South to America

I went into this not knowing much about the book except it being recommended by some trusted intellectuals I follow on Twitter. And I still don't think I can put into words after finishing what it was actually about.

This can probably called a love letter to the American South, by an author who is from Alabama, who is not afraid to show both the beautiful and brutal things about the South, both in the past and present. It's an intimate chronicling of a journey across various important cities and states which we may know a little about, but there is so much more to say about these places, especially through the eyes of the Black people who have lived there for generations amidst turmoil and survived or thrived, creating their own vibrant communities.

At the end though, this was both eye opening but also fleeting in the sense that I don't know how much of these stories impacted me. But I can feel the sentiment and love with which the author wrote this book. And listening to the audiobook in her own voice felt like she was narrating a journey as she was traveling and it was very interesting. I will definitely recommend the audiobook but I think it's better if you don't go in expecting a straightforward and stereotypical history book about the American South.