Customer Reviews

Them: A Novel

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I read Mr. McCall's 'Makes me Wanna Holler' when I was a younger and still not yet a man. I read it and throughout the book I was saying "yeah", "that's right", and "exactly". It was very good for me to read something from someone who knew EXACTLY how I felt. When I saw he had a fictional book coming out I knew I had to read it.

This book is an awesome novel about "them". The question is who is "them"? Are you a "them"? Is your neighboor a "them"? Is your boss a "them"? Well, it all depends on who YOU are. Unlike other books on race relations this one gives us a view from both sides while slightly favoring one side. Entertaining, a little political, at times gritty, eye-opening, very well written, and a great book to read for your book club, to/with your kids, and discuss with co-workers.

Hopefully this won't be this authors last work of fiction.

Nathan McCall's novel, Them, depicts the gentrification of Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. Barlowe Reed, a single, middle-aged loner, and his nephew Tyrone, have been residents of the Old Fourth Ward for several years. Barlowe is wary of Caesar in all forms: government, bureaucracy, law enforcement, even flags. His feelings of distrust are deepened with the influx of new, white residents into their neighborhood which is rich with the history of the Civil Rights Movement and the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The racial tension in the neighborhood escalates, pitting black residents against white residents.

One white couple, Sean and Sandy Gilmore, buy the house right next door to Barlowe. Sandy and Barlowe hesitantly begin chatting over the backyard fence attempting to find understanding and common ground amidst the growing confusion and resentment building in the neighborhood.

McCall pulls no punches in Them as he excavates the multiple layers of struggle, history, pride, and hope that the neighborhood holds for its' residents. Them poses many questions about the gentrification process, yet offers little in the way of concrete answers. McCall's use of dialect, well-developed characters and detailed setting encourages readers to become invested in the residents of the Old Fourth Ward. Them is an excellent choice for individuals looking for a thought-provoking read and a great catalyst for book club discussions.

Reviewed by M. P. McKinney
APOOO BookClub

McCall's book interested me because I used to live in another gentrified Atlanta neighborhood, Kirkwood and unlike previous accounts of gentrification, the emphasis was on the gentrified. I'd also read and liked McCall's "Makes Me Wanna Holler". When I first looked at houses, my broker had suggested looking at the Old Fourth Ward, which then was just beginning to see redevelopment. The area didn't appeal to me because it lacked "amenities"--the rapid transit was inconvenient to most of the neighborhood and the shopping didn't amount to much beyond neighborhood mini-marts, plus it would have meant an even more inconvenient commute than the one I already had. Basically, like much of intown Atlanta, it was carbound and not very "urban" even though the "urban" location was supposed to be the appeal. Over the next 7 years, I frequently drove through the Old Fourth Ward on my way to other places and watched its rapid evolution.

McCall is at his best when he takes the perspective of Barlowe, a middle aged African-American man who finds himself with two not-always-well-meaning White gentrifiers next door. The changes in the neighborhood are reflected in Barlowe. He considers home ownership, deals with the puzzling motives and behavior of his neighbors and grapples with change. The couple next door are less well drawn. The wife is characterized as a former campus activist who works for a social service agency in Atlanta, yet has no experience with people like her neighbors. One would have expected her to seek out neighbors like her Black middle class colleagues or to show the naive, sometimes condescending attitude of many junior people in the helping professions. Instead, she comes across as good natured but unable to draw on her activist or occupational background. The motives and personality of her husband are put together even less well. The two of them are somehow short of money, but able to afford contractors to do expensive renovations.

Some events in the book draw from real life. For example, the rather unfocused effort by a clergyman to organize against gentrification seems to be based on an effort that had taken place in Kirkwood before I moved there. That effort failed mostly because the clergyman was an outsider and had made no effort to engage local people. In the book, it's less clear why things failed. Atlanta is a place with little history of collective action (beyond isolated examples such as lynchings and the rally against the Klan mentioned in the book), so this is not surprising. Unfortunately, it would be more understandable if McCall provided more context. He does mention the social changes in the city, the lack of middle class African-American interest in inner city communities, but doesn't really hit on the essentially neo-feudal social structure of the city and the surprising lack of real civil rights (or other activist) history, even though Dr. King and his lieutenants used Atlanta as their base. While McCall highlights the role of White realtors' solicitations in the Old Fourth Ward, it's likely that many more early houses came on the market because of a law that allowed people to take title to houses if the taxes have been delinquent for a particular period of time. The middle men who took advantage of this and turned houses over to realtors in my area were mostly African-American. Atlanta has plenty of sleazy would-be Donald Trumps, but unlike the realtor in the book they don't drive Cadillacs and they don't make house calls.

In general, the motives and personalities of the gentrifiers tend to be rather sketchy and the range of people who gentrify is not well reflected. Most people who'd gone into neighborhoods like the Old Fourth Ward had been priced out of already gentrified areas like Midtown and Virginia Highland, but had had little incentive or desire to commute from newer, far out suburbs. People like me wanted some semblence of city living, how ever meager. Many early gentrifiers were artists, gay, or otherwise outside the mainstream. Many of the people I encountered were as cringe-worthy as those in the book; people who frankly had no understanding of their surroundings or how to build a functional urban environment. In Kirkwood, there was much interest in attracting the kind of overpriced, mediocre restaurants that typify Atlanta's walking neighborhoods and less concern with attracting a bank or a pharmacy (businesses that everyone in the area needed and could use) or with improving mass transit. OTOH, many people approached their new neighborhoods with much more sensitivity and engaged neighbors in a more hospitable way. Even Barlowe's motivations seem murky at times. It's not always clear how he's reading his new neighbors and when he votes against local rabble rousing, the reasoning isn't entirely convincing.

Despite the drawbacks, McCall picks up on the knowing details of living in a gentrified neighborhood: the disappearance of useful businesses, the sudden appearance of joggers and bikers, and the willingness of children to engage new neighbors in a way that adults often don't. He misses, though, the ways in which people slowly establish a place in the community--for me, it was the waves hello when I sat on my front porch or the editorial commentaries I received when I painted my porch or fence.

The book ends on a tragic note for Barlowe's neighbors and, to some extent, for Barlowe, himself. I found it a bit overwrought, especially in relation to the experience of most people I'd known in areas like the Old Fourth Ward. Shortly before I left Kirkwood and Atlanta, I spoke to a new neighbor who had over-reacted to the kind of vandalism one would easily encounter with a new house in the suburbs. They seemed more annoyed than re-assured that little "bad" had happened to people during my time in the area and that my experience with neighbors had been positive. I was tempted to tell them that the shoddy construction of their infill mini-mansion was a going to cause more grief than anything else. Isolated petty crime and encounters like mine with these neighbors are more typical than the melodrama that ends this book.

Gentrification (dictionary.com) - the buying and renovation of houses and stores in deteriorated urban neighborhoods by upper- or middle-income families or individuals, thus improving property values but often displacing low-income families and small businesses.

In Nathan McCall's second release, the issue at hand is the gentrification of Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward, heavily populated by African-Americans who have become comfortable within their own zone and accustom to their way of life. The neighborhood enters a phase of change because "they" start moving in. Most African Americans in the neighborhood - like main character, Barlowe Reed, are uncomfortable with accepting the change due to innate feelings of there simply being just "too much water under the bridge." Cohabitating with seemingly concerned others is a notion hardly acceptable. While reading this novel, I got the impression that Barlowe felt victimized by "the system" and simply became comfortable with his personal status quo because prior experience had proven him powerless in many ways, all because of his heritage. The sight of the American flag, not really being happy with his Caucasian supervisor's treatment towards him and the uneasiness he feels when he starts seeing the trickle of "them" moving into his neighborhood - all represent things, situations or people he feels can take something from him. I got the sense Barlowe feels he doesn't own or have rights to anything - a corner in the world he can call his own. The Old Fourth Ward goes through a period where the community is at odds due to a series of mishaps and downright misunderstandings that occur as more of "them" move in. The neighborhood becomes tense as the racial divide continues to grow. The African Americans feel as if they are being moved over and out as new coffee shops and pottery courses spring up. They also see that the public officials are paying more attention to the "potential" now. Many Old Fourth residents ponder, "Where was the potential in the neighborhood before? Did it not exist prior to "them" moving in?"

Enter Sean and Sandy Gilmore, a Caucasian couple, moving to the Old Fourth Ward after a realtor pitches the neighborhood to them asking if they'd consider "going black," reassuring an apprehensive Sean that "they" drive values; thus, no need to worry about property values deteriorating - "the prices are still real low, but I'm telling you it's about to explode." Sandy, on the other hand, anticipated seeing the homes for sale in the neighborhood. Sean and Sandy purchased the home next door to none other than Mr. Barlowe Reed. Now, he has "them" as neighbors.

Barlowe and Sandy form an unusual relationship after many conversations through a fence that separated their back yards. Both characters become frustrated with race relations. She believing she is a conduit for integration and he making her aware that it's not that easy to just slide in and think she can save the world. Barlowe thinks Sandy is naïve and while she does empathize with him regarding the situation at hand in the Old Fourth Ward, she does not speak her feelings publicly. I do believe at some point, the two agreed to disagree on a lot of things, developed a certain degree of respect and level of understanding toward the other, eventually moving on - Barlowe settling into the Old Fourth Ward as it continued to change, while Sandy and Sean ended up moving away.

Nathan McCall does a good job in provoking reader thought toward race relations in America today. The book discusses the basis of misunderstandings between African Americans and Caucasians and assumptions based on stereotypes. I think Them will force readers to examine their own thought patterns on the issue.

While the book presents no solution to the gentrification issue, Them is a page turner with well-developed characters, scenarious that arouse reader emotion and after reading it, it does make one think.

"THEM" is an invitation for anyone to explore his/her own racial conciousness. You will find that as you examine the intense racial divide between Barlowe Reed (a middle age African American male) and Sandy Gilmore (a Caucasian female)you may be suprised to find yourself exploring your own beliefs. Barlowe is intense, self aware and definitely his own man. Sandy believes she is ready for social mixing and decides along with husband Sean Gilmore to move into the predominantly black 4th ward of Atlanta (near the historic birth home of Martin Luther King, Jr.)and next door to Barlowe. The story line has a complexity that sneaks up on you and makes you do a double-take on the title "THEM". I challenge anyone who wants to look at our society, and the realities of gentrification! You will also recognize that a definite "social balance" in the black community does exist. Nathan McCall does an excellent job in identifying the various degrees of the racial divide. Be ready to "self-examine" as you read "THEM"!

Barlowe Reed thought he had a pretty comfortable life. Living in Atlanta's historically black Old Fourth Ward (home to the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), Barlowe, a skilled printer, has an easygoing relationship with his neighbors and his job. Maybe he spends a little too much time keeping an eye on his troublesome nephew Tyrone, who shares the rundown rental home on Randolph Street. Maybe he can't find a woman who pleases him as much as his ex-girlfriend Nell, who was as passionate in bed as she was in arguments. Maybe he wishes he owned that house on Randolph Street, if only he could come up with a down payment. As he turns 40, Barlowe discovers that these small annoyances begin to preoccupy him more and more.

But it's only when new neighbors move into the house next door that Barlowe begins to really look at himself, his neighborhood and his role in the community in a new --- and often troubling --- way. The Gilmores, Sean and Sandy, are white, one of a handful of white couples who are moving into classic homes in the Old Fourth Ward based on realtors' promises of "'awesome potential, and marvelous skyline views.'"

Barlowe, for his part, can't figure out why these white folks are moving back to the city in droves: "He hadn't yet figured out what to make of them moving into the Old Fourth Ward. Last he heard they'd vacated the cities and fled to the woods. He thought they were happy out there. Now it appeared they'd changed their minds. White folks... Crazy as they ever wanna be."

For their part, Sean and Sandy move to the overwhelmingly African American neighborhood not only because their new house is a steal but also to make a statement. Sandy, a lifelong activist, is always looking for a chance to stick it to her conservative father, and his dire predictions for their new neighborhood seal the deal for her. As for Sean, he's more or less along for the ride, happy to support Sandy initially but eventually growing more and more uneasy with the characters he sees in their new neighborhood.

All of a sudden, the drunks, loafers and old men who populate the public spaces of the Old Fourth Ward are transformed from eccentric but harmless characters into potential threats to the neighborhood's newest inhabitants. Police are summoned, neighborhood institutions are shuttered forever, and ordinary interactions become opportunities for conflict and even violence. As Barlowe and Sandy develop an uneasy friendship of sorts as they speak across the fence that divides their adjoining yards, their neighborhood and its inhabitants seem to deny every possibility that two neighbors --- one black, one white --- might ever see eye-to-eye.

In THEM, his debut novel (and his second book, following his bestselling memoir MAKES ME WANNA HOLLER), Nathan McCall exposes the ugly realities of the gentrification trend in today's urban neighborhoods. Although the book is infused with the flavor and character of Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward (a place that is virtually a character in and of itself), the ideas he presents here could be applied to countless other historic neighborhoods in cities across the country. And McCall does present some big ideas, in prose that is almost compulsively quotable, that begs to be read aloud and to spark discussion. That is not to say that THEM is preachy --- instead, its sociological and political commentaries grow out of McCall's grounded, realistic portrayals of flesh-and-blood people and places, making them feel even more genuine and relevant.

--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

I was very intrigued by this book because it seemed to cross the border from African-American fiction into general fiction. I say that because the synopsis grabbed me as a story about conflicting cultures, i.e. black and white, and I was interested into seeing how it would be narrated in neutral perspective.
As a White American, I was really interested in how the racial divide is in a place like Atlanta, Georgia. As a usual, I was initially annoyed by Barlow's anti-American bitterness in the beginning of the novel, but I accepted that as a foundation to understand his character. It seemed figuratively that this character was slightly shallow and lazily constructed. However, McCall does a terrific job in allowing the reader to understand the past and future of the kind of character Barlow is. By the middle of the story you begin to understand and almost sympathize completely with Barlow. The story begins with the abrupt relocation of Barlow from his girlfriend's apartment back to his rented home in the 4th Ward of Atlanta, GA. The historical significance of the 4th ward is that Martin Luther King Jr's home is located there. What was once, not necessarily quaint, but understood lifestyle of the block is under attack by the migration of real estate hungry "white folk." This is the point in the novel that the structure of the entire setting is completely rattled by the introduction of a happily newly wed couple, the Gilmores.
Personally, I thought the names, Sandy and Sean Gilmore was such a typical white couple and I got some amusement from the fitting of such names. Sean moves in with a drive to amount some investment while Sandy has this sort of politically liberal debt towards a community she knows little about. Within this point in the novel the clash of cultures begin. Sandy and Sean, being the minority, are the ignorant while Barlow and his roommate Tyrone become the paranoid watchers over their newly arrived neighbors. The numerous characters in the novel are introduced abruptly in the beginning of the novel which seems overwhelming but as you learn more about the neighborhood you realize that they produce a portion of the character that is the "neighborhood." It seems confusing at first, but you start to become redundantly aware of these characters. As the Gilmores try to make themselves more of a product of the neighborhood they actually start to begin a recession to it by changing every aspect. The Gilmores aren't the only white folk who move, but are only a fraction of interested investors. The newly arrived colonists begin to change every aspect of the well-understood culture that already existed in the 4th Ward. The change is met with much resistance from long sense settled residence of the neighborhood. McCall uses this conflict as an interesting spotlight on the morality of difference and ignorance. At this time, the question of what is right and what is wrong becomes a blur. Martin Luther King Jr's legacy is either referenced or exploited in this part as the black folk become more unsettled by their new neighbors and become resilient towards their ways.
McCall creates a setting and a story that almost feels as real as a newspaper article when these conflicts take place. The mass number of characters compensates their importance by presenting their unique perspective to such a diverse subject of racial culture. The novel presents itself as such a social narrative on racial indifference, but in actuality, it's really just a simple story of different people living in different circumstances. The story, on its own is very interesting and entertaining. At moments in the novel I was captured by the tension between the differently understood people of the 4th Ward. McCall doesn't waste time describing the setting in a slow Tolstoy craft, but gives you what you need to know to feel like you're there. The description goes so far to make you feel uncomfortable to even be present in that setting. Even though the subject of the novel becomes the underscore of everything that happens, don't expect some soapbox moment at the end where someone comes out and brings right in everyone. There is actually a moment in the end where someone stands on a crate and gives a moment of enlightenment, but that only presents awareness to a problem that requires more insight to understand, let alone fix.
It's difficult to describe the novel without spoiling it for the rest, but so much happens and every little thing matters. The subject matter of the novel is more important than the story, but the story itself is still entertaining and engaging. There are points in the novel that seem unrealistic from how the white people act like they're white to Barlow's future love interest being an almost act of God.
All in all, I was very entertained and captivated by this novel and I recommend it for everyone to read. I do think the subject matter in this book is well scribed. You, the reader, become very annoyed by how ignorant these people are, but that only makes you reevaluate your own perspective on you act and/or think.

Barlowe Reed has been a long time resident of Atlanta's historic Old Fourth Ward. At the age of 40, Barlowe decides that he needs to make things more permanent in his life by trying to buy the home that he and his 20-year-old nephew are renting. But Barlowe soon finds out that it won't be that easy. The Old Fourth Ward is being hit with something that the neighborhood thought that it could escape: gentrification. Soon, black homeowners are being replaced with white ones and changes are happening fast. The long-time black residents suddenly feel angered and threatened by the influx of white residents. Battle lines are drawn creating very intense situations. When Sean and Sandy Gilmore, a young white couple, moves in next door, Barlowe has to face the conflict head on. Sandy tries to find out more about the neighborhood by having reluctant conversations with Barlowe over the backyard fence. Sandy is hopeful about the new neighborhood; but after a series of events, her husband Sean is now having second thoughts.

Them is an awe-inspiring debut novel by Nathan McCall. McCall masterfully told a story that will resonate with people from all walks of life. This story not only deals with gentrification but also how race relations can shape and change a community. McCall's expertly developed multi-dimensional characters is what really makes this novel soar. You get inside the minds of not only Barlowe but of Sandy and Sean Gilmore as well. Readers will also see how some key events transform the attitudes of the residents of the Old Fourth Ward. Them is an entertaining and insightful read that will definitely foster some enlightening book club discussions. Nathan McCall has seamlessly made the transition from a revered non-fiction author to an excellent fiction novelist.

Reviewed by Radiah Hubbert
for Urban Reviews

As a "white, liberal urban pioneer" I was anxious to read this book, as I was genuinely interested in seeing how an African-American author would present this issue. Many of the situations ring true and some were eerily accurate representations of events in my neighborhood -- the cool urban coffeehouse, the house tour with banners, weekday late-night porch parties with loud voices and music, public urination. Been there, done that. I bought my house because it was a beautiful work of architecture with great bones and fabulous potential that we could afford. We're not rich, but I'm sure it seemed that way to the neighbors. What is missing in this book is the bridge that helps to understand the cultural gulf that separates us. How do you solve problems when no one is telling us why they value specific things they consider to be essential to the fabric of the community? Unfortunately, the characters were thin cliches that never had the conversations necessary to shed some light on the subject. The importance of home-ownership becomes clear to Barlowe, but its significance as a wedge in an "emerging" neighborhood is never fully explored. The people moving in aren't just white, they're homeowners and the majority of the existing residents aren't just African-American, they're renters. It's not about skin color. It's about money and the assumptions and expectations that go along with it.

THEM by Nathan McCall features Barlow Reed as a 40-something African-American man living in the Old Fourth Ward in Atlanta. As gentrification takes hold in his neighborhood, Barlow and his neighbors become suspicious and resentful of the new inhabitants and changes they are attempting to make.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language list the following definition for gentrification: The restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people.

Barlow is employed by a local printing press, has a troubled nephew living with him and a girlfriend, who literally does Barlow a favor by breaking things off with him. Barlow, a simple guy, works, reads, plays the lottery and hates all forms of government, thus nicknaming it "Caesar". When neighbors, Sandy and Sean, move next door and restore the old house inside and out, Barlow is forced into action of doing the same to his home, but first he must purchase it. Sandy and Sean must examine their reasons for wanting to relocate from suburban Atlanta to the Old Fourth Ward. Are they trying to send a message or is it something more innocent and noble?

At times, THEM is a dramatic read with highlights of humor. The situations of fear and fear of the unknown play well, but eventually veer off to being over-the-top and stereotypical. There are the gatherings of the locals and new inhabitants to establish neighborhood ground rules, which lead to gatherings of the black locals who try to relive the glory days of the civil rights movement. There are also confrontations both vocal and physical. The sociological and psychological messages are plenty and THEM is sure to cause much debate and discussion around the practice of gentrification.

Reviewed by Dawn R. Reeves
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers