Beyond FICTION: CANE RIVER and RED RIVER by Lalita Tademy

And suddenly it's Yom Kippur. Yikes, time flies. So here's another quick note with a very grateful link, this one to fellow Denver literary lady Carleen Brice over at Pajama Gardener for pointing the way to this LitMinds interview with author Lalita Tademy. I recall hearing about Lalita Tademy and the publication of her book Cane River, which explores four generations of her ancestors' legacies as Creoles living along the Cane River in Louisiana, in 2001. Cane River has since been followed by Red River, and I'm looking forward to reading both. The LitMinds interview reveals so much about Lalita Tademy, including aspects of her own personal history, what drove her to write these books, and what kind of reactions she's received. Her mother's concern that Lalita would "stir up all that old mess" fascinates me, as do references to old practices within African-American communities regarding skin shades, references that reveal once again how people have long been seen and judged and limited based on their complexions. I have a feeling Lalita Tademy offers significant details about historical events and attitudes that continue to impact contemporary race relations in all of her talks, articles, and books. It's no wonder her town of San Francisco has named Cane River their newest One City, One Book pick. What's surprising is that it took them six years to do it.