Beyond FICTION: THE KEEPERS OF THE HOUSE by Shirley Ann Grau

In the mid-1960s, writing about mixed-race romance was not a popular thing to do. When New Orleans native Shirley Ann Grau won a Pulitzer Prize in 1965 for her feisty and beautiful novel, The Keepers of the House, she made more than a few enemies and was dubbed a “controversial” author. In 2003, The Keepers of the House was reissued (with a stunning cover) and interest in this classic portrayal of racism in the Deep South was renewed.

Why put this on your list of books for 2006? Read it for Grau’s lyrical word-smithing; read it to be reminded of the impact of prejudice on generations of families; read it to understand that while some confront injustices head on, others insist on ignoring damage done on a daily basis and prefer to pretend certain issues don’t exist, or matter. Read it because, forty years later, racism and prejudice do indeed still exist, still impact generations of families, and most certainly do matter.