Customer Reviews

A Taste of Honey: Stories

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was my first time to read the work of Jabari Asim, but he delivers a powerful book with A TASTE OF HONEY, giving readers a seamless collection of stories that tackle the challenges of all people and the relationships that we all find ourselves in. Jabari also shows that injustice is injustice, no matter what the race or in what form it might come in. Regardless of where we come from, we have to work together in order to enjoy the goodness that life has to offer.

This book is as educational as it is entertaining. It reads like poetry, that flows through a myriad of characters and events, pulling you into a neighborhood, a place, and a time. The book gives an honest and painful look at a part of history, I wish didn't exist. I fell in love with characters and wanted for their safety with each turn of the page. It was worth every minute of my time and I am anxious to read more of Jabari Asim's work. Fabulous! (High School Age and above)

A Taste Of Honey is the first book that I've read by Mr. Asim and I am already looking forward to his next project. I was expecting a more "in your face" depiction of the racial turmoil of the late sixties. Instead I was pulled into this mid-westernesque town where I felt like I was sitting on my porch observing the goings-ons of my neighbors, but with the "inside scoop". Mr. Asim is a fabulous writer whose ability to develop several characters at one time is seamless. I found myself remembering snippets of my own childhoold and considering the timeless issues of racial injustice in America and how I manage it with my own children. This book should be required reading among all families of color. Well done, Mr. Asim.

There were many great reviews so I decided to give it a try. It reads like poetry, which I am not fond of. However, as I read about each character, I felt like a neighbor sitting on the front porch sipping sweet tea and eavesdropping. The setting takes place in a fictional Midwestern town in 1967. It addresses issues of racial injustice. While I have not experienced such injustice, there are moments in the book I could relate to. Remember Chick-o-Sticks? Remember Crispus Attucks? Remember that kid on the block who was known by his/her nickname, but you never quite knew his/her real name? This book will bring back childhood memories as well as offer a glimpse into a tight-knit black community. Well worth the read!

Literary Marie of Precision Reviews

ter finishing this collection of short stories, I have definitely tasted pure honey. A Taste of Honey........by JABARI ASIM is truly awsome. Characters like Crisp and Shom are delightful. Chip and Shom have African American historical names. How long has it been since I've heard any one mention Crispus Attucks? He gave his life during the American Revolution massacre. Shom's name is an historial name too.

It's not just the recall of American History in the stories. There is also the moments of emotional pain and beauty. Rose has the most beautiful voice. "She sang "His eyes is on the Sparrow"and the birds respectfully hushed their twittering." However, Rose's life was far, far from beautiful. Through this story I learned there are men like Jabari Asim who know the horrors of domestic violence and hate the men who would treat a woman in such a way. By the way, the year is nineteen sixty-seven.

I could go on sharing the stories. The characters are easily memorable because there names come up again in another story. It's like reading about the lives of people in a neighborhood. Each household owns its own issues. At the same time each person in the household owns the social problems faced by the whole African American community. These are the bigger issues of black men still being treated like boys. Men and women who worry will they live to see another day to work, laugh and love because the color of their skin makes life hard and stressful. What belongs to you does not really belong to you. What belongs to someone else is theirs and whatever else they might want to take and possess.

A Taste of Honey..........STORIES JABARI ASIM...........is magnetic, graceful and really, filled with truth. Take time and read these stories. While you're reading you will enjoy A TASTE OF HONEY.Jabari Asim

This is a wonderful read. The characters in this book come alive and hold your attention. This story takes place in a city I know well and reminds me of what it was like back then. I highly recommend "A Taste of Honey" by Jabari Asim

Billed as a set of sixteen short stories, A Taste of Honey is so much more than that. It would be impossible to tell just one story and not wonder where it leads to or how the characters in that particular story affect characters in other stories.

Set in 1967 Gateway City, residents and those familiar with St. Louis will immediately recognize street names and neighborhood distinctions sprinkled throughout. With a healthy cast of characters who could all be the main character, it is young Crispus that grabs my attention. Though all stories are told in third person, when reading this I felt as if they were being told through the eyes of this young man.

There is the story of Rose, a young woman with the voice of an angel who lives to sing at church on Sundays, but spends the rest of the week pretending that her husband isn't as bad as he seems. There's the friendship between the Reverend Washington and the notorious gangster, Ananais Goode, that no one can figure out. The neighborhood is rounded out with Guts Tolliver, the hit man with a sense of humor; Ray Mortimer, a white cop patrolling the beat; and several others that make this an absolutely delightful read.

What did you like about this book?

The author is a master of language and uses it to set the backdrop for an absolutely fascinating take on what life in St. Louis must have been like for African Americans, especially a nine year old boy.

What did you dislike about this book?

At just a little over 200 pages, I could have used a bit more.

What could the author do to improve this book?

Nothing. If J. California Cooper were to decide to stop writing tomorrow, Jabari Asims could easily step into her role as the master of the short story.