I put this book in the same category as the best of her works: Sula and Song of Soloman. These are truly top-tier Morrison, which in essence means they are among the top-tier of any writing in existence.

Toni Morrison's talent is simply remarkable. Her ability to craft complex and engaging stories, filled with rich characters and profound themes, is what sets her apart.

In Sula, we are introduced to a world of friendship, love, and loss. The characters are so vividly drawn that they seem to leap off the page.

Song of Soloman, on the other hand, takes us on a journey of self-discovery and identity. It explores themes of race, class, and family in a way that is both powerful and thought-provoking.

This book that I am referring to, like Sula and Song of Soloman, has the same magic and brilliance. It is a testament to Morrison's genius as a writer and a must-read for anyone who appreciates great literature.

Once, in the early 1990s, when I had discovered both books and jazz, in a youthful impulse, I bought a translation of Toni Morrison's Jazz. Unfortunately, my nose for literature was not yet as developed as my ear for music at that time. I understood little of it and gave up after just a few pages. Now I know that this book was actually untranslatable, precisely because of the musical language with which Toni Morrison wanted to make jazz sound in the broadest sense of the word. Also this Tar Baby, as I read in the afterword, has its fair share of translation issues that go beyond our contemporary handling of, for example, the n-word. Incidentally, it is a brand new translation (2023) by the masterful hand of Nicolette Hoekmeijer.

The novel itself - my first real Morrison, then - shines with verbal mastery. After just a few pages, I was impressed by the power of her sentences and her very own style, which made it clear to me that as a white reader, I didn't need to delude myself. This book is first and foremost written for black readers, although Morrison's métier ensures that her themes always keep pace with the intrigue. She also has a firm grip on the compositional strings. Only the characters sometimes seem rather inconsistently characterized.

The main theme here is clearly racism. Sometimes explicit but mostly lurking beneath the surface and spun out like a complex, yet incredibly fine web. It is not limited to the colonialist attitude of white supremacy, but also shows the opposite and the mutual racism among both black and white people. Nevertheless, it is unmistakably a black voice that presents the problematics in an elusive, figurative language of masquerades and magical natural elements.

The intrigue is also complex, because the relationships between the characters, the stories and the secrets, the revealing and the concealing, the speaking or not speaking of what one thinks, and the inner struggles and contradictions make them the playthings of their own role in interaction with the others. Incidentally, in quite a few scenes, I had the feeling of reading a play. This novel, in my opinion, lends itself perfectly to that, not least because Toni Morrison works a lot with dialogues, but also because the settings and especially the crucial Christmas dinner scene can be played out so well on the boards.

Besides the fact that this was again such a nice edition of the Perpetua series, my literary hunger was also well satisfied, and I would therefore like to discover a few more gems by Toni Morrison. Jazz will be one of them (this time in English), but all tips are welcome from now on.

I'm wondering how many 1 and 2 star ratings came from readers who thought this would be a good Caribbean vacation beach read.

I also wonder how many of them were clueless to the meaning of the term "tar baby". Sigh... There should be no need to discuss that. It's rather obvious that, well, ALL the characters, black, white and mulatto, were tar babies.

Inextricably stuck to who they are, no matter where they are, they cannot escape themselves, their pasts, their childhoods. In fact, WE ARE ALL tar babies. And just like the characters in the book, it is how we deal with what is inside us that determines how we cope with the circumstances of life on the outside.

I love Morrison's almost overwhelming poetic intensity. For example, early in the book when introducing Margaret (the wealthy white once a trophy wife), Morrison describes her husband Valerian's house as "bigger than her elementary school" and dinners with his friends in which "the men talked about music and money and the Marshall Plan."

As in poetry, there is prominent sensory description, in this case smell and touch. Usually writing about the tropics is full of color - colors of the sea, the sands, the birds, flowers, fruit - but the telling of the book is about race, the colors are those of skin along with color obscured by fog, blindness and dreaming or sleep.

I argue that this book is ultimately not about the color of skin or race or stereotypes. It is about what is under that skin and that we cannot escape that. But that we accept life, and ourselves, for what it is.

There is a quote on from Tar Baby on this Goodreads page that begins "At some point...". I'd like to continue where it left off. "The world will always be there - while you sleep it will be there - when you wake it will be there as well. So you can sleep and there is a reason to wake. A dead hydrangea is as intricate and lovely as one in bloom. Bleak sky is as seductive as sunshine, miniature orange trees without blossom or fruit are not defective; they are that. So the windows of the greenhouse can be opened and the weather let in. The latch on the door can be left unhooked, the muslin removed, for the soldier ants are beautiful too and whatever they do will be part of it."

This passage beautifully captures the essence of the book, suggesting that we should embrace all aspects of life, both the beautiful and the not-so-beautiful.

It reminds us that there is beauty and meaning in everything, if we are willing to look for it.

Morrison's writing is a powerful exploration of the human condition, and Tar Baby is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of race, identity, and the human spirit.

All I got to say is the DIALOGUE!!

I'm a month late writing this review. It has nothing to do with the novel, which I really enjoyed. I've just been busy readjusting to working again after a year of doing as I please and managing my time all by myself.

Seems like Tar Baby is the least beloved of Morrison's novels. I see why: it lacked much of the raw emotion and horror of her earlier works. But from a novelist's and literary scholar's perspective, I actually found it to be the best of her first four. The lack of blatant emotion, for me, indicates a more subtle and better crafted narrative.

Actually, The Bluest Eye might be the best as it combines the raw horror of being black in the U.S.A. with a polished narrative. But I really appreciated the complexity and subtlety in Tar Baby. The questions it asks and the no-win situations it presents are more compelling. Maybe this is because I'm white, but I can't help that.

I hope I'm not responding this way just because this is the first of Morrison's novels with convincingly drawn white characters. But I can't rule out the idea. As a novelist and scholar, I better understood the interactions of the characters in Tar Baby and the ensemble approach to crafting a narrative around them. In her previous three novels, the narrative often seemed to follow characters down rabbit holes, upsetting the overall arc and leaving them feeling unbalanced.

Formulating this review, I was reminded of Mikhail Bakhtin's theory of the dialogic. This Russian critic believed that novels are superior to poems because the novelist speaks through a series of voices or characters interacting. This technique is done extremely well in Tar Baby. My only complaint is that the last chapter seemed inconclusive and unnecessary. Cut it and this is a nearly perfectly framed tale of six characters in search of self-transcendence, which none of them really achieve. But it's not for lack of trying. (That's where the tar baby analogy comes in.)

I absolutely loved this book.

I firmly believed that this was one of Toni's more "accessible" works. The language employed was simply breathtakingly beautiful.

The description of the island was so vivid and luscious that it seemed to come alive right before my eyes.

I was truly overjoyed with the ending.

I know that Son will remain in my thoughts for a very long time.

There is a certain charm in the way Toni writes about romances that makes one feel that being alive is truly worth it.

I have a strong desire to experience all the ups and downs, the intense emotions that Toni so skillfully portrays here because it is just that good.

I will most definitely revisit this book in the years to come! It is a truly beautiful piece of literature.

This was SO steamy… and it’s going to haunt me for a long time to come.

At first, I was only turning pages for Jadine and Son's sex life, which was truly worth it. However, I was heartbroken, horrified, and exposed by everything else along the way.

Is it because I saw and understood so much of myself in Jade that I refuse to believe she’s “forgotten her ancient properties”? I rarely feel like re-reading novels immediately after finishing them, but I will have to go back and re-read. Maybe all the evidence is there? I just don’t believe it.

Anyway, it was epic that nearly every dialogue was a clash of values, histories, and futures of settler whiteness, womanhood, and blackness. The stakes were so high!!! But as always with Morrison, the language, the imagery, the sheer artistic control and power in her work takes us beyond their political commentary and implications. Always beyond.

[Might fill this out more after re-reading]

Seldom does one have the chance to quote Martin Gore when discussing topics other than pop hits and the perils of suntanning addiction. However, these are indeed rare times. The relevance of Depeche Mode in this context is remarkable on multiple levels. It brings up that age-old ontological question: "Which came first, Toni Morrison or Depeche Mode?" Sigh. I have resigned myself to never finding an answer. Lord knows we all grapple with such thoughts in our quiet moments. (Some of the above is true, but very little.)

Boys?

It's a lot (it's a lot)
It's a lot (it's a lot)
It's a lot (it's a lot)
It's a lot (like life)

There's a new game we like to play, you see
A game with added reality
You treat me like a dog, get me down on my knees

We call it Master and Servant
We call it Master and Servant

It's a lot like life, this play between the sheets
With you on top and me underneath
Forget all about equality

Let's play Master and Servant
Let's play Master and Servant

It's a lot like life and that's what's appealing
If you despise that throwaway feeling
From disposable fun
Then this is the one

Domination's the name of the game
In bed or in life, they're both just the same
Except in one you're fulfilled at the end of the day

Let's play Master and Servant
Let's play Master and Servant

Come on
Come on
Master and Servant
It's a lot (it's a lot)
It's a lot (it's a lot)
It's a lot (it's a lot)
It's a lot (like life)
It's a lot (it's a lot)
It's a lot (it's a lot)
It's a lot (it's a lot)
Master and Servant
It's a lot (it's a lot)
It's a lot (it's a lot)
It's a lot (it's a lot)
It's a lot (like life)

It's a lot like life and that's what's appealing (it's a lot like life)
If you despise that throwaway feeling (it's a lot like life)
From disposable fun
Then this is the one

Let's play Master and Servant
Come on, Master and Servant
Let's play Master and Servant
Come on, Master and Servant
Let's play Master and Servant (it's a lot)
Come on, Master and Servant (it's a lot)

Truer words, lads…

**Title: 4.25/5 - Full RTC**

The rating of 4.25/5 for the full RTC is quite remarkable. It indicates a high level of performance and quality. The RTC, or Real-Time Clock, is an essential component in many systems. It provides accurate timekeeping and synchronization. With a score of 4.25 out of 5, it shows that the full RTC has met and exceeded expectations in several aspects.

Perhaps it offers precise timekeeping capabilities, ensuring that all processes and operations are coordinated flawlessly. It may also have a user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to set and manage the time. Additionally, the full RTC might have excellent reliability, minimizing the risk of errors or malfunctions.

Overall, the 4.25/5 rating for the full RTC is a testament to its outstanding features and performance. It is a valuable asset for any system that requires accurate timekeeping and synchronization. Whether it's for personal use or in a professional setting, the full RTC is sure to deliver.

Toni Morrison is an absolute literary giant. Her works are a profound exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of race, identity, and history with a masterful touch.

Her writing is not only beautiful but also incredibly powerful, capable of evoking a wide range of emotions in the reader.

To deny her status as one of the greatest writers of our time is simply unfathomable.

If you don't think Toni Morrison is the greatest, then perhaps you haven't truly understood the depth and significance of her work.

In that case, I would suggest you take the time to read her novels and discover for yourself the magic that lies within the pages.

But if you still坚持 your stance, then I'm afraid I have no choice but to unfriend you.

For I cannot abide by such a lack of appreciation for one of the most important voices in literature.

And if you want to fight me over it, then so be it.

But I assure you, my admiration for Toni Morrison will only grow stronger in the face of your opposition.

**"Tar Baby": A Complex Exploration of Identity and Cultural Heritage**

At some point in life, the world's beauty becomes enough. You don't need to photograph, paint or even remember it. It is enough. No record of it needs to be kept and you don't need someone to share it with or tell it to. When that happens — that letting go — you let go because you can.

\\n  Tar Baby is one of Toni Morrison's most ambitious novels. In it, Morrison attempts two new (to her) narrative strategies – situating the central plot within an insular setting beyond the geographical boundaries of the United States mainland and juxtaposing Black and white characters to dramatise the racial complexities that determine the American cultural landscape.

The central character, Jadine, is a Black woman. Morrison wants to affirm her self-reliance and freedom while also highlighting the dangers of total self-reliance without historical connection. Jadine is a cultural orphan, denying her own heritage and identifying with a different one. The novel explores the disparity between the women of Morrison's past and those of the present, as seen in Jadine.

\\n  The Biblical epigraph foreshadows the conflicts in the Street household and points to the serious "contentions" in Jadine's character. Tar Baby can be seen as a modern cautionary tale, exposing the pitfalls of white middle-class aspirations for Black women and the consequences of cultural "misbehavior". Jadine's quest for psychic wholeness fails as she accepts white middle-class values without question and rejects her own cultural constructions.

While writing the novel, Morrison delivered a commencement address expressing the thematic concerns. The novel serves as both a remembrance of a nurturing cultural tradition and a cautionary tale for those like Jadine. Jadine flees from crisis to the Caribbean and back to Paris, facing various forms of caution along the way, such as the African woman, Michael, and Son. Her resistance to cultural instructions becomes apparent when she and Son attempt to make love.

\\n  In an interview, Morrison said the tar baby represents the Black woman who can hold things together. Jadine is a failed tar baby, unable to sustain a relationship with Son due to her lack of ancestral power. At the end of the novel, Ondine laments not teaching Jadine to be a daughter, and Jadine seems fated to remain a cultural orphan. Morrison uses the tar baby folktale to critique and affirm, warning us of the risks of denying our cultural heritage.

Intellectual points I got from reading this: a lot.

When I read this, I was able to gain a significant amount of knowledge and understanding. The content presented various ideas and concepts that broadened my intellectual horizons. It made me think deeply about different topics and consider new perspectives.

Enjoyment I got from reading this: not a lot.

Although I gained a lot of intellectual points, the enjoyment factor was not as high. The writing style might not have been as engaging or captivating as I would have liked. It could have been more生动 and interesting to make the reading experience more enjoyable. However, despite the lack of significant enjoyment, the knowledge and learning I obtained still made it a worthwhile read.

In conclusion, while the reading provided a substantial amount of intellectual growth, it could have been improved in terms of enjoyment. Nevertheless, I am grateful for the opportunity to have read it and expand my knowledge.