Taming It Down: A Novel

by Kim McLarin

An angry young black reporter for a Philadelphia newspaper, Hope Robinson, a former scholarship student an an exclusive prep school, struggles to define her life and identity as she finds herself trapped by a complex personal life, career trouble, and self-destructive emotion. A first novel. Tour.

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

We tried to get the author as a speaker but she declined.
Unhappy black female journalist. Went to white private school.
Trying to find herself as a black woman.
Dates a white man, then a black militant.
Goes to Africa and sees dreadful reality there.
Pregnant, abortion, religion.
Finally admits she needs her family.
Lots of themes.
Pretty good.

[Bridgit Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found my self in this book.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young journalist coming to terms with who she is as a woman, a black woman and a journalist.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure what to think about this book. I found it really, REALLY interesting through the first half as the reader is introduced to Hope and the intense pressures she faces navigating race, identity, and a career that is often unduly influenced by both. But, then it got sort of soap opera-ish. And the painful and real problems that Hope faces because of her anger felt dramatized rather than emotional like the first part of the book. Personal sidenote for myself is that I didn't like the amount of graphic description of Hope's sexual encounters. I felt like tighter editing would not only have made me personally appreciate the gravity of those situations more, but honestly kept the story on track rather than diluting it with inane detail. Not a book I'll be reading again, and not one I'd readily recommend, although I really appreciated the author's impeccably well-written insight into race and how it might affect an individual's reality.

[Colette Martin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This may be one of the worst books I have ever read. If it weren't a book club pick I would have not have read past page one. Given that we will be discussing shortly, I will leave it at that, but for everyone else, I must note that the kindle version of this book (the only version available on amazon) is horribly formatted. The book itself could have benefited from editing (it is written as though this is a first or second draft) but the formatting and errors in the electronic version are horrendous.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far I like the rawness of the book

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book created much discussion. I'm not going to put it all down b/c the author might see it.

[Jaycohboy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book got better as it went on. I couldn't stand the main character but its what makes her so important.

[V]

I am glad I found this..bought it..and read it