Too Precious to Lose: A Memoir of Family, Community, and Possibility

by Jason Green

A moving and inspiring memoir from a former Obama White House staffer, about his rural Maryland family’s untold history, the merger of three churches—one Black, two white—and how a radical embrace of community became their salvation, and his.

“A moving and important reminder of the power of story, service, and faith.”—Deval Patrick, former governor of Massachusetts and author of A Reason to Believe

Jason G. Green was raised on fellowship—literally. Fellowship Lane served as a spiritual metaphor throughout his coming of age. A precocious preacher’s kid, Green felt a call to the ministry but ultimately devoted himself to public service. After working on Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, the young attorney spent four and a half years serving in the White House as special assistant to President Obama.

However, Green’s government career was cut short by a devastating call. It seemed his beloved ninety-five-year-old grandmother was on her deathbed. At her side, he listened in disbelief while she detailed her life story dating back to her 1918 birth in Quince Orchard, a town that once stood where they now sat, erased by the vestiges of time. How could he have never known the legacy of this robust community that he’d descended from? How could its entire existence have vanished from history but for the memory of a few elders? Green’s historical research uncovered a surprising trove of tales about his newly freed ancestors who built an African American house of worship, and whose progeny, on the eve of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination, made the brave decision to create an integrated church. Quince Orchard’s lost story is part of what Green calls the texture in the American the moral leadership of the Black church, the longstanding resilience of the Black community, and the transformative love of the Black family.

Fueled by a new understanding of his own roots, Green traces his paternal family through a century of life in a single place. Seeking answers to deeply personal, contemporary questions about belonging, he finds that and more truths from the compassionate, communal-led lives of his forebearers.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction

257 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 17, 2026

Reviews

[Cara Achterberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful read. The writing is excellent and inviting. Green's style immediately pulls you in, and you are totally on his side. His authenticity is clear and while he can be idealistic, it's never saccharin. You want his reflections to be right. You want more people to think the way he does. He's honest about his own prejudice and ignorance, and never condemning of others. His curiosity is contagious, and it makes me think harder about my own actions and attitudes about racial relations. It's stories like these that need to be amplified in a world where too many divisive and dangerous ones prevail. I hope this book finds a wide audience. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read/review this wonderful book.

[Joni Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot to like in this book. The writing is engaging and the author’s story about college, law school, and becoming involved in Obama’s campaigns is an interesting “behind the scenes” story about the challenge of balancing ambition and real life. Recognizing all the opportunities missed to spend time with family draws him back to spend time with his grandmother, Ida Pearl Green, who is spunky, classy, and a woman with a lot of information. And off he goes to interview more people about the past! The story of integrating black-and-white churches in Maryland will peak your curiosity but I didn’t get a lot of revealing information about the true challenges involved. The stories of pain and racism may go back generations, but are also here in the present day. It is both a wonderful story about how we can come together as well as how we as a species can lack compassion for one another. Books like this leave me both hopeful and disgusted.

[Nation Hahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly recommended memoir of family, place, and the timely recognition of the need to connect with someone before they pass on to the next life.

[RN · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read! An incredible memoir that reveals the author’s buried history but also speaks to the resilience, hope, and connection we so desperately need today. This is one of those rare books that stays with you long after the final page. I loved it!

[Richard Propes · Rating 5 out of 5]

You could easily be forgiven for thinking that Jason Green's memoir "Too Precious to Lose: A Memoir of Family, Community, and Possibility" was going to find its inspirational roots in Green's experiences as a former Obama White House staffer.

Indeed, Green certainly does write about those days.

However, "Too Precious to Lose" finds its heart and soul on Fellowship Lane. Alongside attending law school, Green devoted himself to public service. This led him down a path to Barack Obama's presidential campaign. His success in that setting opened the door to four and a half years serving in the White House as a special assistant to President Obama.

Inspirational, eh? It sure is.

And yet, where I really fell in love with "Too Precious to Lose" is with what happened next. After receiving a call that his beloved ninety-five year old grandmother was on her deathbed, Green switched gears. He left his position in the White House because he knew, absolutely knew, that he needed to invest his time in hearing her stories.

And what stories they were.

The stories started at Quince Orchard when his grandmother was born in a town that has been seemingly erased with time. It was a town Green knew nothing about. It was a story he even kind of disbelieved. Then, research would reveal his grandmother was spot-on.

Just a little note Jason, grandmother's are usually spot-on.

The stories that follow, both Green's and his grandmother's, are warm and wonderful, wise revealing. He learns about newly freed ancestors building an African American house of worship and whose descendants would, on the eve of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination, create an integrated church. It's love that radiates throughout "Too Precious to Lose" - love of community, love of community, and this unwavering hope in the power of love to transform.

While I'm quite certain the opportunities in the Obama administration were life-changing, one couldn't help but get the sense that it was in gaining a new understanding of his own roots that Green's life was truly transformed.

It's the tone of "Too Precious to Lose" that struck me over and over again. There's a deep compassion within these pages, a communal spirit and dedication that grabbed my attention and never really let me go.

There is a documentary, as well, called "Finding Fellowship," that covers some of the material contained here. However, there's something magical about this writing that feels so grounded in common humanity and hope. Our stories, who we are, is too precious to lose and this memoir is destined to take its place as one of my favorite memoirs of 2026.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ambivalent about this one. In the end I'd say I admire the author and value his getting the story down for posterity more than I actually enjoyed reading the book. Random notes on the positive side:

--it's not enough to power interest in an entire book, but I did have some of the fun "hey, I recognize that place/person/experience you mentioned" experience -- one of my relatives is on the remembrance and reconciliation commission author chaired; i know the track/x-c coach at author's high school, etc. etc.

--story of his getting inspired by Barack Obama and going to work (while somehow managing to keep up with law school classes) on the campaign, later in White House, is great. Doesn't sound as if he had a great deal of regular contact with the President (incidents like tossing a football around with him on the way into work one day, or having picture taken the day he left the job take up several pages each), but still conveyed a sense of the excitement around that administration.

--he does (or gets others, including some students from his old high school, to do) some good research on the family tree and brings to life the experience of first pinning down and then revealing to his grandmother, uncle, parents, etc. the details of their enslaved ancestors several generations back.

Balanced against that, some drawbacks IMO:

--not a great writer, or at any rate not to my taste. Takes forever to set up scenes, convey information, etc. I gather it was made into a documentary, and maybe that's the better format, as he seems to have the soul of a director giving notes -- lots of blow-by-blow on the furniture in the room, what people were wearing, who hugged whom etc. before conveying what was said. Almost on the level of those overlong WaPo style section interviews with celebrities ("she sipped ice water with a lemon slice while sitting on a white couch......").

--terrible editing. Examples: (a) mentions in passing emotional impact of an intra-family lawsuit over inherited land (sending me leafing back thru prior chapter wondering if I'd dozed off at a key point).....about 5 pages before telling the story of that lawsuit in detail; (b) here are two straight sentences from p. 91: "He'd even rigged a listening device so that his shut-in sister-in-law could listen to services at McDonald Chapel. He even had an intercom set up in the back so that his bedbound sister-in-law could participate in the worship services at McDonald Chapel." I'm not immune to word processing gaffes, but come on, editor. You've got to catch those.

--more generally....I didn't end up thinking that oral history centered on one family and collected by a member of that family was the optimal way to get the story out. For one, it's hard as a family member to be objective about what details are worth how much space to non-family readers (my parents are from same time as author's grandmother, and if i were doing an oral history I'd really need a detached third party to enforce the rules -- ok to elaborate on Mom's participation in women's suffrage rallies as a little girl, but go light on Dad's upset win over "Pinky" Lee in neighborhood "Olympics" race in Memphis.......). So......differing opinions on wisdom of merging small White and Black churches in the 1960's, yes. Fact that the author disliked mustard as a child but now likes it.....ummmm.

Oral history can be great, but I'd put in a plug for either (i) bigger, more expansive definition of topic (e.g., Working by Studs Terkel) or (ii) professional historian's guiding/shaping the coverage of a focused topic (biased choice of example b/c i was a research assistant for it as a college student, but i'll plug Amoskeag by Tamara Hareven, re impact on Manchester NH of huge textile mill there in early 1900's).

And finally......

I'm sure Deval Patrick, former governor of MA, is busy, but this may be about the worst "generic blurb I wrote because hadn't read the book by the time the publisher's deadline rolled around" I've seen: "This is a timely book for anyone who needs reassurance that participatory democracy is a living experience, not just an abstract idea."

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was quite excited for Jason Green's Too Precious to Lose. It purports to be a part memoir, but also the history of a merger between three churches of which two are White churches and one Black. The memoir part is certainly present, but the church merger is woefully underserved.

Green was a White House staffer during the Obama administration and left his post to spend more time with his ailing grandmother. It would be much more accurate to say this book is about soliciting family lore from his grandmother and Green's other relatives. However, while there is some strong writing and grandma Green is a wonderful character, this book is presented and marketed as about the merger of the churches. I expected a significant plot line about the challenges of two races coming together in the wake of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

There is barely any material on this and more about his own family and their infighting. Which would be fine, but that's not what is being marketed. Everyone in this book is rather pleasant for the most part, with the obvious exception of the racists. These racial incidents are throwaway events without any real depth. There is no real tension throughout the book as any time an interesting conflict arises, like the merger of the churches, it is quickly jettisoned for the next visit to a different family member.

The only time Green truly lets some darkness into the narrative is the last two chapters when he discusses George Floyd and Donald Trump's first term. These chapters feel like they come from a completely different book and end the book on a sour note.

This book ultimately felt like some very solid ideas that Green needed to really dig into and analyze. I could see how a few changes could make this into a much stronger story overall. Green's prose is easy to read even if he gets a bit too florid at times. The Green family is a group of people I would like to spend more time with, but there needs to be a clearer idea about what it is all about.

(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by the publisher.)

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher, One World, an imprint of Random House, and the author, Jason Green, for the privilege to read this advanced copy through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

At the beginning of the book, the Author's Note raises Dr. King's question of "Where do we go from here? Chaos or community?" and proceeds to justify an answer. "Community moves slowly. It demands more of us and requires grace and intention. This book is about that kind of work. The kind that makes us slow down and truly remember." The stage is set for Green's story.

The book starts with Green's career as a young Black lawyer who becomes involved in Obama's campaigns, which I found intriguing. Green's ambitions are incessant and impressive. Life working in the White House is interesting. The perspective is shown of growing up on a street that "was the last vestige of Black community of Quince Orchard." The reader learns Green's ancestry and history through the results of interviews of family members especially his grandmother, Ida Pearl Green. A classy lady with alot of spunk, in my opinion. The integration of three Black and white churches in his Maryland community was compelling.

I enjoyed the book until the end when Green brought up the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots. For me, this event has been revisited so much in all media that I would rather not read another story about it for a long while. If the book had ended prior to this section, I would have rated it higher. I enjoyed the digging into a family heritage and tying it to the community. It brought a healthy aspect to looking at one's background even though there's nasty parts (enslavement). Bringing in current day politics, turned me off. Green does tie his uneasiness and need to witness the January 6 insurrection full circle back to his grandmother and how to use his anger. I enjoyed memoirs. If you like memoirs, you may enjoy this book especially if you like more politics.

[Jeannine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jason Green’s Too Precious to Lose: A Memoir of Family, Community, and Possibility blends personal narrative with local history, tracing the author’s family roots in the once thriving Black community of Quince Orchard, Maryland. The story unfolds as Green records his grandmother’s memories and reconstructs a century of family life, including the founding of an African American church and the later merger of three congregations in the wake of the civil rights era. The book also follows Green’s own journey from preacher’s kid to public service, including work connected to national politics, while returning repeatedly to questions of belonging, faith, and communal identity. As a historical portrait, the memoir is engaging. Green successfully highlights a largely forgotten community and situates family stories within broader contexts such as segregation, integration, and changing social conditions. The emphasis on oral history and generational memory gives the narrative a reflective tone and offers readers an interesting slice of American religious and social life. The reconstruction of a vanished town and its institutions is particularly compelling, and the author’s affection for his relatives comes through clearly. At the same time, the book does not always rise to the level of a truly outstanding memoir. The narrative sometimes feels loosely structured, shifting between personal reflection and historical reconstruction without fully developing either. Moments that promise deeper tension or analysis are occasionally passed over quickly, leaving the overall story feeling somewhat thin. While the prose is readable and sincere, it rarely achieves the emotional or literary depth that would make the book exceptional. Overall, the book is a thoughtful and worthwhile read, especially for those interested in community history, faith, and family legacy.
#TooPrecioustoLose #NetGalley

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My initial interest in this book was piqued by the publisher’s description of Jason Green as a former aide to President Obama who left his job so that he could spend more time with his 96-year-old grandmother who his family believed had not long to live. Surprisingly, the stint as an aide to Obama ended up being just a detour in what became Green’s life work: telling the story of the place where he grew up and the generations of his family who lived on that land. Green lovingly recounts his days with his Grandma, his growing knowledge of the impact his family had on a little piece of land in Maryland, and his realization that healing the past looks a lot different than he had thought,

Sometimes you are charmed by Green’s stories of family get togethers, school days and family relationships. Other times, and particularly toward the end of the book, Green’s story comes together in ways that hit like a punch in the gut. Green describes his emotions when George Floyd was murdered and how he dealt with living in Washington DC on January 6, 2021. He realizes that the lived experIence of his family is not just about his family, but is a microcosm of Black experience in America and perhaps even a road map of where we might go from here.

In his bio, Green is described as a “lawyer, community organizer, storyteller and entrepreneur.” Of these, I think his identification as a storyteller may be the most significant. His description of his family’s roots and the history of his hometown is masterfully woven into a tapestry of history. His ability to find the bigger story, to understand how his family made a quiet difference in their corner of the world, and to convey it to his readers in such an engaging way is a gift - one that I hope many will unwrap.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.

[Sachin Shivaram · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Book That Makes You Think About Your Own Roots

I’ve known Jason since law school, and Too Precious to Lose is exactly the kind of book you’d expect from someone with his depth of character and commitment to community.

This memoir traces his family’s century-long story in Quince Orchard, Maryland — a town that no longer exists except in the memories of elders like his remarkable grandmother. What Jason uncovers is a rich, layered history: newly freed ancestors building a church, the courageous decision to create an integrated congregation in the aftermath of Dr. King’s assassination, and what it means to belong to something larger than yourself.
What struck me most is how timely it feels. At a moment when so much divides us, Jason reminds us that community is built — slowly, intentionally, across generations — and that it’s worth protecting. He asks questions about belonging that I found myself sitting with long after I finished the book.

If you care about family, history, faith, and what we owe to the people and places that shaped us, pick this up. Highly recommend.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too Precious to Lose by Jason G. Green

I’m not sure where to go with this review. I loved this memoir when it started out, but felt it got lost in his grandmother’s memories. Maybe that’s the story.

Jason Green had a dream job with the Obama administration. He helped get Obama elected and worked inside the White House. Jason left this high powered job to spends hours and hours listening to his 90+ year old grandma Green reminisce about her life in her small town. People, places,reflections of long ago….

There are stories of the horrible indignities and pain suffered by Blacks back then and now, with mentions of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin and Martin Luther King. There are also tales about the strong sense of community back in the day.

I was itching to hear more about Jason’s very worthy accomplishments, especially for a young Black man in today’s America. All in all, I’ll rate it three stars.

[Rachana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. From the author's experience in the White House to growing up to learning about his family history to his reflections and analyses about all of it, this book was interesting throughout. The chapter where Jason grapples with his anger in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder was incredibly powerful and insightful. I wish I could have met his Grandma Green.

I did get a little extra out of this book because I grew up 2 miles from Fellowship Lane, am one year younger than Jason, and went to Travilah Elementary School (yes, with kids who lived on dairy farms) and ultimately law school as well so a lot of the story hit home (literally). Fascinating to learn more about the history of the neighborhood where my parents still live. And reflect on the similarities and differences between our experiences as the descendent of enslaved people vs the child of immigrants (born in the deep south but raised in MoCo).

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read!

Jason Green is a natural storyteller [and as his story about his family, especially his grandmother unfolds, you see where he gets that gift from], and the way he tells the story of his family, the town they all grew up in, and his deep ties to the land, hooks you from page one and you are completely swept away by this story and all you learn as Mr. Green researches his family, the ties to the land and spends time with his beloved grandmother.

This is a very well-written book - it is engaging, funny, at points deeply sad, and left me wanting to spend some quality time with my family [especially ones I haven't seen in a long time] as well as being sad that I didn't ask enough questions of those who have now passed.

Absolutely fantastic read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jason G. Green, and Random House/One World for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Imani Cheers · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the schoolhouse where his grandmother learned to the church where three congregations dared to merge, Jason Green traces a story I've had the honor of witnessing up close. Too Precious to Lose captures what it means to inherit not just land or legacy, but the unfinished work of building beloved community. This is a story about roots: in Maryland soil, in family memory, and in the courage it takes to keep reaching across divides even when the work feels impossible. Jason's journey from the White House back to his grandmother's bedside reminds us that the most important stories often live closest to home, waiting for us to slow down enough to hear them. This book gave me hope: in the power of place, in the strength of intergenerational memory, and in what we can still build together when we refuse to let what matters most slip away

[JXR · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely incredible memoir by an attorney and former Obama White-House Staffer about his life, pre-law school, in law school, in the White House, and also about his family and his family history. It's raw, poignant, and clearly very emotional for Mr. Green, and it will make you, the reader, emotional as well. I'd recommend this one to anyone at all interested in history or politics. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

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[Christine E · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written, and deeply personal memoir. Jason Green takes the reader on a fascinating journey not only of his own upbringing, but of the history and background of the experience of the Black Quince Orchard community, and its unique history of forming an integrated church community in the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. In an America that is more noted for its divisions this story of unity and merging of communities is a reminder of what is possible, while not sugar-coating the struggles faced.
Green’s writing brings to life this community with a deeply moving and touching book.

[Jo Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This memoir is the story of an Obama staffer, but more importantly, it is the story of his family and his town of birth. Jason Green chooses to leave his exciting job as a staffer for President Obama to stay with his dying grandmother and learn the history of their family. We learn of the brave merger of three churches – each segregated – to form an integrated entity. Jason cannot believe that the history of his neighborhood, now encompassing Quince Orchard, MD, a town that no longer exists, has never been put on paper. This book tells the story in a meaningful and engaging manner.

[Shell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A love story written to his grandmother, his family, his history. A love story to his grandparent's black community, to his current mixed race community his grandmother helped create, to Quince Orchard. There is so much love in this story, it just oozes out of every chapter.

This story is exceptionally well written and I had a hard time putting it down. Mr. Green has hope for a better world for us all, without forgetting how we got to where we are. That is evident. I highly recommend this book. Maybe other readers will come away with a sense of hope also. #GoodreadsGiveaways

[Frank DiGiammarino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone has a history. Everyone has a story. In a world moving too fast to notice, Jason Green reminds us that the simple act of asking - Who are you? Where do you come from? - is an act of preservation. When we stop asking, we don't just lose a story. We lose history that cannot be recovered. The second gift Jason gives us is his grandmother's truth: "Doers do." We are the people we've been waiting for. Leadership isn't a title. It's a decision each of us gets to make. Read this book. Then do something for just you, your neighbors, or the nation, and make the world a better place.

[Beth Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful look at the historic Black community of Quince Orchard outside Washington DC. The book traces the author's childhood in a rural setting on an unpaved road to his years in the Obama White House and finally his decision to devote his time and energy to capturing his family's story by interviewing his beloved grandmother in her final years, along with many other elders in the community. It offers an intimate look at the effects--both good and challenging--of integration and suburban development. I highly recommend

[Tamera · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fascinating read by a talented, impressive young Black man about his childhood and learning about his large family from an African American community near where I live in Maryland. The read enriched my understanding of the cruel racism so recent and close by plus of the author's family and their devotion to one another.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

A remarkable story spun out of the relationships between the author and his grandmother, his family, his community, and his country - replete with important intergenerational and interracial stories that seem especially pertinent in this moment. To quote from the book - this book is "the type of work you do when the story isn't over."

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learn the history

Explore the layers of history and family with the author. A real place, real lives, love and joy and I know this man learned from and loved his grandmother. I live nearby this community and I understand my home better for having read it.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this beautiful memoir, highly recommend! Story of the author’s extraordinary grandmother. In a time when this country feels deeply disconnected, it’s a much needed reminder about the importance of community and connection.

[Daria Hardaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book, which takes center stage in my own neighborhood. Its beautifully told story helped me understand my community better, and more importantly, helped me understand myself better. It inspires me to go out and find more ways to nurture this precious community of mine.

[Michael Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really wonderful book and a perfect read for a really challenging time. Time is a flat circle, and I found this book to be uplifting and directly relevant to finding common ground today, at a time when it feels really difficult to do so.

[sally jablonski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring and informative

I liked Jason Green's choice of what to tell and what to leave out. He shows that shared experience helps people live in harmony. He highlights our shared history as he reveals his personal heritage in a very entertaining way.

[Margaret Bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and engaging book about a Black family history in Quince Orchard MD - and about what it means to remember.

[Graham McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read that shows the power of what humans can do, and how we can come together, when we each see the spark of the divine in the other