Gone Like Yesterday

A Novel

By: Janelle M. Williams

Narrated by: Bahni Turpin

Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK

A lyrical debut novel that asks what we owe to our families, what we owe to our ancestors, and what we owe to ourselves. Janelle M. Williams’s Gone Like Yesterday employs magical realism to explore the majestic and haunting experience of being a Black woman in today’s America.

Gone Like Yesterday follows two Black women—Zahra, a listless college prep coach, and Sammie, a teenage girl and budding activist soon off to college—who are drawn to each other through the songs of gypsy moths. Gypsy moths have been singing the songs of Zahra’s ancestors to her for years, so when Zahra realizes that Sammie might be a moth person too, their paths become intertwined.

Then, the unthinkable happens: Zahra’s brother, Derrick, goes missing. Derrick has always been different—sensitive and connected to the spiritual world, he has been drifting from Zahra and her family for some time. But this time feels different. Zahra is panicked that he may really be gone for good, lost to her forever.

Zahra can’t let that happen. So, she, along with Sammie, embarks on a road trip from New York to Atlanta, Zahra’s hometown, in search of Zahra’s brother, but also to uncover just what the moths and their ancestors want with them, and what to do about their individual and collective futures.

Sharp and wholly original, Gone Like Yesterday is a novel about family and legacy but also a literary exploration of racial identity, self, and what it means to be found.

©2023 Janelle M. Williams (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"There's so much music in the engrossing pages of Gone Like Yesterday—in the songs of mothers and daughters, brothers and sisters, would-be lovers, and the ancestors who watch over us. With lyricism and precision, Janelle M. Williams deftly captures the complicated beauty and chaos within our deepest relationships. A magical, mesmerizing debut!"—Deesha Philyaw, author of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

“What a magnificent narrative about a girl who only seems to be average! This novel is a terrific mix of family drama, the perils of relationships, and the power of perception. I loved every word. Read this book immediately!”—Brendan Slocumb, author of The Violin Conspiracy and the upcoming The Symphony of Secrets

"Mesmerizing. . . . Williams has a keen eye for detail and a lyrical voice, and her exploration of personal and collective histories is marked by maturity and compassion. The magic of the novel’s moths is truly imaginative . . . [A] profoundly beautiful novel that takes legacy seriously, from a promising new writer.”—Kirkus

Wanted to Like This

I was disappointed in the story as I did not find the action holding my interest. About 1/3 of the way in I stopped listening. Wanted to like it.

Awesome

Amazingly captivating! This is the type of story you feel from multiple perspectives. It’s as if the characters come to life in your mind. I can’t wait to see it in film.

This novel is definitely “ALRIGHT”… it’s relatable and intriguing!

As a fellow Black woman from Decatur, Georgia and Howard University / HBCU grad like the book’s author Janelle M. Williams, I felt immediate nostalgia reading this novel. From referenced landmarks and hotspot in Metro Atlanta / East Atlanta such as The AUC, Spelman College, Decatur Library, JR Crickets, Covington Hwy., to the overall depiction of growing up Black in Atlanta / The American South. As a millennial and a young heart with an old soul, I loved the musical references from the old school hits and music popularized during my teens and young adult years. The Gypsy Moths and their layered meaning and message is intriguing to unpack while reading the book. The mothering / parenting theme is my favorite because it highlights the parents’ struggle to balance the role (the struggle to be two people / in two places at once) and the impact of the outcome on children. There is a lot of perspective to be gained from the novel’s messages and empathy to be given to the characters. I enjoyed the book!