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Dünne Wände
In der Wohnsiedlung Banneker Terrace in Harlem kennt man sich. Oder zumindest weiß man übereinander Bescheid.
Da ist Swan, wohnhaft in Apartment 6B, der von seinem Weg abzukommen droht, als sein alter Kumpel aus dem Gefängnis entlassen wird. Und Mimi, Apartment 14D, die ihr und Swans Kind großzieht, kellnert, nebenbei Haare flechtet und nicht weiß, wie sie die Mieterhöhung stemmen soll. Oder Ms Dallas, Swans Mutter, die hilfsbedürftige Kinder in der Schule begleitet und auf einen Lehrer trifft, der zwar seinen Steinbeck und Shakespeare drauf, aber keine Ahnung davon hat, wie er mit seinen Schü umgehen soll. Da sind noch so viele andere, die struggeln und scheitern und wieder aufstehen und vermutlich wieder scheitern werden.
In acht miteinander verwobenen Geschichten erzählt Dünne Wände von einer Gemeinschaft, die vom Kapital der anderen, der Gentrifizierung bedroht wird. Ein Buch über den Kampf um Würde, die Kraft und die Bereicherung, die eine Zufallsgemeinschaft stiften kann, und ein so dringlich benötigtes Plädoyer für Zusammenhalt in unserer atomisierten Gegenwart.
Da ist Swan, wohnhaft in Apartment 6B, der von seinem Weg abzukommen droht, als sein alter Kumpel aus dem Gefängnis entlassen wird. Und Mimi, Apartment 14D, die ihr und Swans Kind großzieht, kellnert, nebenbei Haare flechtet und nicht weiß, wie sie die Mieterhöhung stemmen soll. Oder Ms Dallas, Swans Mutter, die hilfsbedürftige Kinder in der Schule begleitet und auf einen Lehrer trifft, der zwar seinen Steinbeck und Shakespeare drauf, aber keine Ahnung davon hat, wie er mit seinen Schü umgehen soll. Da sind noch so viele andere, die struggeln und scheitern und wieder aufstehen und vermutlich wieder scheitern werden.
In acht miteinander verwobenen Geschichten erzählt Dünne Wände von einer Gemeinschaft, die vom Kapital der anderen, der Gentrifizierung bedroht wird. Ein Buch über den Kampf um Würde, die Kraft und die Bereicherung, die eine Zufallsgemeinschaft stiften kann, und ein so dringlich benötigtes Plädoyer für Zusammenhalt in unserer atomisierten Gegenwart.
257 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2022
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Sidik Fofana
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,014 reviews
March 30, 2022
A relevant, pertinent collection of stories that packs an emotional punch!
Bannekar Terrace is a low-income high-rise in Harlem. The residents are struggling, not only because of their everyday worries, but also because gentrification is on the horizon and they might be forced out of the place they’ve called home for life.
This is a collection of eight stories that connect in various ways. We hear from a waitress and young mother who is doing her best to make ends meet, a paraprofessional educator whose stress never seems to end, a young man who acknowledges his lack of ambition and wants to make a change, as well as other tenants.
This is the debut novel of Sidik Fofana, although three of his stories have appeared in other publications. His writing is exquisite and powerful. I cared deeply about the tenants, and couldn’t get enough. That’s no small achievement, considering the book has eight stories and runs just over 200 pages. Fofana hooked me with each perspective. He paints a scene that is realistic, emotional, and intimate. The characters each speak in their own distinct way, and that adds to the authenticity and flow.
I expect this is a book that many will be talking about closer to publication date..and after. I’m looking forward to reading more of Fofana’s work, and highly recommend this one.
Thank you to Scribner for providing a physical ARC, as well as a digital ARC through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 8/16/22.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
Bannekar Terrace is a low-income high-rise in Harlem. The residents are struggling, not only because of their everyday worries, but also because gentrification is on the horizon and they might be forced out of the place they’ve called home for life.
This is a collection of eight stories that connect in various ways. We hear from a waitress and young mother who is doing her best to make ends meet, a paraprofessional educator whose stress never seems to end, a young man who acknowledges his lack of ambition and wants to make a change, as well as other tenants.
This is the debut novel of Sidik Fofana, although three of his stories have appeared in other publications. His writing is exquisite and powerful. I cared deeply about the tenants, and couldn’t get enough. That’s no small achievement, considering the book has eight stories and runs just over 200 pages. Fofana hooked me with each perspective. He paints a scene that is realistic, emotional, and intimate. The characters each speak in their own distinct way, and that adds to the authenticity and flow.
I expect this is a book that many will be talking about closer to publication date..and after. I’m looking forward to reading more of Fofana’s work, and highly recommend this one.
Thank you to Scribner for providing a physical ARC, as well as a digital ARC through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 8/16/22.
Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com
August 21, 2022
Stories from the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana features eight interconnected stories revolving around the residents of a low-income high-rise residential building in Harlem. The ownership of Banneker Terrace has recently changed hands. With gentrification knocking on the door, the new owners intend to renovate the units hoping to attract a new crowd. As rents are slated to rise, the existing tenants struggle to keep up with payments or face having to relocate to smaller units. Those who are behind on their rent are being served eviction notices.
The first story, “Rent Manual”, revolves around a single mother, Mimi, who juggles two jobs to make rent and care for her little boy whose father, Swan resides in another unit in the building. In another story, “The Okiedoke”, Swan celebrates the release of his friend from jail but finds himself in a dilemma when the celebration involves swindling another person. Swan’s mother “Ms.Dallas” also holds two jobs – as a paraprofessional in a local school and as security at the airport. We meet the children attending the school, which is facing threats of closure, among whom is Kandese (“The Young Entrepreneurs of Miss Bristol’s Porch”) a girl who loses her home and then her father and has to move in with a relative. Another student and street dancer Najee(“Lite Feet”) is dealing with his guilt over the accidental death of a close friend and pens a letter to his late friend’s mother. “Camaraderie” features aspiring hairstylist, Dary, who once worked with Mimi but now is forced to resort to other means to supplement his income. “Tumble” revolves around Neisha, a college dropout who once dreamt of becoming a gymnast. She now works with Emeraldine Heard for the Banneker Terrace Committee of Concern, an association of women from the building who try to assist those facing eviction. The final story, “Federation for the Like-Minded” sees several tenants band together in support of the elderly Mr. Murray, who is constantly harassed by the police for playing chess on the sidewalks nearby.
Gentrification, homelessness, poverty, inequality and injustice, hope and hopelessness, family and community- the author touches upon several themes in this collection of stories that are intense and heart wrenching . The stories are told using a range of styles and narrative forms– third-person omniscient narrative, a story in the form of a single letter written by a child, as well as first-person accounts. Every one of these distinctive characters comes across as real as do their struggles, their dreams and aspirations- both attainable and yet out of reach and the hopes they harbor. The tone and language used to tell these stories are commensurate with the character(s) in question, which makes each of the voices distinct and authentic. As a debut, this collection is beyond impressive. This is a powerful read, to say the least. Sidik Fofana is a masterful storyteller and I cannot wait to read more from this talented author in the future.
The first story, “Rent Manual”, revolves around a single mother, Mimi, who juggles two jobs to make rent and care for her little boy whose father, Swan resides in another unit in the building. In another story, “The Okiedoke”, Swan celebrates the release of his friend from jail but finds himself in a dilemma when the celebration involves swindling another person. Swan’s mother “Ms.Dallas” also holds two jobs – as a paraprofessional in a local school and as security at the airport. We meet the children attending the school, which is facing threats of closure, among whom is Kandese (“The Young Entrepreneurs of Miss Bristol’s Porch”) a girl who loses her home and then her father and has to move in with a relative. Another student and street dancer Najee(“Lite Feet”) is dealing with his guilt over the accidental death of a close friend and pens a letter to his late friend’s mother. “Camaraderie” features aspiring hairstylist, Dary, who once worked with Mimi but now is forced to resort to other means to supplement his income. “Tumble” revolves around Neisha, a college dropout who once dreamt of becoming a gymnast. She now works with Emeraldine Heard for the Banneker Terrace Committee of Concern, an association of women from the building who try to assist those facing eviction. The final story, “Federation for the Like-Minded” sees several tenants band together in support of the elderly Mr. Murray, who is constantly harassed by the police for playing chess on the sidewalks nearby.
Gentrification, homelessness, poverty, inequality and injustice, hope and hopelessness, family and community- the author touches upon several themes in this collection of stories that are intense and heart wrenching . The stories are told using a range of styles and narrative forms– third-person omniscient narrative, a story in the form of a single letter written by a child, as well as first-person accounts. Every one of these distinctive characters comes across as real as do their struggles, their dreams and aspirations- both attainable and yet out of reach and the hopes they harbor. The tone and language used to tell these stories are commensurate with the character(s) in question, which makes each of the voices distinct and authentic. As a debut, this collection is beyond impressive. This is a powerful read, to say the least. Sidik Fofana is a masterful storyteller and I cannot wait to read more from this talented author in the future.
March 11, 2022
Sidik Fofana is an extraordinary talent - I've been waiting for this book (innovatively structured, beautifully written) for a long time, and I'm so excited that it didn't disappoint. A blazing star.
August 26, 2022
4-5 stars
Everyone in Banneker Terrace, Harlem has a story to tell whether it’s of despair or survival. It’s a large building of 25 floors and 300 apartments so there are plenty of tales to tell. Here the focus though is on eight residents whose stories and lives interconnect and you can hear their voices through the words and the colourful writing as they spring to life before your eyes. As a Brit it takes a while for me to understand the dialect and the slang and even if you don’t 100% get it you understand the gist!
This is a very impressive debut so accomplished is the writing that it’s clear this is an author who is going places. It is good to read something that is different from a perspective we don’t often hear. It’s a life of inequality, unfairness and lack of privilege but these are people who are doing their best. Their lives are not easy, they’re often messy and precarious especially as they try to make the rent and resist the gentrification that hangs over them all.
It is extremely powerful and emotional in places. It feels realistic, it’s insightful, incisive and thoughtful, peppered with humour. This is especially true of Mimi, a waitress who uses her initiative to make her rent (or not) and Mrs Dallas classroom assistant tells it how it is especially of new teacher Mr Broderick.
Although I enjoy all of the stories about the tenants the stand out for me is 12 year old Najee whose story is powerfully emotional especially as he struggles to express himself. This is one that leaves you with a lump in your throat. However, Mimi‘s story and Mrs Dollar’s are also exceptionally good. Perhaps the latter resonates as a former teacher myself, fully recognising the situations that she describes!
Overall, I recommend this one to anyone who wants to hear a new literary voice and read something that is a bit different.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to John Murray Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Everyone in Banneker Terrace, Harlem has a story to tell whether it’s of despair or survival. It’s a large building of 25 floors and 300 apartments so there are plenty of tales to tell. Here the focus though is on eight residents whose stories and lives interconnect and you can hear their voices through the words and the colourful writing as they spring to life before your eyes. As a Brit it takes a while for me to understand the dialect and the slang and even if you don’t 100% get it you understand the gist!
This is a very impressive debut so accomplished is the writing that it’s clear this is an author who is going places. It is good to read something that is different from a perspective we don’t often hear. It’s a life of inequality, unfairness and lack of privilege but these are people who are doing their best. Their lives are not easy, they’re often messy and precarious especially as they try to make the rent and resist the gentrification that hangs over them all.
It is extremely powerful and emotional in places. It feels realistic, it’s insightful, incisive and thoughtful, peppered with humour. This is especially true of Mimi, a waitress who uses her initiative to make her rent (or not) and Mrs Dallas classroom assistant tells it how it is especially of new teacher Mr Broderick.
Although I enjoy all of the stories about the tenants the stand out for me is 12 year old Najee whose story is powerfully emotional especially as he struggles to express himself. This is one that leaves you with a lump in your throat. However, Mimi‘s story and Mrs Dollar’s are also exceptionally good. Perhaps the latter resonates as a former teacher myself, fully recognising the situations that she describes!
Overall, I recommend this one to anyone who wants to hear a new literary voice and read something that is a bit different.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to John Murray Press for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
January 29, 2023
One hundred twenty fifth street has long been the symbolic focal point of Harlem.Before gentrification, many considered the block between Seventh Avenue( now Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard ) and Eighth Avenue( now Frederick Douglass Boulevard) the emotional heartbeat of the street. On the north side of the street, the Apollo Theatre’s marquee trumpeted the performers and acts that brought throngs of people to the area. Further down the street, Michaux’ bookstore was a repository of the African diaspora and black culture. On the south side of the street, The Record Shack’s speakers blared out the rhythms and music that punctuated the residents’ lives. Further down the block, Blumstein’s was the uptown shopping Mecca for people who had no access to Macy’s downtown.Anchoring the block on Seventh Avenue was the Hotel Theresa, host to celebrities and political figures not welcome downtown.
Most of these landmarks no longer exist. Yet the diversity, energy and hope they imparted still remain. Sidik Fofanna ‘s debut novel portrays the energies and frustrations of this street and community. “Stories from the Tenants Downstairs” is set in a building located on one hundred twenty ninth street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, a few short blocks from the famous heartbeat of Harlem. The residents of the fictional high rise, Banneker Terrace, live in a low income housing project when Harlem is on the cusp of encroaching gentrification. The building has been sold and the tenants are facing higher rents or eviction as the area’s footprint begins to change. Through a series of eight interconnected stories, the author gives a voice to the community’s past while portraying its frustrations and aspirations. Their voices tell a story that captures the cadences of the famous thoroughfare so close to their home.
Although the tenants are deemed low income, they have a diversity of aspiration and circumstance. Each presents a different response to living in a marginalized community where people rarely have control of their environment or destiny. Each resident has a solution and rationalization for the circumstances confronting them. Some of their choices are practical. Some are fanciful. Some are unrealistic.One resident notes that “ Every time you coughed up the money you said, That’s it,I’m savin up from here on out, until they came out wit the new Prada belt line. Of course you could stop spendin…But it ain’t worth comin out the house raggedy not feelin good about yourself.You been thru that growin up…People on TV don’t understand that and never will…”
This passage exemplifies the elements of hope, despair and calculation that each resident calibrates while navigating poverty, inequity and unevenly applied justice . The genius of this novel is contained in each unique resident’s story which is told in eight different forms of cadence, syntax and grammar. The reader is presented with entirely different stories in eight distinctive tonal and rhythmic blends of speech that capture the dialects and inflections swirling around the streets of the community. As I read the stories, images of Ntozake Shange’s play “ For Colored Girls…” kept flashing before me. In that play, Ms Shange created a visual form that she called a choreopoem,fusing text and movement on a stage. “ Stories from Tenants Downstairs” combines text with an aural rhythm on the page,blending story and sound to create a portrait of home, family and community where disenfranchisement and resilience live side by side. 4.5 stars
Most of these landmarks no longer exist. Yet the diversity, energy and hope they imparted still remain. Sidik Fofanna ‘s debut novel portrays the energies and frustrations of this street and community. “Stories from the Tenants Downstairs” is set in a building located on one hundred twenty ninth street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, a few short blocks from the famous heartbeat of Harlem. The residents of the fictional high rise, Banneker Terrace, live in a low income housing project when Harlem is on the cusp of encroaching gentrification. The building has been sold and the tenants are facing higher rents or eviction as the area’s footprint begins to change. Through a series of eight interconnected stories, the author gives a voice to the community’s past while portraying its frustrations and aspirations. Their voices tell a story that captures the cadences of the famous thoroughfare so close to their home.
Although the tenants are deemed low income, they have a diversity of aspiration and circumstance. Each presents a different response to living in a marginalized community where people rarely have control of their environment or destiny. Each resident has a solution and rationalization for the circumstances confronting them. Some of their choices are practical. Some are fanciful. Some are unrealistic.One resident notes that “ Every time you coughed up the money you said, That’s it,I’m savin up from here on out, until they came out wit the new Prada belt line. Of course you could stop spendin…But it ain’t worth comin out the house raggedy not feelin good about yourself.You been thru that growin up…People on TV don’t understand that and never will…”
This passage exemplifies the elements of hope, despair and calculation that each resident calibrates while navigating poverty, inequity and unevenly applied justice . The genius of this novel is contained in each unique resident’s story which is told in eight different forms of cadence, syntax and grammar. The reader is presented with entirely different stories in eight distinctive tonal and rhythmic blends of speech that capture the dialects and inflections swirling around the streets of the community. As I read the stories, images of Ntozake Shange’s play “ For Colored Girls…” kept flashing before me. In that play, Ms Shange created a visual form that she called a choreopoem,fusing text and movement on a stage. “ Stories from Tenants Downstairs” combines text with an aural rhythm on the page,blending story and sound to create a portrait of home, family and community where disenfranchisement and resilience live side by side. 4.5 stars
April 3, 2023
I liked this collection of short stories about a set of Black residents living in a low-income high rise apartment in Harlem. Sidik Fofana does a great job of portraying how gentrification affects these characters. He shows how money weighs on their minds as does their past hurt from relationships, their dignity in the face of public humiliation, and the love they have for those they hold dear. Fofana highlights the complexity of human emotions well and often avoids portraying people as all good or all bad. “Tumble,” about a woman who used to dream of becoming a gymnast and now must assist the woman who staunched that dream as she faces eviction, stood out as a highlight to me, as well as “Ms. Dallas” for portraying the effects of white saviorism as well as the humanity of the kids attending a public elementary school in Harlem.
It's hard for me to feel fully invested in short stories given their length, and I wanted even more from these characters as I finished each story. I think this is still an important collection with a distinct voice.
It's hard for me to feel fully invested in short stories given their length, and I wanted even more from these characters as I finished each story. I think this is still an important collection with a distinct voice.
January 13, 2023
Stories from the Tenants Downstairs follows a group of residents in Banneker Homes, a low income housing high rise in Harlem. The tenants are all connected to one another whether as family, formerly romantically, or just loosely as neighbors. Gentrification is on the rise and these stories show the residents’ strengths and the challenges they face.
Though this short story collection is fictional, it’s easy to see the realistic elements. While the residents were dealing with similar struggles in some instances, each character had a distinct voice. Sidik Fofana can write.
Though this short story collection is fictional, it’s easy to see the realistic elements. While the residents were dealing with similar struggles in some instances, each character had a distinct voice. Sidik Fofana can write.
January 30, 2023
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3 ½ stars
In this wonderfully polyphonic collection of short stories, Sidik Fofana explores the everyday realities and struggles experienced by the Black residents of a high-rise in Harlem. The unrelenting push of gentrification and the looming threat of eviction sees this cast of characters struggling to keep up with their rents and to stay afloat. As they strive to make ends meet some harbor dreams of finding success and/or of leaving, while others are focused on the now, willing, but not happy, to burn their bridges if it means holding onto the life they have built so far. In the first story, we follow Mimi, a single mother who works as a waitress and makes some extra money doing hair. With rent coming up, Mimi is short on cash, so she finds herself doing her friends dirty. There is Quanneisha, once a promising gymnast whose career is cut short by a group of neighborhood girls, who finds herself in the position of having to help the person who she holds responsible for ruining her life. We also read from the perspective of older and younger characters, who often witness or find themselves falling deeper into difficult situations. Fofana captures the dynamics between the various tenants, demonstrating empathy to all, the ones who choose self-preservation, the more individualistic ones, the ones who seek to form a united front, and the ones who are to wrapped up in envisioning their future they loose sight and control of their present. Many of the characters find themselves or have no choice but to make choices that have bad repercussions, hurting the ones they care about, or landing them into deeper trouble.
The descriptions and the dialogues are all rendered with electrifying realism, as the author captures the rhythms of these characters' conversations and their interior voices. I will say that there is one chapter that explores the tensions between a group of Black men and a Chinese-owned restaurant, and I found the repeated use of a derogatory term for a Chinese man, well, it felt unnecessary. Using it once, as well as the characters’ behavior towards this restaurant, already makes us aware of the main character and his friends’ prejudice, for instance, that accented english signifies stupidity, and equating politeness with weakness. Anyway, many of these characters are put in compromising positions where they have to reevaluate or question the kind of people they are, and whether they will or won’t take accountability for their life and the choices they have made. I appreciated that Fofana does not oversimplify their struggles or uses simplistic parameters of good/bad when exploring their actions and choices. Like many collections out there, Stories from the Tenants Downstairs had a couple of gems and quite a few compelling but not particularly memorable.
If you are a fan of the work of Ladee Hubbard, Anthony Veasna So, Danielle Evans, and Toya Wolfe then you should definitely add Stories from the Tenants Downstairs to your tbr list. Fofana is a clearly talented storyteller and I look forward to reading more by him.
3 ½ stars
In this wonderfully polyphonic collection of short stories, Sidik Fofana explores the everyday realities and struggles experienced by the Black residents of a high-rise in Harlem. The unrelenting push of gentrification and the looming threat of eviction sees this cast of characters struggling to keep up with their rents and to stay afloat. As they strive to make ends meet some harbor dreams of finding success and/or of leaving, while others are focused on the now, willing, but not happy, to burn their bridges if it means holding onto the life they have built so far. In the first story, we follow Mimi, a single mother who works as a waitress and makes some extra money doing hair. With rent coming up, Mimi is short on cash, so she finds herself doing her friends dirty. There is Quanneisha, once a promising gymnast whose career is cut short by a group of neighborhood girls, who finds herself in the position of having to help the person who she holds responsible for ruining her life. We also read from the perspective of older and younger characters, who often witness or find themselves falling deeper into difficult situations. Fofana captures the dynamics between the various tenants, demonstrating empathy to all, the ones who choose self-preservation, the more individualistic ones, the ones who seek to form a united front, and the ones who are to wrapped up in envisioning their future they loose sight and control of their present. Many of the characters find themselves or have no choice but to make choices that have bad repercussions, hurting the ones they care about, or landing them into deeper trouble.
The descriptions and the dialogues are all rendered with electrifying realism, as the author captures the rhythms of these characters' conversations and their interior voices. I will say that there is one chapter that explores the tensions between a group of Black men and a Chinese-owned restaurant, and I found the repeated use of a derogatory term for a Chinese man, well, it felt unnecessary. Using it once, as well as the characters’ behavior towards this restaurant, already makes us aware of the main character and his friends’ prejudice, for instance, that accented english signifies stupidity, and equating politeness with weakness. Anyway, many of these characters are put in compromising positions where they have to reevaluate or question the kind of people they are, and whether they will or won’t take accountability for their life and the choices they have made. I appreciated that Fofana does not oversimplify their struggles or uses simplistic parameters of good/bad when exploring their actions and choices. Like many collections out there, Stories from the Tenants Downstairs had a couple of gems and quite a few compelling but not particularly memorable.
If you are a fan of the work of Ladee Hubbard, Anthony Veasna So, Danielle Evans, and Toya Wolfe then you should definitely add Stories from the Tenants Downstairs to your tbr list. Fofana is a clearly talented storyteller and I look forward to reading more by him.
September 29, 2022
Welcome to Banneker Terrace . . . .
Things are changing, though, with rate hikes and eviction notices popping up on various doors as gentrification makes its way through this Harlem neighborhood. In a collection of eight interconnected vignettes you’ll meet some of the residents – including single mom Mimi, her son’s daddy Swan, his momma Ms. Dallas and others as they interact and are simply . . .
I’ve said many times before that I’m not real great at short stories, but I’ve determined composite novels or short story cycles are an entirely different experience for me and I really dig ‘em. I have no recollection of how this collection came to be added to my TBR, but I’m glad I didn’t miss out. This sucker was brutally realistic. You won’t like all of the characters – heck there’s a good chance you wont’ like any of them, but flaws and all they are people you won’t soon forget. If you can take a book that feel like a punch right in the gut, I highly recommend this one.
Things are changing, though, with rate hikes and eviction notices popping up on various doors as gentrification makes its way through this Harlem neighborhood. In a collection of eight interconnected vignettes you’ll meet some of the residents – including single mom Mimi, her son’s daddy Swan, his momma Ms. Dallas and others as they interact and are simply . . .
I’ve said many times before that I’m not real great at short stories, but I’ve determined composite novels or short story cycles are an entirely different experience for me and I really dig ‘em. I have no recollection of how this collection came to be added to my TBR, but I’m glad I didn’t miss out. This sucker was brutally realistic. You won’t like all of the characters – heck there’s a good chance you wont’ like any of them, but flaws and all they are people you won’t soon forget. If you can take a book that feel like a punch right in the gut, I highly recommend this one.
August 28, 2022
Devoured this collection. A masterclass in character-driven story writing - one of those rare collections in which every story stays with you given its perfect blend of plot, narrative voice, and connected setting/stakes. Highly recommend pairing with the audiobook as each story has its own narrator. A must-read.
Read
September 5, 2022Book is well written but timing is off - busy back to school is just not allowing me to get into deeper issues/reading so DNF at 25%
February 19, 2023
Sidik Fofana has written a high caliber debut novel consisting of eight interrelated stories about the residents of a high rise, low income housing development in Harlem. Each character highlighted has their own personal struggles but a shared fear of encroaching gentrification. I marveled at the distinctive voices, the diversity of characters, their well plumbed strengths and weaknesses, each linked by a sense of place. This is highly accomplished writing seldom seen in a debut. Well done!
My thanks to Scribner for providing a drc via Netgalley.
My thanks to Scribner for providing a drc via Netgalley.
November 28, 2022
1 star
Is this the new thing? Write characters like they are thugs and forever saying the 'N' word? This is my third book in a row - all new releases and popular books - that took the liberty of OVER USING the "N" word - shooting it out there like it is accepted in today's verbiage. Disgusting!
This is a Black author who used Black characters for his book. That in itself is fine, Black characters, white characters, Asian or Latino characters - that makes no difference to me. I am looking for a good story. And the plot of this book has a good premise.
The restructuring of a black neighborhood, one building in particular, and what is happening in the lives of some of the people in that building. There are a number of people who give us their story - which does intermingle with others, both in the building and with other story tellers.
Now either I do not understand the Black population at all, or this book delves down into the worst of the worst. From thugs to thieves to prostitutes, to unacceptable teachers, to the verbiage used by them. I know that not all destitute Black people act the way this book portrays them. There is a decent population out there, but this book does not portray that.
I am hoping that the "N" word is not a new wave taking place. It needs to be put in it's place and rarely, if ever, used again. And if it is this unappealing and derogatory to a white woman, I can imagine how others may find it. I am fed up with books containing the overuse of the "N" word and that includes this book.
Is this the new thing? Write characters like they are thugs and forever saying the 'N' word? This is my third book in a row - all new releases and popular books - that took the liberty of OVER USING the "N" word - shooting it out there like it is accepted in today's verbiage. Disgusting!
This is a Black author who used Black characters for his book. That in itself is fine, Black characters, white characters, Asian or Latino characters - that makes no difference to me. I am looking for a good story. And the plot of this book has a good premise.
The restructuring of a black neighborhood, one building in particular, and what is happening in the lives of some of the people in that building. There are a number of people who give us their story - which does intermingle with others, both in the building and with other story tellers.
Now either I do not understand the Black population at all, or this book delves down into the worst of the worst. From thugs to thieves to prostitutes, to unacceptable teachers, to the verbiage used by them. I know that not all destitute Black people act the way this book portrays them. There is a decent population out there, but this book does not portray that.
I am hoping that the "N" word is not a new wave taking place. It needs to be put in it's place and rarely, if ever, used again. And if it is this unappealing and derogatory to a white woman, I can imagine how others may find it. I am fed up with books containing the overuse of the "N" word and that includes this book.
August 29, 2022
4.5
Definitely recommend listening to the audio versus reading if you are able. The cast of narrators was fantastic and really brought each story to life in a way reading it on the page wouldn't have (at least as much for me).
Truly appreciate this book and each story. Some I liked more than others (as is common with any short story collection), but I enjoyed how they all related in some ways and how each perspective was extremely different than the one before it.
Highly recommend.
Thank you to Scribner Books and Libro.fm for the ALC.
Review Date: 8/29/2022
Publication Date: 8/16/2022
Definitely recommend listening to the audio versus reading if you are able. The cast of narrators was fantastic and really brought each story to life in a way reading it on the page wouldn't have (at least as much for me).
Truly appreciate this book and each story. Some I liked more than others (as is common with any short story collection), but I enjoyed how they all related in some ways and how each perspective was extremely different than the one before it.
Highly recommend.
Thank you to Scribner Books and Libro.fm for the ALC.
Review Date: 8/29/2022
Publication Date: 8/16/2022
March 4, 2023
Books like this are catnip to me: Slice of life stories following multiple characters, centralized around a specific location that ties each together, allowing for an intimate snapshot of American life.
Stories from the Tenants Downstairs follows the residents of Banneker Terrace in Harlem, connected not only by their building but by the threat of eviction. Through each story, we learn of a new character and their relationship to the world around them, and the circumstances that will allow them to either leave or stay in Banneker. They reference each other and provide commentary on one another's lives, sometimes providing a prelude to the others' stories, or an epilogue. It allows the reader a fuller picture of who everyone is and life at the Banneker. The storytelling is dynamic and speaks true.
My favorite entry was "The Young Entrepreneurs of Miss Bristol's Front Porch".
Stories from the Tenants Downstairs follows the residents of Banneker Terrace in Harlem, connected not only by their building but by the threat of eviction. Through each story, we learn of a new character and their relationship to the world around them, and the circumstances that will allow them to either leave or stay in Banneker. They reference each other and provide commentary on one another's lives, sometimes providing a prelude to the others' stories, or an epilogue. It allows the reader a fuller picture of who everyone is and life at the Banneker. The storytelling is dynamic and speaks true.
My favorite entry was "The Young Entrepreneurs of Miss Bristol's Front Porch".
February 16, 2023
4.5 stars - such a great audiobook. I really enjoyed all of the stories, but some more than others. I struggle with short story collections because I don’t know how to rate them; however, I think this is probably one of the most cohesive collections of short stories that I’ve read in a long time. I waited way too long to pick this one up.
October 8, 2022
Wonderful short story collection revolving around the tenants of a low income housing complex in Harlem.
January 1, 2023
WOW. This audiobook was magnificent, cannot recommend enough. Each short story had such distinct and dynamic characters, and I loved that their stories intersected in such natural ways. Kinda reminds me of a black version of The House on Mango Street. Loved!!
April 30, 2023
I enjoy the interconnectedness of the stories. My favorite story was "lite feet", I loved the epistle format and it left me saying WOW at the end. "Ms. Dallas" could have been a standalone novel, very rich characters in that one.
February 11, 2023
Harlem Gentrification
Review of the Simon and Schuster Audio audiobook edition (August 16, 2022) released simultaneously with the Scribner hardcover.
I started Stories from the Tenants Downstairs on audio through the Audible Daily Deal from January 16, 2023. I was finding it difficult to make the story connections so I also referenced the hardcover edition from the Toronto Public Library. The hard copy’s Table of Contents provided character names and apartment numbers which helped you to see ahead when other story characters were being referred to which was difficult to do via audio alone.
The audio performances were excellent but I’d have to rate that format lower than a hard copy. Still, all the stories were well done and gave a wide variety of viewpoints, often with humour but also with glimpses of tragedy and desperation. The text is often written in ebonics/vernacular English but was easy enough to understand, the audio format had one edge there.
Banneker Terrace is a fictional building at 129th Street and Frederick Douglas Blvd. in central Harlem, New York City. The tenants are facing evictions and / or increased rents due to the building’s gentrification by new owners. The various tenants, seniors, workers, and children cope with the circumstances in their own way with a group of ladies in the tenants’ association attempting to protect their rights.
The book's Banneker Terrace is fictitious, but the gentrified Frederick building at 129th & Frederick Douglas gives an idea of the location. Image sourced from City Realty.
The following provides story setups only, so hopefully won’t be considered spoilers.
1. The Rent Manual - Mimi, 14D **** Waitress and part-time hairdresser Mimi plans on how to make the rent payment but she is also 5 months in arrears. She is the ex-girlfriend of Swan (2.) with whom she has a child. She also has employed Darius (5.) part-time in her hairdresser business.
2. The Okiedoke - Swan, 6B **** Swan (ex-boyfriend of Mimi in 1.) and his friends pull off food heists (which they call the ‘pulling the Okiedoke’) by ordering takeout to addresses where they don’t live, handing over a wad of paper wrapped in a single real dollar bill and then absconding with the food.
3. Ms. Dallas - Verona Dallas, 6B ***** Verona is the mother of Swan (2.) and is a para-teacher in a school which the kids in (4. & 6.) attend. You can read the beginning of an early version of this story online at The Sewanee Review Fall, 2018 when it was first titled Ms. Battles.
4. The Young Entrepreneurs of Miss Brodie’s Front Porch - Kandese Bristol-Wallace, 3A **** Kandese and her friends have a part-time business selling snacks but then argue over the division of the proceeds. You can read half of this story online at Granta Feb. 13, 2020 without a subscription.
5. Camaradarie - Darius Kite, 12H ***** Darius is trying to make rent money and save for his own future hairstyling business (he has worked for Mimi in 1.). In desperation he is drawn into prostitution, but also has an unfortunate encounter with his fave music star.
6. lite feet - Najee Bailey, 24M ***** 12-year-old Najee and his school friends Kowboy and Mookie (they were in the school class in 3.) form a street dancing group together and perform on subways, leading to a tragic event. The story is presented as if it were a letter written by Najee in his phonic English.
7. Tumble - Quanneisha B. Miles, 21J **** Neisha had to give up her dream of becoming an Olympic gymnast after injuries sustained from a girl gang. In her new job as a tenancy assistant she faces having to help one of the girls who injured her.
8. Federation for the Like-Minded - Mr. Murray, 2E ***** Street chess player and senior Mr. Murray is being hassled by a high end restaurant reporting him for loitering on the sidewalk. The tenants’ association (from 7.) takes up his cause, but he resents the attention.
Other Reviews
A review in The Guardian on the book’s UK release can be read at Bold, Funny and Gloriously Flawed Voices of New York by Hephzibah Anderson, January 29, 2023.
Trivia and Link
Harvard Book Store had a book release interview with author Sidik Fofana on a Zoom call which can now be viewed on YouTube here.
Review of the Simon and Schuster Audio audiobook edition (August 16, 2022) released simultaneously with the Scribner hardcover.
I started Stories from the Tenants Downstairs on audio through the Audible Daily Deal from January 16, 2023. I was finding it difficult to make the story connections so I also referenced the hardcover edition from the Toronto Public Library. The hard copy’s Table of Contents provided character names and apartment numbers which helped you to see ahead when other story characters were being referred to which was difficult to do via audio alone.
The audio performances were excellent but I’d have to rate that format lower than a hard copy. Still, all the stories were well done and gave a wide variety of viewpoints, often with humour but also with glimpses of tragedy and desperation. The text is often written in ebonics/vernacular English but was easy enough to understand, the audio format had one edge there.
Banneker Terrace is a fictional building at 129th Street and Frederick Douglas Blvd. in central Harlem, New York City. The tenants are facing evictions and / or increased rents due to the building’s gentrification by new owners. The various tenants, seniors, workers, and children cope with the circumstances in their own way with a group of ladies in the tenants’ association attempting to protect their rights.
The book's Banneker Terrace is fictitious, but the gentrified Frederick building at 129th & Frederick Douglas gives an idea of the location. Image sourced from City Realty.
The following provides story setups only, so hopefully won’t be considered spoilers.
1. The Rent Manual - Mimi, 14D **** Waitress and part-time hairdresser Mimi plans on how to make the rent payment but she is also 5 months in arrears. She is the ex-girlfriend of Swan (2.) with whom she has a child. She also has employed Darius (5.) part-time in her hairdresser business.
2. The Okiedoke - Swan, 6B **** Swan (ex-boyfriend of Mimi in 1.) and his friends pull off food heists (which they call the ‘pulling the Okiedoke’) by ordering takeout to addresses where they don’t live, handing over a wad of paper wrapped in a single real dollar bill and then absconding with the food.
3. Ms. Dallas - Verona Dallas, 6B ***** Verona is the mother of Swan (2.) and is a para-teacher in a school which the kids in (4. & 6.) attend. You can read the beginning of an early version of this story online at The Sewanee Review Fall, 2018 when it was first titled Ms. Battles.
4. The Young Entrepreneurs of Miss Brodie’s Front Porch - Kandese Bristol-Wallace, 3A **** Kandese and her friends have a part-time business selling snacks but then argue over the division of the proceeds. You can read half of this story online at Granta Feb. 13, 2020 without a subscription.
5. Camaradarie - Darius Kite, 12H ***** Darius is trying to make rent money and save for his own future hairstyling business (he has worked for Mimi in 1.). In desperation he is drawn into prostitution, but also has an unfortunate encounter with his fave music star.
6. lite feet - Najee Bailey, 24M ***** 12-year-old Najee and his school friends Kowboy and Mookie (they were in the school class in 3.) form a street dancing group together and perform on subways, leading to a tragic event. The story is presented as if it were a letter written by Najee in his phonic English.
7. Tumble - Quanneisha B. Miles, 21J **** Neisha had to give up her dream of becoming an Olympic gymnast after injuries sustained from a girl gang. In her new job as a tenancy assistant she faces having to help one of the girls who injured her.
8. Federation for the Like-Minded - Mr. Murray, 2E ***** Street chess player and senior Mr. Murray is being hassled by a high end restaurant reporting him for loitering on the sidewalk. The tenants’ association (from 7.) takes up his cause, but he resents the attention.
Other Reviews
A review in The Guardian on the book’s UK release can be read at Bold, Funny and Gloriously Flawed Voices of New York by Hephzibah Anderson, January 29, 2023.
Trivia and Link
Harvard Book Store had a book release interview with author Sidik Fofana on a Zoom call which can now be viewed on YouTube here.
October 13, 2023
This was an interesting 'anthology' of stories. Although it's not really an anthology as the stories all link together somehow. Each story is about or from the point of view of a tenant of the same building. They all share experiences, knowledge, and (in some cases) friendship throughout the entire set of stories.
Overall the stories are very sad. This is a low income building with a lot of barely hanging on, or already two steps into being evicted folks. That's not to say it isn't without its happy moments, as it does have some; but overall do not expect an uplifting set of stories here.
My favourite characters POVs we see include: a single mother with an autistic child and an elderly POC 'Mama' who faces constant, relentless discrimination regarding her skin tone, intelligence, and more. The overall stories themselves are very unique as their POV's are written in the vernacular you would expect from that specific person (yes including the typos of a child). Therefore you can't really get bored as by the time you might be tired of someone's narrative it's time for another one to come into play.
This set of stories does require some patience however. It's not obvious through the first 7 stories that they are actually going to tangibly connect in a meaningful way. It's story 8, the last, that really brings the whole set together. It's well worth the payoff in my opinion! It's a definite tear jerker, and I usually hate those books, so it's a pretty big compliment from me that I thought it was well done. I wouldn't read it again, except maybe for a book club or to discuss with a friend who might benefit from the stories; but I'm glad to have read it this once.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Overall the stories are very sad. This is a low income building with a lot of barely hanging on, or already two steps into being evicted folks. That's not to say it isn't without its happy moments, as it does have some; but overall do not expect an uplifting set of stories here.
My favourite characters POVs we see include: a single mother with an autistic child and an elderly POC 'Mama' who faces constant, relentless discrimination regarding her skin tone, intelligence, and more. The overall stories themselves are very unique as their POV's are written in the vernacular you would expect from that specific person (yes including the typos of a child). Therefore you can't really get bored as by the time you might be tired of someone's narrative it's time for another one to come into play.
This set of stories does require some patience however. It's not obvious through the first 7 stories that they are actually going to tangibly connect in a meaningful way. It's story 8, the last, that really brings the whole set together. It's well worth the payoff in my opinion! It's a definite tear jerker, and I usually hate those books, so it's a pretty big compliment from me that I thought it was well done. I wouldn't read it again, except maybe for a book club or to discuss with a friend who might benefit from the stories; but I'm glad to have read it this once.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
May 5, 2023
"They don't wanna see you steeped in Glory. They want you huddled in a gutter like a footnote."
Sidik Fofana has literally generated divergent Emotions, Reasonings, and Consideration for the narrative characters of Banneker Terrace. This low-income high-rise is home and place of Voice to these tenants who share their stories during a time of Gentrification. Interwoven lives..Disappointments...Stories so Realistic it may seem like you're being Slapped in the face with Candid Honesty. I Loved these stories...
"Ms. Dallas" was a wonderful story. And the mention of Forever 21 brought a smile to my face. 😊
Wild One! Just Incredible..
Excerpt: "This time it don't sound like him. It sound like the wolf he got inside him that he trying to get out."
Yet, "Lite Feet" was definitely my favorite one of them all. The poetic rhythmic dance of this Author's words just Bounced until the very End..
Sidik Fofana has literally generated divergent Emotions, Reasonings, and Consideration for the narrative characters of Banneker Terrace. This low-income high-rise is home and place of Voice to these tenants who share their stories during a time of Gentrification. Interwoven lives..Disappointments...Stories so Realistic it may seem like you're being Slapped in the face with Candid Honesty. I Loved these stories...
"Ms. Dallas" was a wonderful story. And the mention of Forever 21 brought a smile to my face. 😊
Wild One! Just Incredible..
Excerpt: "This time it don't sound like him. It sound like the wolf he got inside him that he trying to get out."
Yet, "Lite Feet" was definitely my favorite one of them all. The poetic rhythmic dance of this Author's words just Bounced until the very End..
December 28, 2021
These interconnected short stories really pack a punch. Each story is about a different resident of a low income high rise in Harlem, as their lives intersect through daily lives. These voices are from different levels of education, income and age and it leads to a rich portrayal with a distinct sense of place. But above all, is the concern about gentrification and how it impacts this building. Unforgettable characters and building. A must of readers who enjoy interconnected short stories such as Afterparties, There, There, and Women of Brewster Place or books that give a sense of New York City such as Brown Girls or Domincana
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
December 2, 2023
Fucking incredible. Every story was amazing.
December 15, 2022
Do not enter this book haphazardly. The stories will snatch your soul. Reality and fiction blur on the pages, as I, its reader, cannot close the book and say, "Oh, it's a story and nothing more."
I know these characters, having grown up in a tough and challenging neighborhood, almost like the setting of this collection.
Even though you will spend only a short time with the characters, you will feel for them, shout for them to use common sense, feel pain for their demise, or feel continuous pain. That is unless you're cold in the heart and mind.
My only issue with this collection is not having at least one story of joy as it walks the fine line of being trauma porn. One story of hope and joy to balance the pain would have rounded the collection.
4.25/5
I know these characters, having grown up in a tough and challenging neighborhood, almost like the setting of this collection.
Even though you will spend only a short time with the characters, you will feel for them, shout for them to use common sense, feel pain for their demise, or feel continuous pain. That is unless you're cold in the heart and mind.
My only issue with this collection is not having at least one story of joy as it walks the fine line of being trauma porn. One story of hope and joy to balance the pain would have rounded the collection.
4.25/5
July 17, 2022
This is a debut???? Sidik Fofan has written a jewel of a book -- a collection of eight interconnected stories that feature different residents in a low income Harlem High Rise. Banneker Homes has just been sold and the new owners are attempting to push out the current residents.
Each short story follows a tenant in the Banneker Homes, a low-income high rise in Harlem where gentrification weighs on everyone’s mind. There are single mothers, college drop outs, middle schoolers, hairdressers and waitresses...everyone is doing their best to stay afloat and support their loved ones. These stories will break your heart and you will think of the characters for a long, long time. As a teacher, the school chapter really hit home.
There is a bit of hopefulness woven throughout the book that keeps the glued to the page! What an achievement, If you like fantastic writing, interconnected stories, real life and urban living, then Stories From the Tenants Downstairs is for you!.#Scribner #NetGalley#Netgalleyreads #StoriesFromtheTenantsDownstairs #SidikFofana
Each short story follows a tenant in the Banneker Homes, a low-income high rise in Harlem where gentrification weighs on everyone’s mind. There are single mothers, college drop outs, middle schoolers, hairdressers and waitresses...everyone is doing their best to stay afloat and support their loved ones. These stories will break your heart and you will think of the characters for a long, long time. As a teacher, the school chapter really hit home.
There is a bit of hopefulness woven throughout the book that keeps the glued to the page! What an achievement, If you like fantastic writing, interconnected stories, real life and urban living, then Stories From the Tenants Downstairs is for you!.#Scribner #NetGalley#Netgalleyreads #StoriesFromtheTenantsDownstairs #SidikFofana
August 24, 2022
Ok I’ve got to stop reading short stories because I do not like them…but what if one really changes my life one day?? Unfortunately, that story was not in this book.
It wasn’t BAD. The idea is GREAT. EXCELLENT even. Execution was a little rocky on the writing side. To make a short story work, you’ve gotta get readers attached and interested ASAP. And that happened with like 2 of the stories in this book. And I got interested, but then quickly lost interest.
The endings of each story seemed incredibly abrupt with really no natural conclusion and the characters were fine. Obviously I liked some more than others, but it just didn’t land.
I do recommend it, because I think my opinion is skewed. If you like short stories, I really do think this would be great for you. I do not, so I did not. So sorry!!!
It wasn’t BAD. The idea is GREAT. EXCELLENT even. Execution was a little rocky on the writing side. To make a short story work, you’ve gotta get readers attached and interested ASAP. And that happened with like 2 of the stories in this book. And I got interested, but then quickly lost interest.
The endings of each story seemed incredibly abrupt with really no natural conclusion and the characters were fine. Obviously I liked some more than others, but it just didn’t land.
I do recommend it, because I think my opinion is skewed. If you like short stories, I really do think this would be great for you. I do not, so I did not. So sorry!!!
Read
January 21, 2023He be like and she be like and he be like and I be like...I can take no more of this. DNF!
February 21, 2022
(Note: I received an advanced reader copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley)
The fictional low-income high rise that Sidik Fofana sets his collection of short stories comes vividly and fantastically alive thanks to the incredible extent to which he has fleshed out his cast. Every one of his characters gets to tell their own personal tale of their struggles and dreams in their own unique voice - quite literally. Many of the chapters are first person narratives written exactly how Fofana has decided his characters will speak, and in turn allowed me to feel like I could hear these completely fictional people narrating their lives if I had just run into them out on the street.
Between the aforementioned and the beautifully messy tangle through which characters’ lives intersect with one another from chapter to chapter, it ended up being quite difficult for me to tear myself away from Stories from the Tenants Downstairs, and I ended up enthusiastically devouring most of it in the span of a single morning. Fofana’s debut work is definitely not to be passed up, and I greatly look forward to seeing more from him in the future.
The fictional low-income high rise that Sidik Fofana sets his collection of short stories comes vividly and fantastically alive thanks to the incredible extent to which he has fleshed out his cast. Every one of his characters gets to tell their own personal tale of their struggles and dreams in their own unique voice - quite literally. Many of the chapters are first person narratives written exactly how Fofana has decided his characters will speak, and in turn allowed me to feel like I could hear these completely fictional people narrating their lives if I had just run into them out on the street.
Between the aforementioned and the beautifully messy tangle through which characters’ lives intersect with one another from chapter to chapter, it ended up being quite difficult for me to tear myself away from Stories from the Tenants Downstairs, and I ended up enthusiastically devouring most of it in the span of a single morning. Fofana’s debut work is definitely not to be passed up, and I greatly look forward to seeing more from him in the future.
April 12, 2023
I liked the interconnectedness of this collection. My favorite stories were where things were really happening and the tension was high, some of the them were a little slow for me. Overall really strong debut.
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