Didn't Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta

De: James Hannaham

Narrado por: James Hannaham, Flame Monroe

In this “dangerously hilarious” novel (Los Angeles Times), a trans woman reenters life on the outside after more than twenty years in a men’s prison, over one consequential Fourth of July weekend—from the author of the PEN/Faulkner Award winner Delicious Foods.

Carlotta Mercedes has been misunderstood her entire life. When she was pulled into a robbery gone wrong, she still went by the name she’d grown up with in Fort Greene, Brooklyn—before it gentrified. But not long after her conviction, she took the name Carlotta and began to live as a woman, an embrace of selfhood that prison authorities rejected, keeping Carlotta trapped in an all-male cell block, abused by both inmates and guards, and often placed in solitary.

In her fifth appearance before the parole board, Carlotta is at last granted conditional freedom and returns to a much-changed New York City. Over a whirlwind Fourth of July weekend, she struggles to reconcile with the son she left behind, to reunite with a family reluctant to accept her true identity, and to avoid any minor parole infraction that might get her consigned back to lockup.

Written with the same astonishing verve of Delicious Foods, which dazzled critics and readers alike, Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta sweeps the reader through seemingly every street of Brooklyn, much as Joyce’s Ulysses does through Dublin. The novel sings with brio and ambition, delivering a fantastically entertaining read and a cast of unforgettable characters even as it challenges us to confront the glaring injustices of a prison system that continues to punish people long after their time has been served.

Reseñas de la Crítica

Praise for Didn't Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta:

“Razor-sharp . . . Dangerously hilarious . . . A scathing, heartbreaking takedown of the carceral system . . . Carlotta’s bold voice hooks readers from the beginning, making them willing ride-or-dies . . . Hannaham hasn’t merely given the classics an update; he has given readers an unforgettable glimpse into the injustices the carceral system heaps on women like Carlotta—and deftly made space in literature for a distinctive voice that deserves a place in the modern literary pantheon.”—Los Angeles Times

“Captivating . . . Hannaham’s bumper-car narrative astonishes . . . Carlotta is irrepressible. No matter how much the prison system has abused her, regardless of the coldblooded stipulations of her parole, she is brave enough to be guided by the woman inside her tireless heart . . . At a time when families with trans and gay children feel persecuted by state governments, Hannaham makes Carlotta heroic. Don’t let the title of this wondrous novel fool you. Hannaham cares deeply about Carlotta. From a mash-up of perspectives, he writes like a guardian angel.”—John Irving, New York Times Book Review

“Hannaham’s buoyant sophomore novel introduces us to the unforgettable Carlotta Mercedes, an Afro-Latinx trans woman released from a men’s prison after serving two decades… Over the course of one zany Fourth of July weekend, Carlotta descends into Brooklyn’s roiling underbelly on a quest to stand in her truth. Angry, saucy, and joyful, Carlotta is a true survivor—one whose story shines a disinfecting light on the injustices of our world.”—Adrienne Westenfeld, Esquire

“Searing and often hilarious.”—New York Magazine

“[Carlotta] the bold, brash, and bitingly hilarious protagonist, seeks to come to terms with the Fort Greene, Brooklyn that she left behind. Hannaham’s novel has drawn comparisons to Ulysses with its style, specificity, and snapshot framing.”—Laura Zornosa, Time

“Hilarious and heartbreaking, with language that reaches for your throat . . . With an unforgettable voice, Hannaham takes on gentrification, the prison and parole system, and more.”—Xochitl Gonzalez, The Atlantic

“Hannaham’s virtues as a novelist are many. He is not only masterful at voice, but at creating compelling characters and enthralling swiftly paced plots. Despite tackling heavy topics, there’s humor and playfulness in his prose. But Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit What Happened to Carlotta is more than a page-turner, it says something we all need to hear.”—Rachel León, Southern Review of Books

yes, carlotta

accurate depictions of the subject matter and great readings. Wish the parole commissioners would read it.

Authentic

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The author voicing his main character made the experience feel authentic, genuinely real, and highly entertaining.

Funny, real, complex, perfect

What I loved about this book is that it was like nothing else I’ve ever experienced on audible. The author along with Flame Monroe are nothing short of sublime. I mean just amazing! If you can get beyond the quirky nature of this narration and storytelling, you will see that Hannaham is brilliantly peeling back layers of a complicated slice of life that we rarely think about. Traumas, resilience, gentrification, poverty, racism, misogyny, and so much more. I loved the characters and especially the protagonist. Carlotta in her one shoe makes you want to just take on life and give it all you have. I would highly recommend this book for so many reasons. I am a narrator snob and, best of all, this narration is just one of the very best I’ve heard. Loved it.

Funny!!

Fast moving and hilarious content. Fort Green Brooklyn up front and in person. Love all the characters.

Life Affirming, Freedom Loving MissAdventure!

I was hooked. I gave a shit about Carlotta and couldn’t stop cheering her on. Funny, disturbing, exalted. Great story, creative form, and excellent performances from the narrators.