Before the Ever After
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson is a poignant novel-in-verse published by Penguin on September 1, 2020. This 176-page book is written in English and delves into the complexities of family dynamics as they navigate the aftermath of a father’s fading memory and the impact of professional sports on Black bodies.
In this narrative, ZJ grapples with the changes in his father’s behavior as he struggles with the effects of head injuries from his football career. The story explores themes of family, memory, and the bittersweet nature of nostalgia as ZJ seeks to preserve cherished traditions while facing the reality of his father’s condition. Through ZJ’s journey, readers will encounter the emotional challenges of holding onto the past while adapting to a new normal, highlighting the intersection of health, family, and the legacy of sports.
Official synopsis Publisher
WINNER OF THE NAACP IMAGE AWARD
WINNER OF THE CORETTA SCOTT KING AUTHOR AWARD
National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson’s stirring novel-in-verse explores how a family moves forward when their glory days have passed and the cost of professional sports on Black bodies.
For as long as ZJ can remember, his dad has been everyone’s hero. As a charming, talented pro football star, he’s as beloved to the neighborhood kids he plays with as he is to his millions of adoring sports fans. But lately life at ZJ’s house is anything but charming. His dad is having trouble remembering things and seems to be angry all the time. ZJ’s mom explains it’s because of all the head injuries his dad sustained during his career. ZJ can understand that–but it doesn’t make the sting any less real when his own father forgets his name. As ZJ contemplates his new reality, he has to figure out how to hold on tight to family traditions and recollections of the glory days, all the while wondering what their past amounts to if his father can’t remember it. And most importantly, can those happy feelings ever be reclaimed when they are all so busy aching for the past?
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