Customer Reviews

Ida B.: A Novel

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Karen E. Quinones Miller's fourth novel, "Ida B." regales readers with the lives of several long-term occupants of a high-rise subsidized tenement known as the Ida B. Barrett Wells Tower located in Harlem, New York. Home to its residents, Brenda, Sharif, Rosa, and several others, for over two decades; these tenants have created an unbreakable bond closer than that of most biological families as each has faced judgment, personal failure, and ridicule from a cast of neighborhood peers.

Brenda Carver, a twenty-five year old, single mother of four is currently receiving assistance from the government to make ends meet. Her four illegitimate children, four "baby daddies", and lack of support is the least of her problems. Brenda's biggest set back lies in her highly dependent nature and her habitual indecisiveness. Her dream of becoming an author is constantly being railroaded, not due to her intelligence, but to her lack of follow through. Everything Brenda tries to accomplish get derailed, including a concrete storyline for her dream novel. As Brenda faces her personal struggles, she must also keep an eye on the future of her oldest son Bootsy, who has witnessed a crime that may cost him his life. With her comfort zone becoming increasingly tattered, Brenda's reality may have to be dealt with sooner, rather than later.

Known as the neighborhood saint, Sharif Goldsby is a man who will stand up and fight for the downtrodden. His labor of love towards others range from creating petitions, organizing marches, and even making personal phone calls to those in decision-making capacities. Sharif is usually the first one notified when trouble occurs. His life has been devoted to making Ida B. a better living community for all, even when faced with horrible accusations regarding his sexual preference. Ultimately Sharif is placed in a position where his personal judgment becomes unsettling causing hurtful situations to resurface and a severe life altering choice to be made.

Karen E. Quinones Miller has transported readers into a small community unbeknownst by many, but respected by all who come in contact. Filled with comedy, drama, heartfelt scenes, and realism, "Ida B." is truly an enjoyable, self-relating, and most of all a unforgettable novel.

-Monique Baldwin-Worrell, founder of Flavah Reviewers

This book wasn't what I expected but it was very good, Ms. Miller really came through on this one, with its drama/suspense ingredients.

I grew up in Baisley Park Houses in Jamaica, Queens and all the characters that were in the Ida B. was true to life. You had your nosey neighbors, bad behind kids and some real good people there. Even though some people thought it wasn't much it was home to a lot of people for a lot of years and I loved the way they all pulled together in the mist of a tragedy, a very cruel tragedy.

Only thing I wish Ms. Miller could of focused more on the main character Brenda, but I guess she wasn't trying to single one character out, she was trying to focus on the buidling as a whole.

This book is a very good fast read, with hopes and dreams of people just like you and me.

Later.......

It's hard to imagine a more detailed, vivid, and accurate picture of life in a high-rise low-income housing project in Harlem at the turn of the 21st Century than Karen E. Quinones Miller gives us in "Ida B." Her grasp of the personality types, prevalent mindsets, social manners and mannerisms, moral values (or lack thereof), personal aspirations, and -- most remarkably -- the language of social intercourse, is extraordinary. Her dialogue is superbly, almost gratingly, authentic.

"Ida B." is a social document that professors of sociology would do well to assign in courses on inner-city subculture. No textbook can show it as concretely and dramatically as Miller has. After being immersed in that subculture she rose above its limitations, acquired the language and perceptions of the mainstream, and then drew what no one born to the mainstream could ever draw with such authority and conviction. I think she will always be, emotionally at least, living in two worlds, mediating between them -- interpreting one to the other. Helping us understand them and them understand us, and making us like each other better because of that deepened understanding. This is a valuable aspect of her work.

The ending of "Ida B." is clever, original, and so far as I can remember unique. There are few novels, even among the classics, about which that can be said. Fortunately it's not essential that we novelists astonish the reader with an ending that casts a new light on all that precedes it, if we've written an otherwise strong story. But when we do, we engrave the tale in the reader's mind and help him remember it whole. "Ida B's" ending refers to the beginning, connects with it, and forms a circle that ties the events together like beads on a necklace.

The title takes on added significance too. I sometimes wondered as I read: Who is the protagonist of this novel? I assumed at the outset it would be Brenda, but she never rose to the occasion; never took center stage for any length of time and held it. Rosa was the stronger female figure, but still pallid compared to some of Miller's other heroines, like Regina Harris ("Satin Doll") and Faith Freeman ("I'm Telling"). Sharif was, as I see it, the closest thing to a conventional protagonist, by far the strongest, wisest, most admirable character in the book. But it wasn't his story either. We never got inside his mind, heart, and experience in a really intimate way. As omnipresent as he was, he seemed to be always in a strong supporting role. Supporting whom? Well, everyone. Which is to say, the real protagonist -- Ida B., the high-rise low-income housing project in Harlem, viewed as a social organism.

It is Ida B's story just as the title proclaims. The story of her turbulent life, filled with passion, friendship, humor; conflict, anger, depravity; violence or the always imminent threat of it, drug addiction, tragic death after tragic death (murder, suicide, more murder, then vigilante capital punishment); a deep-rooted suspicion and disdain for the laws of conventional society and its mechanisms of enforcement; and a conviction that loyalty to the tribe -- the clan, the subculture, the brothas and sistas who live in the tower -- is the highest moral good. Higher than truth. Higher than justice. Higher than God. Didn't Sharif proclaim this when he stood before "the makeshift altar he'd set up in memory of his grandmother" and said, "Light, peace, and progress, Gran. Please look out for me, and keep me strong, keep me true." That is the only prayer I can remember in the book. And it is a primal supplication to a revered ancestor, not a prayer to the God of Abraham or even to Allah.

The plea "keep me true" referred to an allegiance beyond truth or the demands of the criminal justice system. Sharif had resolved to lie and even commit perjury if necessary. "But there were some things worth compromising his integrity over, and saving Ricky's ass was one. And he wasn't really compromising his integrity, he mused as he jiggled the ice in his drink. He was being true to his own roots." That is, I think, the core moral pronouncement of the novel. The Ida B. Wells-Barnett Tower, its inhabitants, and their web of life-sustaining -- often life-threatening -- social and familial connections, was a metaphor for "his own roots."

So Ida B. held center stage from the Prologue to her demise at the end of Chapter 21. The novel "Ida B." by the character Brenda Carver -- and of course Miller's novel, which both is and contains it -- is a eulogy to memorialize Ida's extraordinary life and lamented passing. The memories which Brenda "was afraid would become distant, and even surreal, once she moved away" are now captured for her posterity, and Miller's. They are not all good memories. Ida had as many faults as she did virtues; probably more. "Both a prison and a sanctuary," Brenda observed. "A place where everybody was trying to break out, and nobody wanted to leave." I thank Ms. Miller for letting me see from the inside a life I had viewed only from a great distance. I will remember Ida B.

I had the good fortune of receiving an advanced reading copy of this book last month, and I could not wait to post my review on Amazon. This is truly Karen Quinones-Miller's best book ever.

Ida B. tells the story of a the people living in the Ida B. Towers in Harlem. The whole building is like a great big family. Fighting each other one minute, and loving each other the next. But don't no outsider better come in and try to hurt someone. Watch Out! The whole building will turn on you.
The three main characters are Brenda, Rosa and Sharif. Brenda has four kids, by four different fathers, and is on welfare, but she has dreams. Brenda, who really is a good little mother, plans on writing her way out of the projects. If only she'd get around to putting pen to paper.
Rosa is a Puerto Rican woman (the description immediately puts you in mind of Rosie Perez!) who wants to be an actress. She's funny and spirited and you think, at first, very selfish. But you'll see at the end she's willing to sacrifice anything for her friends.
Sharif is the guy in the building that everyone looks up to. He's homosexual, but he doesn't let that get in the way of being a role-model. There's nothing feminine about him, and he's the one who keeps the boys on the corner who sell crack in line. And is usally the voice of reason in situations, but we see that even he can be pushed too far and revert back to his street roots.
The three of them have known each other since they were in elementary school and are all twenty-six now.
When a woman committs suicide, Brenda's mother takes in the woman's child, but everyone in the Ida B. adopts him. And when something happens to him everyone in the building rallies to find out why and how. And this in the midst of finding out that the city is planning on tearing down their building to put up a luxury high-rise, forcing them to move.
Ida B. was well-written, and had me in tears of pain sometimes (Booty's discovery in the laundry) and tears of laughter at others (Aunt Pat, y'all!).
But it's a book that will remind you what it's like to live in a place where everyone knows your name . . . and your mama's name, too!
I simply loved it!

I thought that this book could have been really good. However I found myself really frustrated with the countless number of typographical errors that should have been caught by a half decent editor. The story line was great and I could deal with the dialect that was used by the low income people that lived in the IDA B. However the countless errors took away from the book. I also thought that Uptown Dreams was the sequel to IDA B. and was very annoyed when I found out that I had purchased the same book and only the names had changed. I would recommend this book to those who can tolerate the errors if you are a stickler like me you may want to choose something else. This book was very true to life about the struggles of those that have grown up in housing projects and the trials and tribulations that they go through.

Karen E, Quinones Miller, you deserve your NAACP Image Award Nomination, Congratulations! I throughly enjoyed this book.
Ida B. Wells-Barnett Tower is an apartment building in Harlem. The story centers around the residents who live there, especially Brenda Carver, Rosa Rivera and Sharif Goldsby. These three along with a host of secondary characters, form a neighborly bond over a number of years.
A tragedy occurs followed by a dreadful crime, battle lines are drawn, and accusations are thrown. On top of it all the city is planning to tear down Ida B and relocate it's many residents.
Karen has written a pleasurable, but sometimes sad story. This is a great book club read.

Most of the residents of the Ida B. are family and a somewhat strange bunch. Karen Quinones Miller?s Ida B., is the story of those that inhabit the Ida B. Barrett Wells Tower in Harlem. The residents featured wrestle with wanting to leave and needing to leave and when it appears their hands are forced, the old fear of possibly succeeding, rears its ugly head.

Three main characters are featured - Brenda Carver is a single mom of four by four different men. With a father in prison and his impending release, Brenda often wonders if his unavailability was the root of her deeds. Rosa Rivera is an aspiring actress and best friend to Brenda. The mixture of Brenda?s family and friends and Rosa?s is hilarious as we watch Rosa try to make it on stage. Sharif Goldsby is the tower?s activist and scented oil man. When the residents need assistance with bureaucracies and red tape, Sharif is their man. In addition to their stories, we have a murder at the tower that everyone gets involved in solving. This murder hits home, breaks your heart and pulls you into the investigation.

I truly enjoyed these eclectic characters, their antics and the dialogue. Karen?s descriptive prose and vivid imagery has a way of landing you there with the familial and nostalgic feelings. Finally, knowing what is best for you and yours is not always enough for you to succeed in moving forward; something keeps you grounded in the familiar and that is the Ida B.

Reviewed by Dawn R. Reeves
APOOO BookClub

This was such a great book! I was surprised. I have read all her books and they were pleasant reads, but this one felt so real. I felt like I knew all of the characters. This book is about IDA B, a housing building and the residents. The characters will have you laughing, and crying. A great read. I read it in one day!

Very good book. The story keeps you involved in everyone's lives throughout the book. There are a lot of twists and turns, and likes and dislikes. I thoroughly enjoyed the story because it reminded me of when I grew up on a street filled with kids and their parents, and how we all stuck together and grew as a complete neighborhood within the confines of society. Great read.
Would recommend this book to anyone.

A young Brenda Carver is moving into a new building on 135 E. 128th Street. Brenda meets Rosa and they become friends. A young Sharif wants to play with them but Rosa tells Brenda "We don't like boys." I thought that was so cute!!!! Years later Brenda still lives in the Ida B building along with Rosa and Sharif.

Brenda is trying to make it as a single mother to her children. She gets no child support from any of the fathers. 1 father is out of site, another incarcerated, another vanished when he found out that Brenda was expecting, and the one man who was to marry her was murdered. Brenda has boxes filled with notes for a novel she wants to write. While Brenda was at the welfare office a despondent mother throws herself and her children out of the window. Leaving on a child an orphan. The community bands together to help the one surviving child, and he eventually turns up murdered. Adding to the murder mystery, the residents find themselves about to be removed from their homes when the city plans to tear down the building. Will the residents of the Ida B find out who the killer is, and save their community?

I found the book to be entertaining. A few typos managed to take me of course. The Editor did not do their job well at all. Aside of that, this was a good book. You have the nosey neighbor, the neighbor that has to talk stuff, but the community really seems to look out for one another. Rosa was a fire cracker. She wants so badly to be an actress, and had a tendency to be a drama queen. Sharif was homosexual but all about the black community and his people. He does not let his sexual preference get in the way of standing up for the causes he cares about most. I really liked his character. Aunt Pat had me in tears from laughter. I know someone just like her. I know this book is a work of fiction, but Vincent being able to beat a cop and live to tell about it was too far fetched. In New York, there is no way that would happen. I know being from NY, cop killers don't get far!!!

This book will keep you turning the pages, and the ending is a touching one. I could relate to this book having lived in a community in the Bronx where everyone looked out for each other. You have mystery, drama, some comedy, and sadness in this book. Your emotions will be worked while reading. This book is worth the read.