Of course, I choose this book because of the name recognition as I have been a fan of Ntozake Shange's work for years. I knew reading this book would be a long process as it is not just another book made for easy reading and ebook consumption. Rather, this book is proof that literature is alive and well and those who still enjoy settling with a good book that does more than entertain still have options.

This sweeping tale does more than chronicle the life of a family. What Bayeza and Shange do here is tell the story of American music and its inextricable link to social events and culture. As a devoted fan, I love how music was more than just personal to the seven generations presented in the Mayfield family; music was a way of life, inseparable from the personal and political.

The authors draw from many iconic figures throughout 20th century music including Bessie Smith, Josephine Baker and Billie Holiday among countless others. I not only enjoyed the story unfolding about the family from the end of slavery to the late 20th century but also testing my own knowledge of music to find the parallels between these iconic figures and their fictional counterparts.

As someone who often gets lower reviews for things such as print being too small, I was glad to see not only does this book have a much smaller print but also is much more epic than anything I could ever write. This is the kind of good writing authors should aspire to in our electronic age. A lot of love and labor went into this and it shows. Even though it was released last year, this is one of the best books I have read in a long time and commend the sisters for their beautiful, engrossing work. I can hear the music in your words and appreciate every note.