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Willie Mae
First published in 1958 and selected by the New York Times as one of the best books of the year, Willie Mae is a first-person account of a black woman's life and her experiences as a domestic worker in a succession of southern households in the first half of the century.
Powerful and poignant, sometimes funny and always honest, Willie Mae is a testament to the courage and strength of a generation of women who struggled to survive with dignity and humanity in the years before the civil rights movement.
Powerful and poignant, sometimes funny and always honest, Willie Mae is a testament to the courage and strength of a generation of women who struggled to survive with dignity and humanity in the years before the civil rights movement.
244 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1958
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 21, 2011
A more authentic story of "the help" in the south. It's called an autobiography - but Willie Mae didn't write it. She supposedly told her story to Ms. Kytle who wrote it during the 50s. The fact that it was first published in the 50s makes it a much more progressive story than it would be if it was just now being shared. I have a first edition and need to enter it into the GR data base.
January 7, 2014
Finally, finally read this book, and so glad I did.
A gem.
A gem.
January 13, 2022
This reminded me in some ways of The Blacker the Berry.... Willie Mae and Wallace Thurman's protagonist Emma Lou faced some different circumstances. Willie Mae didn't have the issue with colorism prejudice that Emma Lou had. Willie Mae didn't get a chance for education like Thurman's character did. But the way they were as young women, dating men and not appearing to have too clear a direction in their personal lives and decisions seemed to me to have some similarities.
I was struck by, but not really surprised by, how many of Willie Mae's relatives died from health problems, including disease, that would have been treatable a few decades later, when there were antibiotics and when they possibly could have had more opportunity to see doctors.
It was terribly clear how when a person is working a service job, the kindness or meanness of one's employer can make a huge difference. There was a theme of how Willie Mae, and at times her family, just didn't have much in the way of recourse when bad things happened.
Apparently some of the events told in the book didn't actually involve Willie Mae, but had nonetheless happened to a real person. I could believe that. I have a friend in a service job who has some of the same kinds of attitudes towards life and ways of coping that Willie Mae did. Fortunately, my friend has much better access to health care than her predecessor of 100 years ago, and doesn't work directly for one person. She had the chance to finish high school, but didn't have the opportunity to go to college. But she's smart in ways about using technology and machines, and she'd likely have done well doing accounting or bookkeeping if she'd gotten some certification for a job like that.
This was a thought-provoking book. This story of the life of a domestic worker in the segregated South didn't have particular surprises for me, but it's certainly a very good record of the times. I'd say it would be especially informative for folks who haven't studied those aspects of American history.
I was struck by, but not really surprised by, how many of Willie Mae's relatives died from health problems, including disease, that would have been treatable a few decades later, when there were antibiotics and when they possibly could have had more opportunity to see doctors.
It was terribly clear how when a person is working a service job, the kindness or meanness of one's employer can make a huge difference. There was a theme of how Willie Mae, and at times her family, just didn't have much in the way of recourse when bad things happened.
Apparently some of the events told in the book didn't actually involve Willie Mae, but had nonetheless happened to a real person. I could believe that. I have a friend in a service job who has some of the same kinds of attitudes towards life and ways of coping that Willie Mae did. Fortunately, my friend has much better access to health care than her predecessor of 100 years ago, and doesn't work directly for one person. She had the chance to finish high school, but didn't have the opportunity to go to college. But she's smart in ways about using technology and machines, and she'd likely have done well doing accounting or bookkeeping if she'd gotten some certification for a job like that.
This was a thought-provoking book. This story of the life of a domestic worker in the segregated South didn't have particular surprises for me, but it's certainly a very good record of the times. I'd say it would be especially informative for folks who haven't studied those aspects of American history.
February 15, 2018
its just a DUMB DUMB book. Read a real book that is true back in time WILLIE MAE by Joe Manzer
March 10, 2014
The book "Willie Mae" was a very good book. When I found out I had to read a biography, I wasn't happy because I always thought biographies are boring. I actually didn't mind reading this book. It wasn't the stereotypical book about slavery and segregation in the South. It was much more than that. It told about Willie Mae's constant struggles with finding a job and not having a stable home or income. She was an amazing woman and shouldn't go unrecognized. She went through a lot and always kept a high head throughout it all. She was a very strong woman and always saw the best in people. She never treated anyone cruelly, even if they treated her poorly. Overall, this book surprised me and I recommend anyone to read it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews