Beloved
By Toni Morrison
- Release Date: 1987-08-12
- Genre: Literary Fiction
Description
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A spellbinding novel that transforms history into a story as powerful as Exodus and as intimate as a lullaby. With a new afterword by the author.
This "brutally powerful, mesmerizing story” (People) is an unflinchingly look into the abyss of slavery, from the acclaimed Nobel Prize winner.
Sethe was born a slave and escaped to Ohio, but eighteen years later she is still not free. Sethe has too many memories of Sweet Home, the beautiful farm where so many hideous things happened. And Sethe’s new home is haunted by the ghost of her baby, who died nameless and whose tombstone is engraved with a single word: Beloved.
“A masterwork.... Wonderful.... I can’t imagine American literature without it.” —John Leonard, Los Angeles Times
Reviews
The Weight of Loss?
3By KbthemayorI struggled with this read—a lot, unfortunately. And, after reviewing others post, my struggle is simply my own. In the end, this is—to me—a story about one’s personal relationship with loss, grief and shame (in an horrible time). It is also a story about how, even intermittently, others see it/respond to it while it is being experience by one. What I got (I think), is this relationship, loss, grief and shame, are equally personal, traumatic and, in its memory, consuming. Perhaps feeding/sustaining on a sustenance (or lack thereof) of a good and kind act. Depleting…dilapidating. It was just hard to read it (not to discredit the author). I struggled, I persisted…I struggled.A piece of history no one wants to know.
5By Mickj 02An amazing book. Just as it says in the end, it’s not a story to be passed on, or remembered. The ultimate love sacrifice in an insane period of the United States.Beloved
5By Red Brooklyn TreeHeartbreakingly beautiful love letter to the human soulLove!
5By Craion89Love this book. It is such a unique and dark tale of the guilt mothers hold based on the choices they’ve made when raising their child. Although this is extreme, most mothers can relate to the guilt in their own lives.Beautiful and Haunting
5By BarbiecutieRead in a few days. Some parts are difficult, but the storyline is a testament of the power of women when they come together.Mesmerizing, painfully so.
5By frostitudeThis is a work of genuine beauty. It’s wrapped in a story of wholly American history that is so painful to finish but worth all that it inflicts on you.Beloved
5By HGK2472Great book, it’s a difficult and heavy read but it is enjoyable! You have to set time aside to read and dive deep into the different levels of the novel.Great Topic but disruptive storyline
2By ...books...Loved the topic, but the narrative was too ethereal and imo lost the cadence of the story line. I got too annoyed with the constant loss of plot line to finish the book. Unfortunate experience with TM.Amazing
5By LunaUkiBeautiful and capturing story. One of the best books I’ve ever read.Its desent
2By ThatIrishguy!In my Opinion I feel like this should be point more towards adults I found this book in my highschool and was very shocked by some of the text in the book.Beloved
5By Judge Choa VangBest book l have every read. I use it as a standard, no other book has been able to surpass. I realized, early on, when I was reading it, that it was my responsibility to pay attention and 'listen' to the story as I read it. I had thought that I understood what slavery was, but, the book 'Beloved' taught me the true horror of slavery. I was even more horrified when I found out that it was based on a true case and not all that uncommon occurrence (I am referring to women killing their children to save them from the horror of slavery). I am no longer so smug about what I 'think' I know. It made me feel very humble.Should have read it sooner.
5By SassaphrassyAn unforgettable story.Beloved
4By BlazeDragon80I read this book for my English class during the summer for my freshman year and I have to say, it was quite a long read for an average? person, I guess. It took me two months to read this with 30 minutes a day and an extra 15 for note taking. The book was fine but not that great. I didn't understand some parts of the chapters, but fine nonetheless.Simply moving
5By Amir dynpI was moved by this work of art so much so that I chose to do thesis in my master degree majoring English. "A Must Read Mater Piece" by the author! You will know how the style of writing can be well blended with its subject matter.Insanely impressed
5By jfawurgaek.rBlown away. While takes on slavery have become redundant, the modern style in which this is written lends itself to suspense and thought. The book itself can be interpreted in so many different ways.Disappointed
2By RacnicchaAs this is a widely-acclaimed novel, considered to be one of the greats, I primarily blame myself for feeling this book was monotonous and a chore to get through.No Words (Really!)
5By ArgentumGentlewomanAlthough I have not read the copy sold by the iBookstore, I have read a physical, in-real-life copy of this book and felt the need to write a review. To put it bluntly, I would never bother with this if I did not think the book was spectacular and I did not feel a sort of bookish evangelical zeal to promote it to other readers. I'm sure other avid readers will know exactly what I mean here :) This book is so many things. It is abstract in some places, and down-to-earth in others, but poetic throughout. It leaps from character to character, and makes all of them deep and painful and gorgeous and flawed. It is about the irony of how the beautiful things we treasure hurt us when we lose them, causing us to thicken our skin and turn our eyes away in defense. It is about growing up, growing angry, growing wise, about life and death and the stuff in between. It's about how the past sinks its claws into you and pulls you away from what you need in the present. It is a ghost story, but so subtle that it is only terrifying in retrospect. And this is only my take on the book. I have no doubt you, another reader,will see things differently, or find things I did not pick up on. I'm begging you to read this. It is such a good book that I'm terrified that I will be the only person to love it, and I wish I could share it with everyone I know, and total strangers I meet on the street too! Please read and see for yourself, and thank you for the time you must have took to read my rambling review.Loved it !
5By Ambitous JazzI loooovvveeee this movie and book must read!!OMG
5By tmking50so I'm a 10th grader attending holy names high, and all I have to say is that this bookis a must read.... fabulous
