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The Wedding
On the island of Martha's Vineyard, a very special community has flourished since the turn of the century, an exclusive summer colony of affluent vacationers. A proud, insular, nearly unassailable group, it is made up of the best and the brightest of America's black middle class. A world of doctors and ministers and lawyers and college presidents, it represents a side of the black experience known by too few, a side that is seldom considered. It is a world Dorothy West knows well, for it is her world, and in The Wedding she brings it to wonderful life.
Langston Hughes once called Dorothy West "a student of the human race," and The Wedding bears him out, for it contains some of the most unforgettable flesh-and-blood characters you will ever meet, including Shelby Coles, the daughter of a loveless marriage, whose engagement to a white jazz musician threatens to tear her family apart; Lute McNeil, a social-climbing Boston businessman who sees in Shelby and her family everything he could ever want for his three motherless daughters, and who sells his soul to try to win her; and Gram, the daughter of a plantation owner, whose own daughter broke her heart long ago by marrying an ex-slave, and who is kept alive only by bitterness.
Through a delicate interweaving of past and present, North and South, black and white, The Wedding unfolds outward from a single isolated time and place until it embraces five generations of an extraordinary American family. It is an audacious accomplishment, a monumental history of the rise of a black middle class, written by the woman who lived it. Wise, heartfelt, and shattering, it is Dorothy West's crowning achievement.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
419 people are currently reading
8643 people want to read
About the author
Dorothy West
32 books160 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Dorothy West was a novelist and short story writer who was part of the Harlem Renaissance. She is best known for her novel The Living Is Easy, about the life of an upper-class black family.
West's principal contribution to the Harlem Renaissance was to publish the magazine Challenge, which she founded in 1934 with $40. She also published the magazines successor, New Challenge. These magazines were among the first to publish literature featuring realistic portrayals of African Americans. Among the works published were Richard Wright's groundbreaking essay "Blueprint for Negro Writing," together with writings by Margaret Walker and Ralph Ellison.
After both magazines folded because of insufficient financing, West worked for the Works Progress Administration's Federal Writers' Project until the mid-1940s. During this time she wrote a number of short stories for the New York Daily News. She then moved to Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard, where she wrote her first novel, The Living Is Easy. Published in 1948, her novel was well received critically but did not sell many copies.
In the four decades after, West worked as a journalist, primarily writing for a small newspaper on Martha's Vineyard. In 1982 a feminist press brought The Living Is Easy back into print, giving new attention to West and her role in the Harlem Renaissance. As a result of this attention, at age 85 West finally finished a second novel, titled The Wedding. Published in 1995, the novel was a best-seller and resulted in the publication of a collection of West's short stories and reminiscences called The Richer, the Poorer. Oprah Winfrey turned the novel into a two-part television miniseries, The Wedding (TV miniseries).
Dorothy West was a novelist and short story writer who was part of the Harlem Renaissance. She is best known for her novel The Living Is Easy, about the life of an upper-class black family.
West's principal contribution to the Harlem Renaissance was to publish the magazine Challenge, which she founded in 1934 with $40. She also published the magazines successor, New Challenge. These magazines were among the first to publish literature featuring realistic portrayals of African Americans. Among the works published were Richard Wright's groundbreaking essay "Blueprint for Negro Writing," together with writings by Margaret Walker and Ralph Ellison.
After both magazines folded because of insufficient financing, West worked for the Works Progress Administration's Federal Writers' Project until the mid-1940s. During this time she wrote a number of short stories for the New York Daily News. She then moved to Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard, where she wrote her first novel, The Living Is Easy. Published in 1948, her novel was well received critically but did not sell many copies.
In the four decades after, West worked as a journalist, primarily writing for a small newspaper on Martha's Vineyard. In 1982 a feminist press brought The Living Is Easy back into print, giving new attention to West and her role in the Harlem Renaissance. As a result of this attention, at age 85 West finally finished a second novel, titled The Wedding. Published in 1995, the novel was a best-seller and resulted in the publication of a collection of West's short stories and reminiscences called The Richer, the Poorer. Oprah Winfrey turned the novel into a two-part television miniseries, The Wedding (TV miniseries).
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September 19, 2018
4.5 Stars
I rarely say this but The Wedding could have used another 100 pages. This novel is amazing and it packs quite a punch to be as short a novel as it is. The Wedding by Dorothy West explores so many important themes that I feel are often overlooked in African American literature, colorism, class, and money.
The Cole family is a wealthy and prominent African American family spending a 1950's summer on Martha's Vineyard. The Coles are light skinned and wear their fair skin like a badge of honor. Colorism is a real problem in the black community, as a lighter skinned black person, I've dealt with it my whole life. My mothers side of the family is very light skinned with some members of my family having blond hair, red hair, blue eyes, and green eyes. My mother was so light she was often mistaken for white. My sister is just as light but her slightly coarser hair gives her away. I'm darker but still light enough to pass The Paper Bag Test. My dads side of the family are darker and more traditionally black looking. I have always been aware of my lighter skin color. My grandmother on my moms side told me to stay out of the sun so I didn't get BLACKER. While my family on my dads side seem to alleviate me because of my lightness.
Dorothy West explores the effect that skin color has on blacks from other blacks. The Coles feel that in order to maintain their position in society they need to keep their skin color light. Dorothy West does an exquisite job with only 240 pages but I can only imagine how she could have expanded the story with another 50-100 pages. The last 40 pages felt rushed and the ending came out of nowhere and could have used more space.
Overall I highly recommend The Wedding because not only is this novel a classic but its written by one of the most important writers of the Harlem Renaissance.
Around The Year In 52 Books: A book with a warm atmosphere
I rarely say this but The Wedding could have used another 100 pages. This novel is amazing and it packs quite a punch to be as short a novel as it is. The Wedding by Dorothy West explores so many important themes that I feel are often overlooked in African American literature, colorism, class, and money.
The Cole family is a wealthy and prominent African American family spending a 1950's summer on Martha's Vineyard. The Coles are light skinned and wear their fair skin like a badge of honor. Colorism is a real problem in the black community, as a lighter skinned black person, I've dealt with it my whole life. My mothers side of the family is very light skinned with some members of my family having blond hair, red hair, blue eyes, and green eyes. My mother was so light she was often mistaken for white. My sister is just as light but her slightly coarser hair gives her away. I'm darker but still light enough to pass The Paper Bag Test. My dads side of the family are darker and more traditionally black looking. I have always been aware of my lighter skin color. My grandmother on my moms side told me to stay out of the sun so I didn't get BLACKER. While my family on my dads side seem to alleviate me because of my lightness.
Dorothy West explores the effect that skin color has on blacks from other blacks. The Coles feel that in order to maintain their position in society they need to keep their skin color light. Dorothy West does an exquisite job with only 240 pages but I can only imagine how she could have expanded the story with another 50-100 pages. The last 40 pages felt rushed and the ending came out of nowhere and could have used more space.
Overall I highly recommend The Wedding because not only is this novel a classic but its written by one of the most important writers of the Harlem Renaissance.
Around The Year In 52 Books: A book with a warm atmosphere
November 11, 2017
This is Dorothy West’s second novel, published quite late in her life. West was best known for being part of the Harlem Renaissance in the late1920s and early 1930s. She wrote short stories and also briefly edited a magazine. She spent the last fifty years of her life living in Martha’s Vineyard.
This novel is set in the mid-1950s in Martha’s Vineyard and looks at the summer residents of a group of cottages called The Oval. The summer is going to revolve around the marriage of Shelby Coles to a white Jazz musician. The wedding takes up the beginning and end of the book. The middle is a look back at the history of the Coles family. West explained what she wanted to do:
"I wanted to start from the beginning. All these people were slaves once. A black doctor wasn't born a doctor. I don't know whether there's some cynicism or sadness in me but the very first thing I wrote, before I began the book, was, 'From sin, suffering; from suffering, redemption.' I believe there must be punishment in life for people who do evil. Maybe it's the New Englander in me."
The novel is a journey down many roads and there are no saints here. Shelby’s father and mother, Clark and Corinne have each been having discreet relationships and have separate lives. There are tensions between Shelby and her sister. Into the mix in The Oval comes Lute McNeill, something of an outsider, but looking to advance himself.
West explores issues of class and race, looking at the issue of “passing” and tracks how a middle class family have moved from slavery to their current status. The novel is well written and I found it easy to read. For me the middle part of the novel was the most engaging. I found the ending somewhat melodramatic, but that’s a minor quibble.
This novel is set in the mid-1950s in Martha’s Vineyard and looks at the summer residents of a group of cottages called The Oval. The summer is going to revolve around the marriage of Shelby Coles to a white Jazz musician. The wedding takes up the beginning and end of the book. The middle is a look back at the history of the Coles family. West explained what she wanted to do:
"I wanted to start from the beginning. All these people were slaves once. A black doctor wasn't born a doctor. I don't know whether there's some cynicism or sadness in me but the very first thing I wrote, before I began the book, was, 'From sin, suffering; from suffering, redemption.' I believe there must be punishment in life for people who do evil. Maybe it's the New Englander in me."
The novel is a journey down many roads and there are no saints here. Shelby’s father and mother, Clark and Corinne have each been having discreet relationships and have separate lives. There are tensions between Shelby and her sister. Into the mix in The Oval comes Lute McNeill, something of an outsider, but looking to advance himself.
West explores issues of class and race, looking at the issue of “passing” and tracks how a middle class family have moved from slavery to their current status. The novel is well written and I found it easy to read. For me the middle part of the novel was the most engaging. I found the ending somewhat melodramatic, but that’s a minor quibble.
February 25, 2025
As soon as I finished this book, I immediately had to reread it again. This is like if Passing by Nella Larsen and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett had a baby that was maybe better than both of those books. Full review forthcoming in upcoming newsletter on my substack: https://onl00p.substack.com/
April 17, 2023
Hace ya tiempo vi una película basada en esta novela, por ello cuando hace nada la publicó Siruela, no lo dudé. Hoy por hoy, puedo afirmar que me ha gustado más la versión cinematográfica. La novela no es que esté mal, pero he tenido la sensación de estar leyendo algo a medio hacer, como si en lugar de la versión definitiva, se hubiese publicado un borrador de la misma.
Dice la sinopsis:
Ambientada en el bucólico enclave de Martha’s Vineyard en la década de 1950, La boda narra veinticuatro horas de la vida en el Óvalo, una orgullosa y cerrada comunidad insular compuesta por lo más selecto de la burguesía afroamericana de la costa este. Dentro de este exclusivo círculo, la prominente familia Coles se ha reunido para el enlace de su hija Shelby. Pero esta ―como su hermana Liz antes que ella― está a punto de defraudar de nuevo las expectativas del clan, contraviniendo los más básicos principios de la educación recibida al elegir como marido a Mead Wyler ―un músico de jazz, blanco y de Nueva York―, cuando perfectamente podría haber escogido a su pareja entre «toda una amplia gama de candidatos con la ocupación y el color de piel adecuados».
¿Qué destaco del libro?
Está ambientada en 1953, en "El Óvalo" una comunidad de la burguesía afroamericana acomodada, en la isla de Martha’s Vineyard. El paisaje, la separación entre la comunidad blanca y la del Óvalo, la vida y las peculiaridades de esta última, todo ello muy logrado. La parte de la novela que transcurre en el sur, en la época posterior a la guerra de Secesión, igualmente lograda.
El racismo y la inclusión de la perspectiva racial, que impregnaba la vida cotidiana de los estadounidenses de esa época, llevada hasta lo ridículo. Si una niña se pierde, la comunicación de la policía incluye si es blanca o de color. Parece lógico adoptar este enfoque diferencial de cara a cribar para encontrarla lo antes posible. El problema surge cuando la intención no es cribar sino marcar la diferencia de raza. La niña perdida "de color" es de piel blanca, rubia y con los ojos azules, circunstancias que no se incluyen en el comunicado y que llevan a la confusión y la demora en encontrarla.
El enfermizo constructo racial made in USA, en el que la raza "corre por las venas". Una única gota de sangre negra basta para "contaminar" al que la porta. Da igual el aspecto que tenga, si tiene esa gota en las venas ya no será considerado blanco de pura cepa con todo lo que ello conlleva. Se le discriminará, no será bienvenido en la sociedad blanca y el matrimonio interracial se encontrará con todo tipo de trabas. En este contexto, se entiende, que muchas personas de apariencia blanca, optasen por vivir como tales y ocultar su ascendencia de color. Lo desquiciado de esta concepción racial, queda representado cuando le preguntan a una Shelby de seis años, de piel blanca, rubia y de ojos azules, si es negra. Su respuesta, "no lo sé".
Llama la atención, que, en lugar de luchar contra ellos, esos prejuicios se perpetúen entre la sociedad afroamericana de piel clara. A Corinne, la madre de Shelby, blanca en apariencia, le atraen los hombres de piel oscura, pero bajo ningún concepto se habría casado con uno. Para esta élite de la sociedad de color, el matrimonio solo es posible con la persona que tiene la ocupación y la piel adecuada. La infelicidad que conlleva no es valorada ni tenida en cuenta.
Los personajes de Nana y de Liz, ambos bien trazados. El resto de la familia Coles, correctos sin más.
¿Y cuáles son los peros?
La trama de la novela se mueve en dos planos, el correspondiente la preparación de la boda y el que nos cuenta la vida de los antepasados paternos y maternos de Shelby. Si el primero resulta en general bastante ligth, el segundo tiene la garra que a ese le falta. Ahora bien, la relación entre ambos planos, más allá de narrarnos las peripecias de los ancestros, no se materializa. Hay una sensación de desconexión entre ambos. Por un lado se extiende en exceso y por otro falta rematar la historia. Suena contradictorio, pero esta ha sido mi percepción.
No he terminado de entender la inclusión del personaje de Lute McNeil. En un principio parece que va a ser el antagonista que genera ese punto de tensión, pero no. Tras el primer capítulo se diluye sin aportar absolutamente nada. Da la impresión de otra historia esbozada que quedó por desarrollar.
Los estereotipos sexuales que la autora atribuye a cada raza.
Voy a pasar muy por encima por la traducción, que me ha llevado a tener que releer párrafos enteros y a errores de corrección, como unos ojos que milagrosamente pasan de ser negros a azules o a los cambios de nombre, que en más de una ocasión, me sacaron de la lectura.
En conclusión. Una novela que sin estar mal, me deja deja con la sensación de haber leído algo muy light e inacabado.
Dice la sinopsis:
Ambientada en el bucólico enclave de Martha’s Vineyard en la década de 1950, La boda narra veinticuatro horas de la vida en el Óvalo, una orgullosa y cerrada comunidad insular compuesta por lo más selecto de la burguesía afroamericana de la costa este. Dentro de este exclusivo círculo, la prominente familia Coles se ha reunido para el enlace de su hija Shelby. Pero esta ―como su hermana Liz antes que ella― está a punto de defraudar de nuevo las expectativas del clan, contraviniendo los más básicos principios de la educación recibida al elegir como marido a Mead Wyler ―un músico de jazz, blanco y de Nueva York―, cuando perfectamente podría haber escogido a su pareja entre «toda una amplia gama de candidatos con la ocupación y el color de piel adecuados».
¿Qué destaco del libro?
Está ambientada en 1953, en "El Óvalo" una comunidad de la burguesía afroamericana acomodada, en la isla de Martha’s Vineyard. El paisaje, la separación entre la comunidad blanca y la del Óvalo, la vida y las peculiaridades de esta última, todo ello muy logrado. La parte de la novela que transcurre en el sur, en la época posterior a la guerra de Secesión, igualmente lograda.
El racismo y la inclusión de la perspectiva racial, que impregnaba la vida cotidiana de los estadounidenses de esa época, llevada hasta lo ridículo. Si una niña se pierde, la comunicación de la policía incluye si es blanca o de color. Parece lógico adoptar este enfoque diferencial de cara a cribar para encontrarla lo antes posible. El problema surge cuando la intención no es cribar sino marcar la diferencia de raza. La niña perdida "de color" es de piel blanca, rubia y con los ojos azules, circunstancias que no se incluyen en el comunicado y que llevan a la confusión y la demora en encontrarla.
El enfermizo constructo racial made in USA, en el que la raza "corre por las venas". Una única gota de sangre negra basta para "contaminar" al que la porta. Da igual el aspecto que tenga, si tiene esa gota en las venas ya no será considerado blanco de pura cepa con todo lo que ello conlleva. Se le discriminará, no será bienvenido en la sociedad blanca y el matrimonio interracial se encontrará con todo tipo de trabas. En este contexto, se entiende, que muchas personas de apariencia blanca, optasen por vivir como tales y ocultar su ascendencia de color. Lo desquiciado de esta concepción racial, queda representado cuando le preguntan a una Shelby de seis años, de piel blanca, rubia y de ojos azules, si es negra. Su respuesta, "no lo sé".
Llama la atención, que, en lugar de luchar contra ellos, esos prejuicios se perpetúen entre la sociedad afroamericana de piel clara. A Corinne, la madre de Shelby, blanca en apariencia, le atraen los hombres de piel oscura, pero bajo ningún concepto se habría casado con uno. Para esta élite de la sociedad de color, el matrimonio solo es posible con la persona que tiene la ocupación y la piel adecuada. La infelicidad que conlleva no es valorada ni tenida en cuenta.
Los personajes de Nana y de Liz, ambos bien trazados. El resto de la familia Coles, correctos sin más.
¿Y cuáles son los peros?
La trama de la novela se mueve en dos planos, el correspondiente la preparación de la boda y el que nos cuenta la vida de los antepasados paternos y maternos de Shelby. Si el primero resulta en general bastante ligth, el segundo tiene la garra que a ese le falta. Ahora bien, la relación entre ambos planos, más allá de narrarnos las peripecias de los ancestros, no se materializa. Hay una sensación de desconexión entre ambos. Por un lado se extiende en exceso y por otro falta rematar la historia. Suena contradictorio, pero esta ha sido mi percepción.
No he terminado de entender la inclusión del personaje de Lute McNeil. En un principio parece que va a ser el antagonista que genera ese punto de tensión, pero no. Tras el primer capítulo se diluye sin aportar absolutamente nada. Da la impresión de otra historia esbozada que quedó por desarrollar.
Los estereotipos sexuales que la autora atribuye a cada raza.
Voy a pasar muy por encima por la traducción, que me ha llevado a tener que releer párrafos enteros y a errores de corrección, como unos ojos que milagrosamente pasan de ser negros a azules o a los cambios de nombre, que en más de una ocasión, me sacaron de la lectura.
En conclusión. Una novela que sin estar mal, me deja deja con la sensación de haber leído algo muy light e inacabado.
July 30, 2017
I recommended this title for my book club. While comprised of an extremely diverse group of women, none were Black and the notion of racism within the Black community was a revelation. It spawned an extraordinary and enlightening discussion of the root source for the attitudes and the unique experiences of affluence in the Black community.
Dorothy West was one of the last of the Harlem Renaissance writers and Jackie Onassis edited this story. It was a privilege to read this story and discuss its merits with such a wonderful group of women. I highly recommend it no matter if you have a broader group with whom to discuss it or not.
Dorothy West was one of the last of the Harlem Renaissance writers and Jackie Onassis edited this story. It was a privilege to read this story and discuss its merits with such a wonderful group of women. I highly recommend it no matter if you have a broader group with whom to discuss it or not.
June 26, 2024
«La boda» es una novela breve, ágil y ligera de leer que reflexiona sobre el racismo y la clase social a través de una saga familiar de una comunidad afroamericana acomodada a mediados del siglo XX.
Conoceremos a Nana, una mujer blanca del sur que idolatra la época en la que su familia aún poseía esclavos, y que nunca llega a superar el hecho de que su hija se casara con un hombre negro. Su esperanza recae en su bisnieta Shelby, la esperanza de Nana para recuperar el estatus perdido gracias a la boda que tiene planeada con un hombre blanco.
Y con una narración muy fluida que va hacia adelante y atrás en el tiempo podremos ver también un poco de la vida de padres, abuelas e hijas, e ir comprendiendo cómo la familia logró ascender socialmente pasando del analfabetismo a formar parte de la burguesía adinerada que compone el Óvalo. De las cosas más curiosas es entender cómo algunos miembros de esa familia de la comunidad afroamericana nacen con la piel muy clara, y todas las implicaciones que existen entre unos miembros y otros respecto a las diferencias del color de piel.
Es una lectura muy interesante por su punto de vista único y esas reflexiones sobre la raza y la clase social, aunque tiene también su buena dosis de romances, uniones por obligación e infidelidades que rebaja un poquito el tono de la historia.
Conoceremos a Nana, una mujer blanca del sur que idolatra la época en la que su familia aún poseía esclavos, y que nunca llega a superar el hecho de que su hija se casara con un hombre negro. Su esperanza recae en su bisnieta Shelby, la esperanza de Nana para recuperar el estatus perdido gracias a la boda que tiene planeada con un hombre blanco.
Y con una narración muy fluida que va hacia adelante y atrás en el tiempo podremos ver también un poco de la vida de padres, abuelas e hijas, e ir comprendiendo cómo la familia logró ascender socialmente pasando del analfabetismo a formar parte de la burguesía adinerada que compone el Óvalo. De las cosas más curiosas es entender cómo algunos miembros de esa familia de la comunidad afroamericana nacen con la piel muy clara, y todas las implicaciones que existen entre unos miembros y otros respecto a las diferencias del color de piel.
Es una lectura muy interesante por su punto de vista único y esas reflexiones sobre la raza y la clase social, aunque tiene también su buena dosis de romances, uniones por obligación e infidelidades que rebaja un poquito el tono de la historia.
January 29, 2021
Dorothy West’s The Wedding was started and then set aside for many years until West had a chance encounter with Jacqueline Onassis, then an editor at the prestigious Doubleday publishing house. Onassis encouraged West to complete her story and took on the role of editing the work. It’s centred on the Coles, a prosperous family living in an exclusive, black community on America’s East Coast - inspired by the Wests’ upmarket holiday home in Martha’s Vineyard. The Oval is a long-established enclave, its residents the Ovalites take great pride in it, and the Coles are leading lights in their affluent grouping. When the book opens it’s the late 1950s, the Coles are organising a wedding for their daughter Shelby, but what should be a joyful event is marred by uncertainty surrounding Shelby’s decision, in particular her choice of partner, not only is he white but also a less-than-successful jazz performer. Speculation is rife about the reason for Shelby’s seeming rejection of the kind of partner and lifestyle expected of people with the Coles’ social status. The situation’s made even more tense by the presence of new resident Lute McNeil who seems determined to seduce Shelby away from her fiancé. Lute’s a nasty piece of work whose past relationships with women have been troubled and abusive, his machinations provide necessary forward momentum but he’s also something of an overblown, stock villain. The action moves between the wedding preparations and the Coles’ background and their complicated family history. The episodes detailing the Coles’ heritage were, for me, the most successful and emotionally satisfying sections, understated and often exceptionally powerful, a stark contrast to the melodramatic flavour of many of the present-day scenes. These abrupt shifts in tone gave this a very unbalanced feel which I found detracted from its overall force - I did wonder how much of this related to the novel's long and difficult development - although there was still a great deal to like about it, especially the insightful treatment of issues related to class, passing and colourism.
April 28, 2024
The Wedding
takes place over two days. . .the day before Shelby's wedding to Meade, and the day of - but included in the pages is four generations of women giving birth to babies of various shades - some white as white and some much darker, starting in slavery days. A handwritten family tree tying the parents coupled more by time, place and embracing a lesser threat to their combined project (babies of mixed lines) helped me sort who was who as the narrative flowed forward.
In time these families progressed to becoming the most prestigious of the middle-class community of the mixed members that summered (and some stayed all year round) in Martha's Vineyard. (This story follows the author's history to a certain extent, as that is where she lived.) They've worked their way up by real estate purchases, wealth accumulation, and education - many of the men in the family are doctors, or other high-placed professionals. By the time one gets back to the struggles of Shelby, whose line goes back to Master Shelby, plantation owner, and his daughter who is now the great-gram "Gram" of Shelby, one is now schooled enough in backstory to properly appreciate the true problem she faces: Shelby presents as white, and is the darling of her Gram's heart. Shelby's marrying Meade, a white Jazz musician - not educated beyond the music he sells. Shelby has a darker sister, Liz who has a pragmatic outlook on life, is married with a baby. The two of them talk at length about marrying within or without their race, or passing with all that means (would have to leave family), or Shelby's option to marry Lute, a black man who is eager change her attention to him (and his three daughters).
The voice that carries the writing is compelling and is strung with the voices of the past. . .calls to me, compelling and laced with truth in a way I don't expect to find in fiction. It is filled with weighty surprise. I'll be seeking more of Dorothy West's writings.
52:44
In time these families progressed to becoming the most prestigious of the middle-class community of the mixed members that summered (and some stayed all year round) in Martha's Vineyard. (This story follows the author's history to a certain extent, as that is where she lived.) They've worked their way up by real estate purchases, wealth accumulation, and education - many of the men in the family are doctors, or other high-placed professionals. By the time one gets back to the struggles of Shelby, whose line goes back to Master Shelby, plantation owner, and his daughter who is now the great-gram "Gram" of Shelby, one is now schooled enough in backstory to properly appreciate the true problem she faces: Shelby presents as white, and is the darling of her Gram's heart. Shelby's marrying Meade, a white Jazz musician - not educated beyond the music he sells. Shelby has a darker sister, Liz who has a pragmatic outlook on life, is married with a baby. The two of them talk at length about marrying within or without their race, or passing with all that means (would have to leave family), or Shelby's option to marry Lute, a black man who is eager change her attention to him (and his three daughters).
The voice that carries the writing is compelling and is strung with the voices of the past. . .calls to me, compelling and laced with truth in a way I don't expect to find in fiction. It is filled with weighty surprise. I'll be seeking more of Dorothy West's writings.
52:44
February 8, 2024
this is giving Big Little Lies but most of the cast is Black and it's set on Martha's vineyard in the 1950s
March 12, 2019
The Wedding is a beautiful, forgotten black classic about love, racism and how history can shape a family in many ways. This story could easily be 100 pages longer, because Dorothy West’s prose completely mesmerized me.
Set in 1953, we follow the preparations for the wedding of Shelby Coles, the daughter of a wealthy colored family, to Meade, a white jazz musician. In every chapter, we take a closer look at a person concerned with this interracial wedding; from Shelby’s white Gran who grew up a planter’s wife, to outsider Lute who wants to charm Shelby to 'the dark side'.
Through these stories West explores issues of race and class, how “passing” as white for colored people can be a blessing and a curse, and the many different faces of love.
“If you don’t know someone all that well, you react to the superficial stereotypes they throw off like sparks. Lute equals black, Meade equals white.
But once you fight through the sparks and get to the person, you find just that, a person, a big jumble of likes, dislikes, fears, and desires.”
I adored Dorothy West’s prose: thanks to her compassionate writing, every person and their trials in life became heartfelt and important. That doesn’t mean they’re all good people: Luke is an abusive charmer, and Gran refuses to touch her black granddaughter.
Neither does West soften the blows of a racist society: the scene where young Shelby is pinched to check if her skin is powdered white was incredibly painful to read.
This reality combined with the tender attention for every person’s life-story made me fall in love with this book. The reason why I won’t give 5 stars is because the ending was very abrupt and rushed, but for the rest I will recommend this beautiful book to any reader.
Set in 1953, we follow the preparations for the wedding of Shelby Coles, the daughter of a wealthy colored family, to Meade, a white jazz musician. In every chapter, we take a closer look at a person concerned with this interracial wedding; from Shelby’s white Gran who grew up a planter’s wife, to outsider Lute who wants to charm Shelby to 'the dark side'.
Through these stories West explores issues of race and class, how “passing” as white for colored people can be a blessing and a curse, and the many different faces of love.
“If you don’t know someone all that well, you react to the superficial stereotypes they throw off like sparks. Lute equals black, Meade equals white.
But once you fight through the sparks and get to the person, you find just that, a person, a big jumble of likes, dislikes, fears, and desires.”
I adored Dorothy West’s prose: thanks to her compassionate writing, every person and their trials in life became heartfelt and important. That doesn’t mean they’re all good people: Luke is an abusive charmer, and Gran refuses to touch her black granddaughter.
Neither does West soften the blows of a racist society: the scene where young Shelby is pinched to check if her skin is powdered white was incredibly painful to read.
This reality combined with the tender attention for every person’s life-story made me fall in love with this book. The reason why I won’t give 5 stars is because the ending was very abrupt and rushed, but for the rest I will recommend this beautiful book to any reader.
November 21, 2021
Amazing! Why did it take me so long to discover this author? The writing is outstanding. The characters are complex and fully realized. The story line offers the reader depth while resisting easy answers. This novel explores the complicated terrain of familial and romantic love, of social striving and ambition, of racial identity and self-definition. Set in 1953 in a community of upwardly mobile professional colored families, where light skin is valued as much as wealth or professional success, a family reacts to the unfavorable marriage of both its daughters, one to a very dark skinned doctor and the other to a white jazz musician. The author skillfully weaves the back story of multiple generations of the family to show the ambitions, sacrifices, sufferings and hardships that brought them from slavery to wealth and respectability in less than a century. In doing so, the reader sympathizes with the complicated nature of racial identity, of parental self-denial, of ambition which has formed the current generation which is the first to come of age in a world where middle class aspirations can feel like their right to embrace or reject. 4.5 stars
July 12, 2020
This story was a bit unexpected given the book's description on GR and the title itself. The impending wedding of Shelby Coles to her fiance, Meade, is a not the focal point of the story. Shelby is a young black woman in 1953 preparing to marry her white fiance. The Coles family has quite a mixed race history, and this complicated history and how it has affected the lives of the entire family is what this book is about. Most of the book tells the family's history interspersed with Shelby's and her sister and parents viewpoints. It is fascinating to see the history of both sides of Shelby's family and how she came to be a blonde haired, blue eyed black woman who could pass if she wanted to.
The characters in this story are complicated, imperfect people. Several achieve amazing things, and these achievements bring a better life but not necessarily happiness. There is one character in particular who is so despicable I wanted to punch him, but he plays a crucial role in Shelby's story. The end was a overly dramatic but I can overlook that given how smoothly West told this story of multiple generations and the events that led up to the day of the wedding.
The characters in this story are complicated, imperfect people. Several achieve amazing things, and these achievements bring a better life but not necessarily happiness. There is one character in particular who is so despicable I wanted to punch him, but he plays a crucial role in Shelby's story. The end was a overly dramatic but I can overlook that given how smoothly West told this story of multiple generations and the events that led up to the day of the wedding.
March 9, 2017
This beautiful and timeless novel was written by Dorothy West, one of the last surviving writers of the Harlem Renaissance. The story takes place in Martha's Vineyard in 1953, as Shelby a young woman of an upper class black family, is preparing to wed Meade a white jazz musician. There are misgivings among the couple and the extended family whether this mixed marriage will be successful, and through effective use of flashback we learn about Shelby's family and the dynamics that have shaped them.
We learn how Shelby's white great grandmother came to marry her black husband soon after the Civil War, and how Gram's unresolved feelings of prejudice and self hate affected the family in future generations. The next two generations of marriages were not based on love either, but on class and skin color, resulting in toxic relationships that put a fake successful face towards society. Shelby's sister Liz experiences reverse discrimination when she weds a man darker than her family, and Shelby is not sure what to do when Lute, a black man, questions her reasons for marrying Meade. Shelby has to face her decisions, and look within herself, so she can make a love match based on character instead of class.
This was a thought provoking novel that I have read several times, and plan to read again. The universal themes of class and prejudice, and historical race relations were fascinating and would be perfect for book club discussions.
We learn how Shelby's white great grandmother came to marry her black husband soon after the Civil War, and how Gram's unresolved feelings of prejudice and self hate affected the family in future generations. The next two generations of marriages were not based on love either, but on class and skin color, resulting in toxic relationships that put a fake successful face towards society. Shelby's sister Liz experiences reverse discrimination when she weds a man darker than her family, and Shelby is not sure what to do when Lute, a black man, questions her reasons for marrying Meade. Shelby has to face her decisions, and look within herself, so she can make a love match based on character instead of class.
This was a thought provoking novel that I have read several times, and plan to read again. The universal themes of class and prejudice, and historical race relations were fascinating and would be perfect for book club discussions.
May 20, 2016
The generation gap is usually easy to bridge in literature because you are immersed in another time and place. However, "The Wedding" with its obsessive emphasis on color lines and skin tones drove me far outside the insular circular of "The Oval" as not even an observer, but an uninvited guest.
The Wedding, set in 1953, examines the lives of upper class Black people living idyllically on Martha's Vineyard. Skin color is the protective barrier that insulates a neighborhood of well to do Negroes from the raging racism back on the mainland.
I started reading this book mostly because of its title - I love wedding stories. But this story focuses on the self-loathing of Blacks divided among themselves because of and by color, exacerbated by the upcoming wedding of a light-skinned woman to a white man.
I had to put the book down several times because I found it difficult to find a place in this story. The protagonists aren't that likable and the antagonists are totally hateful. Their lifestyles, while luxurious, is that of sedated New England elegance where everything is old and has a history but isn't truly magnificent, just tasteful.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find a place to fit in among attitudes and breeding strangely cultivated from both class and color concerns. There was simply no way for a 21st reader to find a comfortable place to "relate to" this story. I understand that for the 1950's, this situation was quite normal and my confusion shows just how far removed modern Black readers are from the daily oppression that made skin color an issue to a point that even wealthy blacks still had apparent angst about their very light coloring.
The characters and their complicated stories, stretching back decades, were difficult to follow but served to attempted to explain why a character had grown up into the type of person they had. The detailed lineages were impressive but distorted my sense of an already distant time.
Luckily, I came across the mini-series produced by Oprah a few years ago. After watching it, I had a much clearer understanding of and sympathy for the characters. The meandering story and the repressed, dysfunctional behavior the character became more cohesive
My rating is based on my personal opinion of the story. "The Wedding" is not what I consider a great story, but I can understand why the writer and the story were critically acclaimed. The writing is outstanding with consciousness altering quotes and complex manifold story threads that resolve quite dramatically (e.g. a prominent light skinned doctor, exhausted from caring for poor blacks, drops dead after finally making love to his wife).
The Wedding stirred up an indignation within me as a reader from the modern age because the race and class concerns expressed in this book are antiquated, offensive and disturbing. Made worse because Black characters express them. It's strange to think that people who are already light-skinned harbor a range of color resentments. Redemption comes for them and from them not by true repentance, but by recognizing that their rigid views have ruined their lives.
"Color was a false distinction" muses the main character at the end of the story. No, it's a very real distinction that in today's time evokes terrible memories of the past and casts a dark, shifting shadow on the present.
The Wedding, set in 1953, examines the lives of upper class Black people living idyllically on Martha's Vineyard. Skin color is the protective barrier that insulates a neighborhood of well to do Negroes from the raging racism back on the mainland.
I started reading this book mostly because of its title - I love wedding stories. But this story focuses on the self-loathing of Blacks divided among themselves because of and by color, exacerbated by the upcoming wedding of a light-skinned woman to a white man.
I had to put the book down several times because I found it difficult to find a place in this story. The protagonists aren't that likable and the antagonists are totally hateful. Their lifestyles, while luxurious, is that of sedated New England elegance where everything is old and has a history but isn't truly magnificent, just tasteful.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find a place to fit in among attitudes and breeding strangely cultivated from both class and color concerns. There was simply no way for a 21st reader to find a comfortable place to "relate to" this story. I understand that for the 1950's, this situation was quite normal and my confusion shows just how far removed modern Black readers are from the daily oppression that made skin color an issue to a point that even wealthy blacks still had apparent angst about their very light coloring.
The characters and their complicated stories, stretching back decades, were difficult to follow but served to attempted to explain why a character had grown up into the type of person they had. The detailed lineages were impressive but distorted my sense of an already distant time.
Luckily, I came across the mini-series produced by Oprah a few years ago. After watching it, I had a much clearer understanding of and sympathy for the characters. The meandering story and the repressed, dysfunctional behavior the character became more cohesive
My rating is based on my personal opinion of the story. "The Wedding" is not what I consider a great story, but I can understand why the writer and the story were critically acclaimed. The writing is outstanding with consciousness altering quotes and complex manifold story threads that resolve quite dramatically (e.g. a prominent light skinned doctor, exhausted from caring for poor blacks, drops dead after finally making love to his wife).
The Wedding stirred up an indignation within me as a reader from the modern age because the race and class concerns expressed in this book are antiquated, offensive and disturbing. Made worse because Black characters express them. It's strange to think that people who are already light-skinned harbor a range of color resentments. Redemption comes for them and from them not by true repentance, but by recognizing that their rigid views have ruined their lives.
"Color was a false distinction" muses the main character at the end of the story. No, it's a very real distinction that in today's time evokes terrible memories of the past and casts a dark, shifting shadow on the present.
February 26, 2021
This book covers so many topics in so few pages, but it never seems rushed, tedious or the same old same old. This story is absolutely timeless. Shelby (the main character who is getting ready to marry a white jazz musician) could easily pass as white, her whole family is light and they have some white blood in them somewhere. The issue of colorism is brought up again and again, and this is still an issue today. The idea that "if you're light, you're alright." It also looks at issues of class and shows that there is a parallel between skin tone and wealth. Inevitably, the wealthier Black people, are the lighter ones. People are upset that not only is Shelby marrying a white man, she's marrying a poor man (well a struggling musician).
I was fascinated by the world of the Oval (which is in Martha's Vineyard), learning about the innner workings of upperclass society for Black people. The author takes us through Shelby's family tree and each family member has shaped Shelby's identity somehow. Liz is Shelby's sister and she was my favorite character (I liked Shelby too except she could be quite naive when it came to her parents lack of love for each other). Liz is wise and her advice to Shelby is sound, she tells it like it is. I was often puzzled at Linc's choice in women. I suppose it was just physical attraction, but in my opinion, a wealthy, handsome, Black man like himself should have demanded more respect from his white wives than he received (without abuse of course). They used the n-word around him quite often and that was infuriating.
The Wedding skillfully intersects issue of color and class, without dating the story. Even today people have issues with interracial marriage, light skinned Black rich people look down on dark skinned Black poor people. There is still subtle racisim. The climax at the end was shocking, although Shelby's decision is not. The ending scene is dramatic, but well done. I would highly recommend this book. I saw the beginning of this movie, which is why I wanted to read it, since I never got to finish the movie. Hopefully I will get to see the movie version soon, to compare.
This book has so many quotable lines, here are some of my favorites;
"When I pinch myself, I don't feel colored. I just feel the hurt of it-maybe that's what being colored means for most of us. You feel the hurt of it." Liz pg. 92
"The fact is, sometimes I think romantic love is just another scourge put on this earth by the Lord, another measuring rod that no one thinks they quite measure up to, a simple idea that never seems to fit the two messy lives it's assigned to cover." Clark (Shelby's father) pg. 200
Added 2/21 (after re-reading): “Because if you don't know someone all that well, you react to their surface qualities, the superficial stereotypes they throw off like sparks... But once you fight through the sparks and get to the person, you find just that, a person, a big jumble of likes, dislikes, fears, and desires.”
"Advanced social position did not come without an abnegation, an obliteration of the personal, the intimate, the hidden, the passionate. A balance had to be achieved, but that was a lesson learned at the expense of all too many of Clark's generation, a generation half afraid that all the insidious white stereotypes contained a germ of truth, a generation mired in the self-hatred that was bigotry's most monstrous crime, more damaging than a laundry list of physical indignities because it amounted to a mental rape, a theft of personal dignity." (196)
I was fascinated by the world of the Oval (which is in Martha's Vineyard), learning about the innner workings of upperclass society for Black people. The author takes us through Shelby's family tree and each family member has shaped Shelby's identity somehow. Liz is Shelby's sister and she was my favorite character (I liked Shelby too except she could be quite naive when it came to her parents lack of love for each other). Liz is wise and her advice to Shelby is sound, she tells it like it is. I was often puzzled at Linc's choice in women. I suppose it was just physical attraction, but in my opinion, a wealthy, handsome, Black man like himself should have demanded more respect from his white wives than he received (without abuse of course). They used the n-word around him quite often and that was infuriating.
The Wedding skillfully intersects issue of color and class, without dating the story. Even today people have issues with interracial marriage, light skinned Black rich people look down on dark skinned Black poor people. There is still subtle racisim. The climax at the end was shocking, although Shelby's decision is not. The ending scene is dramatic, but well done. I would highly recommend this book. I saw the beginning of this movie, which is why I wanted to read it, since I never got to finish the movie. Hopefully I will get to see the movie version soon, to compare.
This book has so many quotable lines, here are some of my favorites;
"When I pinch myself, I don't feel colored. I just feel the hurt of it-maybe that's what being colored means for most of us. You feel the hurt of it." Liz pg. 92
"The fact is, sometimes I think romantic love is just another scourge put on this earth by the Lord, another measuring rod that no one thinks they quite measure up to, a simple idea that never seems to fit the two messy lives it's assigned to cover." Clark (Shelby's father) pg. 200
Added 2/21 (after re-reading): “Because if you don't know someone all that well, you react to their surface qualities, the superficial stereotypes they throw off like sparks... But once you fight through the sparks and get to the person, you find just that, a person, a big jumble of likes, dislikes, fears, and desires.”
"Advanced social position did not come without an abnegation, an obliteration of the personal, the intimate, the hidden, the passionate. A balance had to be achieved, but that was a lesson learned at the expense of all too many of Clark's generation, a generation half afraid that all the insidious white stereotypes contained a germ of truth, a generation mired in the self-hatred that was bigotry's most monstrous crime, more damaging than a laundry list of physical indignities because it amounted to a mental rape, a theft of personal dignity." (196)
July 23, 2025
The Oval is a rich enclave of African American residents. Many own summer homes here, they all know one another. This season is the upcoming wedding of Shelby Coles, marrying a white man, a musician no less with no regular income. Shelby was expected to marry someone that has a profession, well to-do as she was brought up. And someone of her own race.
There are many character in this story. Shelby’s parents, her sister, Gram, and several other generations of ancestors. Also, a neighbor man who has his sights on Shelby. The story is not linear, and often goes in the past. It is somewhat confusing. I had a hard time getting hold of who was who and related and what was going on. The family tree in the beginning of the book helped.
I nearly gave up on the book half-way through out of sheer confusion of these mass of varied stories. But I found and watched half of the tv-mini series made near around when the book came out. Things clicked in from there, but there are major differences from the film version and the book (isn’t that always?).
The major theme for this book is race and racism. It shows many sides of this and not just from the whites but within black families as well. The question is also was Shelby’s decision to marry a white man because of race?
When the book takes a closer look at marriages and why people married who they did, there is something else. Shelby may be trying to change that dynamic and he just happens to be white. But Shelby has been beginning to question her choice even up to the day before the wedding. The ending seemed a bit abrupt to me, hastily finished.
There are many character in this story. Shelby’s parents, her sister, Gram, and several other generations of ancestors. Also, a neighbor man who has his sights on Shelby. The story is not linear, and often goes in the past. It is somewhat confusing. I had a hard time getting hold of who was who and related and what was going on. The family tree in the beginning of the book helped.
I nearly gave up on the book half-way through out of sheer confusion of these mass of varied stories. But I found and watched half of the tv-mini series made near around when the book came out. Things clicked in from there, but there are major differences from the film version and the book (isn’t that always?).
The major theme for this book is race and racism. It shows many sides of this and not just from the whites but within black families as well. The question is also was Shelby’s decision to marry a white man because of race?
When the book takes a closer look at marriages and why people married who they did, there is something else. Shelby may be trying to change that dynamic and he just happens to be white. But Shelby has been beginning to question her choice even up to the day before the wedding. The ending seemed a bit abrupt to me, hastily finished.
April 28, 2021
This is one of the finest novels I have read in years! West's writing is just heaven to read. She sensual and articulate in her prose. . . almost poetic. The opening page of this novel has inscribed upon it 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, "Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude; it does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bear all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." West's novel proceeds to show us that for these characters love is anything but patient and kind. It is envious and boastful, arrogant and rude and it does insist on its own way, which is probably why in the end love bears all things, needs to believe all things, and does not by any stretch of the imagination endure all things. Apparently, love by the biblical definition is only possible, by God.
The next page is the family tree of the bride to be. West takes the time, chapter by chapter for us to get to know each of these people and how their lives come to affect the brides decision about her wedding day and we do not know until the last page which way she's going. A really great read!
Dorothy West died at the age of 91, three years after writing this novel in 1995. Wow!
PS: Jackie Kennedy was her editor.
First read 2/10/11
The next page is the family tree of the bride to be. West takes the time, chapter by chapter for us to get to know each of these people and how their lives come to affect the brides decision about her wedding day and we do not know until the last page which way she's going. A really great read!
Dorothy West died at the age of 91, three years after writing this novel in 1995. Wow!
PS: Jackie Kennedy was her editor.
First read 2/10/11
March 29, 2015
Something about the structure of the book didn't flow well for me until about half way through it. Once my mind was engaged, it was a quick read to the end. The book is comprised of a series of histories of the protagonist's relatives that culminate with her own identity struggle on the eve of her marriage. I appreciated the family histories more than the book's finish which seemed to deliver a brutal, fatalistic message. The sections of the lineage of the family more than made up for it, providing rich character background for not only Shelby, but also her grandmother, mother, and father. This novel is also valuable for its candid writing on colorism and class.
December 19, 2021
This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. A contemporary of Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes, Dorothy West is a somewhat overlooked figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Her books were initially looked over by publishers who had a narrow idea of what being Black meant and did not think books about wealthy or privileged Blacks would be popular. However, this book feels surprisingly contemporary and many of its themes still resonate today. It is a story of family and duty, racism and colourism. It is about the stories we tell ourselves and how we use the concept of “legacy” to construct our sense of self. If you are going to read one book that I’ve recommended, make it this one.
Read the full review on aminasbookshelf.com / IG @aminasbookshelf
Read the full review on aminasbookshelf.com / IG @aminasbookshelf
June 7, 2015
Loved this book! I liked that the book read like a movie thanks to the narrative voice. It covered so many issues all linked to racism but addresses on a human level, exploring the ways in which it shapes people's lives in good and bad ways. The personal histories of everyone in their family, from generations extending into slavery enriched the narrative. Can't say I loved ending but everything leading up to the ending was beautifully written. I'd actually like to see this as a film, not produced or written by Tyler Perry though.
July 27, 2021
There is a lot packed into this story in regards to love, family, racism, and colorism. The book is really well written. There were parts that I loved and parts that seem to drag on, but with that being said…I really wish the book was a bit longer. Somehow it just all worked out.
March 21, 2017
This book beauty is in the words and the pictures drawn regarding the multigenerational legacy of a black middle-class family in the 1953's Martha's Vineyard. Fair enough to pass as white, class and race echo throughout each page.
Pros: Beautiful story, rich in detail
Cons: Sometimes the rich detail of subplot drags the main plot, which rushes the final chapters of the novel. The end feels abrupt.
Still I recommend this tale as a glimpse into a history, marked by unfair social expectations and the resentment towards them.
Pros: Beautiful story, rich in detail
Cons: Sometimes the rich detail of subplot drags the main plot, which rushes the final chapters of the novel. The end feels abrupt.
Still I recommend this tale as a glimpse into a history, marked by unfair social expectations and the resentment towards them.
June 6, 2013
Loved this book! So sad i'm not related to the author in real life....but i'm going to pretend I am.
October 26, 2017
This book takes place in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, where the blue-veined people gather every summer. Shelby Coles (a "colored" girl) is to marry a white musician. But before the vows are even considered, there is the lively backstory, going back to the day when little girl Shelby gets lost in the "Oval," by following a dog who got entangled in his leash. It seems that everyone in the Oval sees Shelby wandering, but nobody identifies her because they see her as a white child.
There is so much todo about color. Lute McNeil is a Boston furniture maker, too dark to be considered for a member of the "Oval." But Lute has a household of three little girls, all of them by white mothers whom Lute divorced when he tired of his current wife.
Then there is Melisse, whose primary work was the education of her son. She had made up her mind that he would have white folks' schooling. He worked hard to master the courses in High School, going further to college and setting his sights on a professorship.
And there is the Preacher's son, Isaac, a beautiful, bright and alert child, who was walking at eleven months and talking soon after. Soon he was ready in his mind for school. There was no way that the examining teacher could fail to admit him to the small academy. Even though Isaac was younger than the other children, he was big for his age. He continued to be instructed by a woman named Miss Amy Norton Norton. Isaac continued his studies going North with Miss Amy. There was never any doubt that Isaac would receive a scholarship to Harvard and become a doctor.
And there is the infidelity of one husband.
There is so much todo about color. Lute McNeil is a Boston furniture maker, too dark to be considered for a member of the "Oval." But Lute has a household of three little girls, all of them by white mothers whom Lute divorced when he tired of his current wife.
Then there is Melisse, whose primary work was the education of her son. She had made up her mind that he would have white folks' schooling. He worked hard to master the courses in High School, going further to college and setting his sights on a professorship.
And there is the Preacher's son, Isaac, a beautiful, bright and alert child, who was walking at eleven months and talking soon after. Soon he was ready in his mind for school. There was no way that the examining teacher could fail to admit him to the small academy. Even though Isaac was younger than the other children, he was big for his age. He continued to be instructed by a woman named Miss Amy Norton Norton. Isaac continued his studies going North with Miss Amy. There was never any doubt that Isaac would receive a scholarship to Harvard and become a doctor.
And there is the infidelity of one husband.
January 14, 2022
Gorgeous writing! Dorothy West was the youngest member of the Harlem Renaissance. She passed away in 1998 at 91 years old. She wrote The Wedding in 1995. West is the only child of Isaac West and Rachel Benson. Isaac had been born into slavery and was an ambitious entrepreneur giving Dorothy a comfortable life. Her family became one of the richest African-American families in Boston. She spent her summers in the family vacation house on Martha's Vineyard, much like the house of the Cole family in The Wedding.
She begins the book with the following dedication:
"To the memory of my editor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Though there was never such a mismatched pair in appearance, we were perfect partners"
The book is about the Cole family and the upcoming wedding of their daughter Shelby to a white man. West introduces us to the ancestors of Clark and Corrine Cole, a fair skinned couple. In all, we meet five generations of magnificent characters. The book deals with racism, class, colorism and the meaning of true love as opposed to what is expected by society. The writing is luminous. I listened to the book on audible.com and loved the narration by Robin Miles.
I highly recommend the book.
She begins the book with the following dedication:
"To the memory of my editor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Though there was never such a mismatched pair in appearance, we were perfect partners"
The book is about the Cole family and the upcoming wedding of their daughter Shelby to a white man. West introduces us to the ancestors of Clark and Corrine Cole, a fair skinned couple. In all, we meet five generations of magnificent characters. The book deals with racism, class, colorism and the meaning of true love as opposed to what is expected by society. The writing is luminous. I listened to the book on audible.com and loved the narration by Robin Miles.
I highly recommend the book.
August 15, 2025
There is so much squeezed into this small book. No one is safe. Everyone is called out. People are being super messy. In other words, the best type of book. Absolutely refreshing and original. Amazing writing. Set partially in Martha’s Vineyard but moving between past and present tracing the family’s history and relationship with race, color, and class. Rarely do I think (if ever) that a book should’ve been longer, but I could’ve read hundreds more pages of this witty, endearing writing. Candidate for my favorite book of the year.
December 22, 2018
“When I pinch myself, I don’t feel colored. I just feel the hurt of it—maybe that’s what being colored means for most of us. You feel the hurt of it.”
THE WEDDING was such a lovely find. It’s a family saga set over a weekend in Martha’s Vineyard, telling the story of a very wealthy black family coming to terms with the youngest daughter marrying a white man. I haven’t read a book so focused on colorism since HERE COMES THE SUN, and it was fascinating to see how West explores the intersections of classism, colorism, and racism. In many ways, it reminded me of Baldwin, in that both West & Baldwin write about race & society with frankness but no sentimentality, and also no pity or sense of tragedy. As an immigrant, and someone who often feels straddled (or stranded) between cultures and ethnicities, I really connected to this book. I wish this book had been longer, because selfishly I wanted to know more about the characters feelings about their experiences. There are a lot of flashbacks, which can feel a little choppy, but the stories and characters are so interesting that I kept turning pages. I really liked THE WEDDING, and would recommend it to anyone. It’s an “easy” read in terms of writing style, pace, and story, but also incredibly thought-provoking and in many ways unique. Although it was published in 1995, West had been writing it since the 50s, and I think it speaks to a lot mid-century views on race and class. (But I don’t know. Still thinking on this.) Dorothy West was a fascinating woman and I can’t wait to read more about/by her.
THE WEDDING was such a lovely find. It’s a family saga set over a weekend in Martha’s Vineyard, telling the story of a very wealthy black family coming to terms with the youngest daughter marrying a white man. I haven’t read a book so focused on colorism since HERE COMES THE SUN, and it was fascinating to see how West explores the intersections of classism, colorism, and racism. In many ways, it reminded me of Baldwin, in that both West & Baldwin write about race & society with frankness but no sentimentality, and also no pity or sense of tragedy. As an immigrant, and someone who often feels straddled (or stranded) between cultures and ethnicities, I really connected to this book. I wish this book had been longer, because selfishly I wanted to know more about the characters feelings about their experiences. There are a lot of flashbacks, which can feel a little choppy, but the stories and characters are so interesting that I kept turning pages. I really liked THE WEDDING, and would recommend it to anyone. It’s an “easy” read in terms of writing style, pace, and story, but also incredibly thought-provoking and in many ways unique. Although it was published in 1995, West had been writing it since the 50s, and I think it speaks to a lot mid-century views on race and class. (But I don’t know. Still thinking on this.) Dorothy West was a fascinating woman and I can’t wait to read more about/by her.
May 25, 2016
Added 5/24/16. (first published January 1st 1995)
I read this book a while ago. I remember that, while the theme is an interesting and worthy one, I didn't find the reading very compelling. I wish I had written a review at the time, but I probably wasn't yet a member of Goodreads when I read this book.
A summary which I found online is below:
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"Shelby, an upper-middle class Afro American, is about to marry a white jazz musician from New York, causing shock waves among the members of the Oval, a black bourgeoisie community on Martha's Vineyard." (Library summary from ISBN 0385471432)
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I read this book a while ago. I remember that, while the theme is an interesting and worthy one, I didn't find the reading very compelling. I wish I had written a review at the time, but I probably wasn't yet a member of Goodreads when I read this book.
A summary which I found online is below:
=================================
"Shelby, an upper-middle class Afro American, is about to marry a white jazz musician from New York, causing shock waves among the members of the Oval, a black bourgeoisie community on Martha's Vineyard." (Library summary from ISBN 0385471432)
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September 23, 2017
Stunning language, turn of phrase, and poetic rhythm in the words are the premier reason I give this book my rare five star. The glimpse into the lives of wealthy "colored" (Dorothy West's word) families on Martha's vineyard in the 1950's is fascinating . Their prejudices and fear and mistrust of darker skinned " coloreds" was mystifying to me until close to the tragic end. What a gifted storyteller the world lost when West died in 1998. What a legacy she left. Now I wonder if I can watch the mini-series or movie without losing the magic of the atmosphere and language of the novel.
May 9, 2022
18 of #20BooksByBlackWomen
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