You Know Better

Mulberry, Georgia #4

by Tina McElroy Ansa

It is the spring weekend of the Peach Blossom Festival in the tiny middle Georgia town of Mulberry, but things are far from sweet for the Pines women. LaShawndra, an eighteen-year-old hoochie-mama who wants nothing more out of life than to dance in a music video, has messed up...again. But this time she isn't sticking around to hear about it.

Not that her mother seems to care; after all, Sandra is busy working on her real estate career and on the local minister. It's LaShawndra's grandmother, Lily, a former schoolteacher, principal, school board administrator, and highly respected cornerstone of the Mulberry community, who is scouring the streets at midnight looking for her granddaughter.

Over the course of one weekend these three disparate women, guided by a trio of unexpected spirits, will learn to face the pain in their lives and discover that with reconciliation comes the healing they all desperately seek. In this magical, deeply resonant novel, Tina McElroy Ansa goes straight to the heart of women's relationships to reveal the soul that bonds us all.

Genres: Fiction, African American

336 pages, Hardcover

First published April 2, 2002

About the author

Tina McElroy Ansa was an American novelist, filmmaker, teacher, businesswoman and journalist. Her work appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Newsday,The Atlanta Constitution, Florida Times-Union, Essence Magazine, The Crisis, Ms. Magazine, America Magazine, and Atlanta Magazine.

Reviews

[Adrienna · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the first time I ever read or heard about this author (after listening to a radio program with her on it). However, as I start the first few pages, there's so much redundancy via paraphrase or re-wording going on...I'm like 'got the point' already!

Up to 75 pages, I cannot do it any longer...for me the flow is awkward, and even though the main character in first person keeps reverting to her granddaughter "Lashawnda" and her daughter "Sandra" and the comparison of their upbringing, differences in raising them or training them and feels utterly responsible for not doing well with her granddaughter in the sense of church/Bible Study like she did with her very own daughter, and other concepts of a young black woman...I just had a problem reading this woman's conversations and flashbacks while being in the present...

*Leisure read from library.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wanted to read more books by this author because I enjoyed Ugly Ways so much. Proving to be just as good and intriguing. She is a master at expressing human emotion. Finished this book yesterday. After a while I got tired of the 3rd main character. Her language even got on my nerves as it did her Mother's and Grandmother's, i.e. coochie, ho, etc. The similarity of the book to the three Christmas angels and Scrooge was great. Book was thought provoking in the sense of what we all talk about now. Who is raising these people? Our kids that is. And why can't we be more family focused and understanding of them. Why are we so selfish?

[Watson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn’t finish!!!!!!! First person narrative got on my last nerves. Boring and annoying, get to the point. Lost storyline!

[Diana Townsend · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, so anyone who knows me knows that one of my favorite books is "The Hand I Fan With". I cannot tell you how many times I have read that book! Anyway, I was very let down with this one. Even though it takes place in Mulberry and has the same element of magical-realism, I just could not get in sync with these characters. All of them, well maybe not the grandmother, but the daughter and her mother just felt so false to me. I don't know why, but they made me sick. Their tones felt off, their language felt all wrong... It was one of those times when I have to look at the book and say, "I'm sorry. It's not you, it's me." Because I simply was not feeling this one at all.

[Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Authors should stick to one narrative voice if they have a specific agenda or lack the ability to truly see life from different points of view. Mama Mama and her talented tenth, can-do spirit was the only characterization that didn't seem steeped in the author's judgements.

Three ghosts/angels was too derivative too.

There was some decent prose and an intriguing world was built.

[Lizzyann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when it was first published and it was very much like my family. African American women have lots of commonalities when it comes to family. We believe in God and the spirits of our ancestors and it will seem strange to many, unless you had a mother or family members who taught you about the power of prayer and faith and believing in what we cannot see. I have a MLS plus 45 and am ABD but I still believe in what my mother taught me long ago and Tina tells our story well. It may seem strange but it hit home to me. I recommend her books if you want to see the world from our perspective. 2003

[Liz Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story and all the women involved. It introduces us to so many different aspect of the African American culture. Read it if you want to immersed in a culture of caring and lov8ng each character. The writer tells the story well. I read it years ago but the story never leaves your heart. The grandmother rem8nded me of myself and my relationship with many young women who get “ lost” trying to live their lives.

[T'Keyiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

When LaShaundra's grandmother is woken up from a dead sleep she knew something was wrong. Her grand baby was in trouble. She sprang into action immediately. She drove around town for a while until she saw an old lady she swore passed away months ago. She gets help protecting her grandmother along the way. All the while she doesn't know that this time Shandra is in deeper trouble than ever before.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like Tina McElroy Ansa's novels. They are serious, wise, and often funny explorations of contemporary African American women and the help that they get from women and men who have crossed over but give needed guidance and love to these women. I really recommend other boos written by her.

[Lindsay Latva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat predictable. However, I am all for the themes of telling yourself the truth and bettering your story.