1959 A Novel
1959 A Novel by Thulani Davis, published by Grove Press in 1992, is a reprint edition comprising 297 pages in English. This coming-of-age narrative unfolds during the summer of 1959 in Turner, Virginia, focusing on twelve-year-old Willie Tarrant as she navigates the complexities of her childhood amidst the backdrop of societal change. The story captures the anxieties of her father and other adults regarding integration and its potential impact on their children’s safety and education, while Willie grapples with her own challenges, including chores and budding relationships.
Readers will find a vivid portrayal of a pivotal moment in American history, as Willie and her peers are prepared for the first wave of integration. The novel highlights the actions of eight black college students who, dressed in suits, challenge the status quo at a Woolworth’s lunch counter, marking a significant turning point. Through its exploration of themes related to race, community, and youth, this work contributes to the discourse on civil rights and the experiences of African American individuals during this era.
Official synopsis Publisher
Thulani Davis’s 1959 is a powerful, poignant coming-of-age novel that captures a dramatic moment in American history as clearly as a photograph. It’s the summer of 1959 and Willie Tarrant of Turner, Virginia, is twelve. Her father and other adults in the town are worried about integration — how it will affect their children’s safety and the quality of their education — but for Willie it’s just another problem she’s going to have to deal with, like her chores and beginning to go out with boys. Willie and her friends — kids from good families with good grades — are being groomed to be sent in the first wave. Before this can happen, though, eight black college students, wearing suits and fresh haircuts, go into the Woolworth’s lunch counter — changing everything. In 1959 one of the most talented writers of her generation has written a book that will become a classic of civil rights literature.
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