I'm not so sure this book deserved such a high rating.

It consists of three short stories, and at times, I really struggled to get through them.

I noticed that the author had a habit of using extremely big words. These were words that I had never heard of before, let alone knew their meanings.

This was particularly evident in the last story, which was mostly told from the point of view of a 12-year-old.

I simply can't envision any 12-year-old using that kind of language nowadays, and it seems even less likely in 1938.

The use of such complex vocabulary made it difficult for me to fully engage with the stories and understand the characters' thoughts and emotions.

Perhaps the author was trying to create a certain atmosphere or convey a specific message, but in my opinion, it detracted from the overall reading experience.

I expected more from a book with such a high rating, but unfortunately, it didn't quite meet my expectations.

Here are 3 short stories from the author's life. From the details I've gathered, it seems that Styron grew up in Hilton Village in Newport News. However, this needs to be verified. The second story, Shadrach, is what initially compelled me to pick up the book. Shadrach is an ex-slave who makes the journey back to Virginia with the intention of dying on the land where he was born. It's a poignant and powerful tale that gives us a glimpse into the experiences and emotions of those who have endured slavery and its aftermath. The third story might be about Styron's early writing attempts or a significant event that influenced his writing career. Unfortunately, I don't have all the details yet, but I'm eager to learn more and discover the full extent of the author's life and work.

**Review of: A Tidewater Morning, by William Styron**

In April 1962, President John F. Kennedy hosted a remarkable dinner for over four dozen Nobel Prize winners and other luminaries. Among the guests was William Styron, who was not yet the literary icon he would become. Styron's most recent novel, Set This House on Fire, was the talk of the White House.

My first encounter with Styron was The Confessions of Nat Turner, which was overshadowed by controversy. His first novel, Lie Down in Darkness, is a masterpiece. Sophie's Choice, winner of the National Book Award for Fiction in 1980, is one of the finest novels of the twentieth century.

I was surprised to learn of the existence of A Tidewater Morning, a collection of three novellas. I read it during a pandemic retreat. "Love Day" shows a young Styron as a Marine, while the title tale revisits his family during his mother's final days. My favorite is "Shadrach," a complex story of a former slave.
Styron's writing is powerful and evocative. He brings the past to life and creates memorable characters. I highly recommend his work to those who have not yet read him. For the uninitiated, I close with a worthy passage from "Shadrach."

Death ain't nothin' to be afraid about. Life is where you've got to be terrified! Where in the goddamned hell am I goin' to get the money to put him in the ground? I ain't got thirty-five-dollars! I ain't got twenty-five dollars! I ain't got five dollars! And one other thing! I know, I know. Poor old man, he couldn't help it. He was a decent, pitiful old thing, probably never done anybody the slightest harm. I ain't got a thing in the world against Shadrach. Poor old man.
And anyway, he died on Dabney ground like he wanted to. Even if he's got to be put away in a strange graveyard. Well, he won't know the difference. When you're dead nobody knows the difference. Death ain't much. [p76-78]