lcl_reads's Reviews (211)

Don't want to read- author's views

This book is short and pointed. It is not a heavy research based book, but rather the recollections of Williams and his role in the Civil Rights movement in Monroe, NC. I appreciated getting a first perspective to add to my understanding of the Civil Rights Movement, especially a voice and perspective that I think is often left out of a conversation that focuses on Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, but doesn't account for all the folks doing the work in the fight for Civil Rights. I have been reading a lot on the relationship between Black Americans and gun ownership, so this fit right in and I'm continuing to think about the implications of gun ownership.

In particular, Williams points out that to be armed is not necessarily violent, rather it indicates a preparedness that can actually maintain non-violence.

"During our sit-ins, we had less violence because we'd shown the willingness and readiness to fight and defend ourselves.... It was to the mutual advantage of all parties concerned that peaceful relations be maintained while the demonstrations were taking."

This book took me on intriguing and complicated journey. Bennett does a particularly good job with tensions in this book. The tension between leaving or staying, moving on or getting stuck in the past, following your heart or your head, being content with what you have or comparing yourself to others. Each character brings nuance and while none of them are particularly likeable, they all make decisions that I can understand. While I liked the story overall, there were some aspects of the relationships that did not feel believable for me, especially when it came to time (some relationships seemed to progress very fast relative to the timeline and I questioned if a significant relationship could really be developed in that span).