Jazz

I vividly remember the day when Toni Morrison read from this book in a bookstore in Brooklyn upon its release. It was truly a magical experience. The atmosphere in the bookstore was filled with anticipation and excitement as people gathered to listen to the renowned author. Morrison's words seemed to come alive, captivating the audience and transporting them into the world of the story.

However, as much as I enjoyed this book, it is not my absolute favorite among Toni Morrison's works. Nevertheless, it is still a wonderful story, rich with music and life. The characters are well-developed, and the plot weaves a tapestry of emotions and experiences.

If you're interested in exploring all of Toni Morrison's amazing work, check out the list here and vote for your favorite!

Also, don't miss Fino's Toni Morrison reviews. You can find reviews of some of her most notable books such as The Bluest Eye, Sula, Song Of Solomon, Tar Baby, Beloved, Jazz, and Paradise.

This review is truly a testament to the power of Toni Morrison's work. While I still wholeheartedly agree with it, it's important to note that the audiobook is abridged and missing many lovely paragraphs. So, I ended up reading the paperback again. However, the audiobook is still an absolute delight.

The story moved me from start to finish. I listened to it on audiobook out of necessity, as it was the only option available at the library. When I heard Morrison's voice narrating, I was completely transfixed. I walked around the park for an hour, completely immersed in the story, paying no attention to anything around me. Her cadence and the way she whispered life into each of these complex characters made every word feel purposeful and smooth.

I must admit that I don't fully understand this book. I read a summary afterwards to ensure I got it right, but I'm still not sure. It spans generations, has an omniscient narrator, and a cast of about 10 characters whose voices it seamlessly moves in and out of. This complexity can be confusing, but while listening, I just let it all go. I love the unexpected friendships that emerge and the histories that get unraveled. I can really feel the care Morrison put into this work. I do feel that Dorcas was short-changed in this, and I look forward to discussing it further.

I cannot praise the audiobook enough. I think this is a work that I will have to continue revisiting to fully appreciate its complexity, but I really loved the experience of listening to it.

Toni Morrison is a renowned author who crafted a remarkable trilogy that delves deep into African-American history, traversing three pivotal periods. The first book, the brilliant Beloved, is set during the era of slavery.

The third book, Paradise, which I haven't read yet, I believe is set around the 50s.

And then there's Jazz, which focuses on the Harlem Renaissance. This particular period and place are of great excitement to me.

However, my main issue with Jazz is that it doesn't actually spend a significant amount of time in Harlem during the 20s. Morrison seems more interested in the Great Migration, the process that led to the influx of black people into Harlem in the first place. To me, it all feels a bit too anthropological.

I did like the central story, which involves a man killing his mistress and then his wife showing up to disrupt the mistress's funeral. But unfortunately, I kept getting pulled away from this engaging narrative as everyone felt the need to tell their origin stories.

Moreover, Morrison has two habits that I'm not too fond of: postmodernism and corniness. These traits are overly indulged in Jazz, and as a result, this isn't my favorite Morrison work.

Toni Morrison's books are truly captivating, much like a box of delicious cookies that you simply can't resist having just one.

This particular work is the second book in the beloved trilogy. After reading "Beloved," I felt compelled to continue with this one, at least in theory, to do the "right thing." However, a part of me wished I could be more unconventional and read them out of order.

Similar to "Beloved," this book delves into the consequences of a profound act of violence among those who are close. It offers a unique perspective and writing style that requires effort on the reader's part to fully understand and appreciate the rewards. Nevertheless, unlike "Beloved," the inspiration behind this book, which is the titular jazz, and its characters didn't quite resonate with me. Given how much I adored its predecessor, this one was always going to be a bit of a hard sell.

But, in a way, that's a good problem to have. It shows the depth and diversity of Morrison's work.

In conclusion, I can only say: more Toni Morrison, please. I can't wait to explore more of her literary masterpieces.

Toni Morrison's "Jazz" delves deep into the complex realm of couple-love, with romantic love intertwined with the driving force of jazz. Morrison didn't settle for a mere musical backdrop or decorative nods to it. Instead, she aimed to present the "manifestation of the music's intellect, sensuality, anarchy; its history, its range, and its modernity" within a book where "the structure would equal meaning". The way the basic story is told makes all the difference. The narrative tonally shifts and changes viewpoints, embodying the very essence of the jazz genre - vivid self-expression, an ensemble of voices, stories, and histories. We witness a constant contrast between rural and urban life, highlighting one's wants and opportunities. With a change in location, relationships and love also transform. As is typical of Morrison, the novel encompasses a diverse range of characters. While Violet and Joe are central, they aren't always the sole focus as the world and people around them are richly developed. The omniscient narrator, too, purposefully adds complexity. The style is engaging, and the story is substantial, yet it sometimes stumbles, demanding more time and space to fully unfold. Nevertheless, it's an astonishing exploration of the need for reciprocity.

"I told you again that you were the reason Adam ate the apple and its core. That when he left Eden, he left a rich man. Not only did he have Eve, but he had the taste of the first apple in the world in his mouth for the rest of his life. The very first to know what it was like. To bite it, bite it down. Hear the crunch and let the red peeling break his heart."

Not quite a true 4 stars, but boy does Toni Morrison know how to end a story.

(I felt this way about her novel, Love, too, which I read a couple years ago). She’ll reveal some detail that breaks open the heart of the story in a way that reaches across the divide of the specific people in time and place (here, a group of neighbors in 1926 Harlem) and into the well we share, the well that makes us human.

Her endings also shed light on all that came before, causing me to reimagine the events and characters in her story with a fuller sense of truth. She’s like a goddess of the heart, which takes true intelligence, along with guts: the guts to be vulnerable, and then to explore so deeply, and with such honesty, that the simplicity of it is beauty itself.

It is purity and clarity and love and strength all at the same time. It is pain and sorrow, and it is the acknowledgement of how far people can go — in both the damage of and the propping up of another being — when they love. Love, in her world, can kill you, and oh how that resonates for me right now.

This is the story of a love triangle, and ultimately, a marriage. No one ever really knows what goes on between two people, and marriage is one of the most complex relationships we’ll ever know.

This marriage is full of unique nuances, ones that expose another way to be. I felt like Morrison had me gawking and laughing at first from a distance, and then drew me closer and closer until I understood others, and then recognized us all.

Morrison's writing is a masterclass in storytelling. She weaves a tale that is both captivating and thought-provoking. The characters are so vividly drawn that they seem to leap off the page.

The love triangle at the center of the story is both passionate and tragic, and Morrison explores the complex emotions and motives of each character with great skill.

The marriage that results from the love triangle is equally complex, and Morrison shows how the relationship evolves over time, through both joy and pain.

Overall, this is a powerful and moving story that will stay with you long after you've finished reading it. It's a testament to Morrison's talent as a writer and her ability to touch the hearts of her readers.

Over the past few years, it took me a total of five attempts to embark on this literary adventure. Each time I picked up the book, I was filled with anticipation and a sense of determination. But for various reasons, I would put it down before reaching the end. However, this time, I was finally able to complete it. And let me tell you, it was well worth the wait. I absolutely love this book. It has been an amazing journey, filled with emotions, insights, and unforgettable moments. The characters came alive on the pages, and I found myself completely immersed in their world. I can't wait to share this wonderful experience with others.

The young here don't seem so young, and midlife doesn't seem to exist. Morrison is one of the authors I followed for a while and then stopped for no obvious reason. Part of it might be that there are so many unread names on my shelves that have been waiting for too long. So, going back to something I've already liked more than once often seems too self-indulgent. But when there's a lot of material and opportunities come up regularly, it can be hard to resist. Morrison still has a mix of status quo adulation and modern worth, fitting well into my classics challenges and personal persuasions.

Nine years after reading the first book in Morrison's Beloved trilogy, I picked this one up because it fit in many ways. A lot has changed since I last immersed myself in her style. These days, I know more and feel less. Or maybe it's better to say I try to know before I feel. There's a lot to like in this text that combines the living and the dying with the art they produce, without the self-conscious "good representation" sneer that plagues modern evaluations. But there's also a lack of structure in character, plot, and narration that I don't think was fully resolved in less than 300 pages. I may lower the rating later, but I need to explore this further.

I wonder if I would have had mixed feelings about this book if I'd read it five or six years earlier. How much of my reaction is due to professional experience and how much is a lack of peer pressure? It's impossible to say with any book, but it's worth thinking about with a book like this. Even compared to other books in Morrison's bibliography, this one still stands out in terms of skill and maturity. It's become popular among young people to evaluate each other based on their taste in creative works. But while reading this book, I still kept track of who was killed, who was redeemed, who was given context, and who served a purpose. I'm not sure if the time Morrison spent introducing a new plot and characters halfway through was worth leaving other characters without a proper ending. There are also some sociological digressions that have a free-flowing omniscience over time, place, people, and culture that can't be copied. It feels a bit strange to enjoy those while also expecting the more ordinary conventions of climax and resolution to be followed.
If you're in the mood for a story that's close to the messy reality of humans under pressure, with unique and sordid aspects that haven't been fully revealed by the media, and that also reaches a high level of writing skill, this is a good choice. You may not be completely satisfied like I was, but for me, that's the price of being white. You'll have to figure out what it means for you. A quick look at Morrison's catalogue shows a lot of books I haven't read yet. But you have to admit, she doesn't write in a cheap way. I think it's best for me to wait until another copy of her work and the incentive to read it come my way. In between the modern hype and the past status quo, it's hard to know how much of my reading is influenced by subliminal factors and how much is my own choice. Still, it's something to have read so much and come back to a book that still has its own way, strengthened by what came before and unafraid of new directions. I took a five-year break after reading four of her books and may take an even longer one after this fifth one, especially with the ongoing unpleasantness that makes me value a whole section of my library that I can't let sit in storage anymore. For those who are still wondering if I recommend this book, since it's relatively short, a standalone despite the #2, and a good introduction to Morrison's methods and concerns, you might as well pick it up if you're curious about what all the fuss is about. It's not as good as Beloved or Playing in the Dark, but Rome wasn't built in a day. I'd rather people take the time and effort to break away from the white boys and enjoy someone with real stakes for a change. If nothing else, I'm sure this book has been banned because of various synonyms for the word "degeneracy" at some point, and sometimes that's all you need to know.