Jones, Edward P. All Aunt Hagar's children

Kliatt, Jan, 2007 by Nancy Crowder Chaplin

JONES, Edward P. All Aunt Hagar's children. Read by Peter Francis James. 12 cds. 15 hrs. BBC Audiobooks America. 2006. 0-7927-4518-3. $110.95. Vinyl; plot, author, reader notes. SA

Hagar, cast away by Abraham, was the Bible's first slave. It is fitting that Jones would honor her in the title short story, one of 14 that comprise this collection. The unifying point of these rich and varied tales is Washington, DC, to which many African Americans migrated seeking dignity and equality not found in the South. The urban landscape changes as Jones's stories cover a century of hope for the future and deep homesickness for the families and values left behind. The character portraits are broad, from those who ascend to an educated middle class to those who become lost in crime and drugs. All are frail and fully human. Each listener will have a favorite. Mine is the story of a mentally tormented woman whose physician daughter is finally convinced to carry her back to the South to visit a conger "root" woman. Jones's prose is often complex and non-linear, reeling from fact into fantasy. Narrator James is outstanding, giving life and voice to an elaborate array of characters. His narration provides a sometimes-needed steadying point. Nancy Crowder Chaplin, Libn., VCCW, Goochland, VA

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.