous and exhausting cross-country trips by car and train and their new lives in colonies that grew into ghettos, as well as how they changed their new cities with southern food, faith, and culture and improved them with discipline, drive, and hard work. Both a riveting microcosm and a major assessment, The Warmth of Other Suns is a bold, remarkable work, a superb account of an “unrecognized immigration” within our own land. Through the breadth of its narrative, the beauty of the writing, the depth of its research, and the fullness of the people and lives portrayed herein, this book is destined to become a classic.
©2010 Isabel Wilkerson (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.
What the Critics Say
“A landmark piece of nonfiction . . . sure to hold many surprises for readers of any race or experience….A mesmerizing book that warrants comparison to The Promised Land, Nicholas Lemann’s study of the Great Migration’s early phase, and Common Ground, J. Anthony Lukas’s great, close-range look at racial strife in Boston….[Wilkerson’s] closeness with, and profound affection for, her subjects reflect her deep immersion in their stories and allow the reader to share that connection.” (Janet Maslin, The New York Times)
“The Warmth of Other Suns is a brilliant and stirring epic, the first book to cover the full half-century of the Great Migration… Wilkerson combines impressive research…with great narrative and literary power. Ms. Wilkerson does for the Great Migration what John Steinbeck did for the Okies in his fiction masterpiece, The Grapes of Wrath; she humanizes history, giving it emotional and psychological depth.” (John Stauffer, Wall Street Journal)
"The Warmth of Other Suns is epic in its reach and in its structure. Told in a voice that echoes the magic cadences of Toni Morrison or the folk wisdom of Zora Neale Hurston’s collected oral histories, Wilkerson’s book pulls not just the expanse of the migration into focus but its overall impact on politics, literature, music, sports — in the nation and the world." (Lynell George, Los Angeles Times)
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What Members Say
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"Superior non-fiction"
I can't imagine why a previous reviewer regards this book as poorly written. I beg to differ; it's a masterful work of non-fiction which has been recognized as such by important critics and award committees. If the objection is, I've heard all this before, consider that Isabel Wilkerson isn't necessarily addressing scholars. This book brings a critical component of American history to those of us who have heard little, if anything, about the Great Migration, neglected as it has been in public education. The book is eminently readable, thanks to the novelistic way her three principal characters are brought to life. Their individual stories illustrate the complex motivations, means and outcomes of Great Migration participants. Fascinating, compelling, thought-provoking, and expertly narrated--I can't recommend it highly enough.
18 of 18 people found this review helpful -
"a beautiful written history"
This book, which richly deserves National Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction, is a beautifully written history. The author, Isabel Wilkerson, does not take the statistically-intense route in explaining one of the most important (yet often forgotten) history events in 20th century US history. Rather, she follows three families in their migration from Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana/Georgia, to northern homes in NY, Chicago and Los Angeles. Along the way, the reader gets a full biography of 6 "ordinary" people, their extended families, their life in the south, the transition to the north, living in the north, and the ends of their lives. Wilkerson does a good job interspersing in this fascinating set of tales the statistical and other evidence about the migration in general. While showing the common and distinct elements experience by these individuals and families. The books nicely toggles back & forth between the 3 families, without getting irritating or confusing. The narration is also excellent.
15 of 15 people found this review helpful -
"Fascinating little known piece of American History"
We took this audio book along with us on our vacation that entailed being in the car for 36 hours. My husband had a particular interest in the subject matter since his parents met after making the African-American migration from Alabama to Ohio in the early 1940's. We were drawn into the stories of the main characters as soon as they appeared on the page. We marveled at the amount and quality of the difficult research that must have gone into the making of the book. Our vacation took us to the rocky mountains and the glorious fall foliage but we couldn't wait to get back in the car so we could listen to more. Our hope is that Ms.Wilkerson doesn't stop here with her documentation of other little know american histories. Also note; Robin Miles was most enjoyable to listen to and had a particular knack for identifying each character with her interpretation of their spoken word. Will listen to again!
8 of 8 people found this review helpful -
"Great story about American history!"
Where does The Warmth of Other Suns rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?One of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to.
What other book might you compare The Warmth of Other Suns to and why?In the Garden of Beasts. History lessons in the form of a novel really interest me. The reader gets to enjoy a book and an education.
Have you listened to any of Robin Miles’s other performances before? How does this one compare?No.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?No.
Any additional comments?This book was a great lesson in American history. Although it was mostly a sad part of US history it gave the reader some insight into the Black experience.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful -
Kimberly new york, NY, United States 05-23-11 Member Since 2011
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"Beautifully written, and perfect on audiobook"
Informative and incredibly moving--I had to hold back tears on multiple occasions! One of the best nonfiction works I've ever read.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful -
Catherine Chicago, IL, United States 06-28-11 Member Since 2011
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"Great concept, but really repetitive"
I was anxious to read (listen to) this book. The concept is wonderful and the prose is literary. The problem is the repetitiousness. Over and over. There was one paragraph where she paraphrased someone's reaction to a situation and then quoted the person. The repetition adds nothing and detracts considerably. If I was reading this, I would skim through those sections, but by listening, you can't do this. The best way to listen to this book is to do so with long periods in between. That way, the repetition would be nice reminders rather than something that makes you begin talking back to the narration.
11 of 13 people found this review helpful -
"Good book, long and repetitive at times"
Good book that was especially interesting in the first half detailing the reasons for Blacks making the migration North and West. I was at times extremely embarrassed and angry at the behavior of Whites towards a people that are just trying to find a better life. It helped me understand the reasons why Black neighorhoods in the North evolved like the did----because African Americans were forced into these costly, crowded and often crime ridden areas. Great historical read and something than my pre-teens will be listenting to soon.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful -
"Could have been half as long"
I felt like this dragged on and on. And repetitive! Oh my. I did learn things and for that reasons I'm glad I listened and finished it. But I didn't love the writing and found the repetitiveness insulting.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful -
Laurie Bellingham, WA, United States 11-02-11 Member Since 2009
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"Fascinating read"
The great migration was not a part of history covered in any of my history classes. This is a book all Americans, whatever ethnicity or background, should read. It is a piece of our history we should all know. This book was extraordinarily well written and extremely well narrated. For how long it is, it never felt long - I listened to it in record time, and felt compelled to listen all the time. Highly highly recommend.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful -
Raleigh greensboro, NC, United States 09-16-11 Member Since 2009
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"timely tale"
the results of immigration may be beneficial
immigrant's children may live better lives than their parents
but the immigrant's life is fundamentally sad and difficult
to be born in a land intent on your ignorance and degradation and death
to move to a new land where you are again at the bottom of the order
all of this makes for an indelibly unhappy and weary tale
what makes the people of the great migration (1915 - 1975) notable ?
the immigrants were never more than a 24 - 48 hour train ride from the old country
most of their relationship were not good/bad or yes/no but more love/hate
could you count on other blacks to help you in your struggle ?
the white people you met along the way were helpful or hurtful ?
did you want to sever ties with the old south or bring it with you ?
once you got to where you were going would you be allowed to assimilate ?
blacks are law abiding or criminal / church going or drug users ?
the " little bit of both " answers to these questions are explored in the book
the tone of the story is at times naive and unnecessarily academic
the text is oddly repetitive with entire sentences appearing 2 or 3 times
statistics are quoted at length to shift the blame of urban blight to someone else
the characters presented seem at times to be unreachably noble or sincere
the truth is that they weren't always the brightest or kindest people
what they did have was a relentless bravery and determination
the slavery system of the south was a lie built on a lie
it could only be maintained with a constant threat of violence and humiliation
once the system ended we blamed those that endured it for it's inevitable consequences
the great migration changed the south and the industrial north forever
the african-american tide now seems to be flowing in the opposite direction
all of that makes it an even more timely story to tell
5 of 6 people found this review helpful