John Oliver Killens's landmark novel of social protest chronicles the lives of the Youngblood family and their friends in Crossroads, Georgia, from the turn of the century to the Great Depression. Its large cast of powerfully affecting characters includes Joe Youngblood, a tragic figure of heroic physical strength; Laurie Lee, his beautiful and strong-willed wife; Richard Myles, a young high school teacher from New York; and Robby, the Youngbloods' son, who takes the large risk of becoming involved in the labor movement.
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"Published originally on the heels of the Supreme Court's decision of 1954, Youngblood marked the beginning of a new era in African American literature, for it broke starkly with the Wright school and opened a path for those novelists, poets, and playwrights who comprised the Neo-Black Arts Movement—a movement that recognized John Oliver Killens as its spiritual father."--Toni Cade Bambara
"[Killens] has written a novel, timeless in evocations of the rights of humankind and unparalleled in its optimism concerning the human condition. Youngblood is a tremendous achievement.”--Addison Gayle
"It has the power of the author's passion. The novel of social protest . . . justifies itself when it is as moving as Youngblood and deals with so gross an evil."--Granville Hicks, New York Times
About the Author
John Oliver Killens (1916-1987) was born in Macon, Georgia. He wrote four novels, including And Then We Heard the Thunder, several screenplays, a biography of Denmark Vesey, and essays collected under the title Black Man’s Burden.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Why was this novel hidden for so many years?,
This review is from: Youngblood (Paperback)
A friend recommended this novel to me just recently. It was written in the '50's. John Killens is an excellent writer; he is in the same class as all the Harlem Renissance writers and yet his work is not well known. This novel is daring, epic and extremely moving. Killens ability to show the depth of race relations is stunning. If you care about humanity, read this book!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book!,
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This review is from: Youngblood (Paperback)
I read this fine novel almost half a century ago, when it was still fresh and new. It impressed me then, and it still does. For a non-American such as myself, it throws a spotlight on to a badly-understood aspect of American society -- so-called race relations and the echoes of slavery. The characters practically leap off the page at you and you laugh and cry with them. A pity it is not better known!
0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent and Beyond,
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This review is from: Youngblood (Paperback)
The author has perfected keeping the reader's attention and maintaining the reader's urge to keep reading from one page to another and from one chapter to another.
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