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Jam on the Vine: A Novel
A new American a dynamic tale of triumph against the odds and the compelling story of one woman’s struggle for equality that belongs alongside Jazz by Toni Morrison and The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Ivoe Williams, the precocious daughter of a Muslim cook and a metalsmith from central-east Texas, first ignites her lifelong obsession with journalism when she steals a newspaper from her mother’s white employer. Living in the poor, segregated quarter of Little Tunis, Ivoe immerses herself in printed matter as an escape from her dour surroundings. She earns a scholarship to the prestigious Willetson College in Austin, only to return over-qualified to the menial labor offered by her hometown’s racially-biased employers.
Ivoe eventually flees the Jim Crow South with her family and settles in Kansas City, where she and her former teacher and lover, Ona, found the first female-run African American newspaper, Jam! On the Vine. In the throes of the Red Summer—the 1919 outbreak of lynchings and race riots across the Midwest—Ivoe risks her freedom, and her life, to call attention to the atrocities of segregation in the American prison system.
Skillfully interweaving Ivoe’s story with those of her family members, LaShonda Katrice Barnett’s Jam! On the Vine is both an epic vision of the hardships and injustices that defined an era and a moving and compelling story of a complicated history we only thought we knew.
Ivoe Williams, the precocious daughter of a Muslim cook and a metalsmith from central-east Texas, first ignites her lifelong obsession with journalism when she steals a newspaper from her mother’s white employer. Living in the poor, segregated quarter of Little Tunis, Ivoe immerses herself in printed matter as an escape from her dour surroundings. She earns a scholarship to the prestigious Willetson College in Austin, only to return over-qualified to the menial labor offered by her hometown’s racially-biased employers.
Ivoe eventually flees the Jim Crow South with her family and settles in Kansas City, where she and her former teacher and lover, Ona, found the first female-run African American newspaper, Jam! On the Vine. In the throes of the Red Summer—the 1919 outbreak of lynchings and race riots across the Midwest—Ivoe risks her freedom, and her life, to call attention to the atrocities of segregation in the American prison system.
Skillfully interweaving Ivoe’s story with those of her family members, LaShonda Katrice Barnett’s Jam! On the Vine is both an epic vision of the hardships and injustices that defined an era and a moving and compelling story of a complicated history we only thought we knew.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 3, 2015
83 people are currently reading
4548 people want to read
About the author
LaShonda Katrice Barnett
8 books100 followersLaShonda Katrice Barnett is an American author, radio host, teacher, lecturer. Her fiction, music books and plays are known for their themes about the African diaspora and race. She has a collection of short stories, three music books, a trilogy of full-length plays. Her 2015 debut novel Jam! On the Vine, drew attention to the author and scholar. In 2014, Barnett's short stories were featured in The Chicago Tribune, Gemini Magazine and Guernica Magazine. She's been nominated twice for the 2015 Pushcart Prize.
LaShonda Katrice Barnett was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1974. She grew up on Park Forest, Illinois. Barnett has identified herself as a lesbian and often writes with same-sex female characters in mind in her short stories, plays and her first novel Jam! On the Vine. She's held residencies at the Noepe Center for Literary Arts-Martha’s Vineyard, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and the Fine Arts Work Center. She's been a Tennessee Williams Fellow and received a Standards Best Small Press Book Award for her short stories collection "Callalou & Other Lesbian Love Tales" in 2007.
Barnett has a love for music, as evidenced with her jazz program for WBAI (99.5 FM, NYC). She hosted a jazz show. In 2007, Barnett interviewed female musicians about the African diaspora and edited "I Got Thunder: Black Women Songwriters On Their Craft and "Off The Record: Conversations With African American & Brazilian Women Musicians" in 2015. Barnett lectured on women in jazz at the Lincoln Center and in on jazz as a whole in several countries.
Barnett taught at Columbia University and Sarah Lawrence College on history and literature.
Barnett received her B.A. from the University of Missouri, a M.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a Ph. D. in American Studies from the College of William and Mary. She earned a B.A. in Women's History from the University of Missouri and an M.A. in Women's History from Sarah Lawrence College. Barnett received grants for her work from National Endowment for the Humanities, the New York Money for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, and the College Language Association.
Barnett lives in upper west side Manhattan as a full-time writer.
(from Wikipedia)
LaShonda Katrice Barnett was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1974. She grew up on Park Forest, Illinois. Barnett has identified herself as a lesbian and often writes with same-sex female characters in mind in her short stories, plays and her first novel Jam! On the Vine. She's held residencies at the Noepe Center for Literary Arts-Martha’s Vineyard, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and the Fine Arts Work Center. She's been a Tennessee Williams Fellow and received a Standards Best Small Press Book Award for her short stories collection "Callalou & Other Lesbian Love Tales" in 2007.
Barnett has a love for music, as evidenced with her jazz program for WBAI (99.5 FM, NYC). She hosted a jazz show. In 2007, Barnett interviewed female musicians about the African diaspora and edited "I Got Thunder: Black Women Songwriters On Their Craft and "Off The Record: Conversations With African American & Brazilian Women Musicians" in 2015. Barnett lectured on women in jazz at the Lincoln Center and in on jazz as a whole in several countries.
Barnett taught at Columbia University and Sarah Lawrence College on history and literature.
Barnett received her B.A. from the University of Missouri, a M.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a Ph. D. in American Studies from the College of William and Mary. She earned a B.A. in Women's History from the University of Missouri and an M.A. in Women's History from Sarah Lawrence College. Barnett received grants for her work from National Endowment for the Humanities, the New York Money for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, and the College Language Association.
Barnett lives in upper west side Manhattan as a full-time writer.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
August 23, 2021
A few reasons why I gave this book 5 stars:
LaShonda Katrice Barnett employs driving, full-bodied storytelling with sensual details;
It features unconventional, yet honest depictions of African Americans and their diverse love stories between the years of 1897 - 1925;
I loved the descriptions illustrating a young black girl who is enamored of reading. Ivoe Williams savors newspapers, dictionaries, and secret opportunities to “cipher” and read books;
I learned that as early as the late 1800s in the U.S. in Central East Texas there were black people who practiced the Muslim faith because their ancestors had in Africa. I always thought that African Americans converted to Islam.
I loved the rich inclusion of folk ways, lore, and medicine; and recognized a number of expressions I grew up hearing in my household such as “can’t beat that with a stick!” and “some people don’t believe fat meat is greasy;”
Through fiction LaShonda Katrice Barnett brings to life such things as the typesetting skills required in early printing press operations; the world of people like Ida B. Wells and pioneers of the black press; the histories of unions, anti-lynching movements, prison farms and convict leasing programs;
All of the food descriptions made my mouth water.
LaShonda Katrice Barnett employs driving, full-bodied storytelling with sensual details;
It features unconventional, yet honest depictions of African Americans and their diverse love stories between the years of 1897 - 1925;
I loved the descriptions illustrating a young black girl who is enamored of reading. Ivoe Williams savors newspapers, dictionaries, and secret opportunities to “cipher” and read books;
I learned that as early as the late 1800s in the U.S. in Central East Texas there were black people who practiced the Muslim faith because their ancestors had in Africa. I always thought that African Americans converted to Islam.
I loved the rich inclusion of folk ways, lore, and medicine; and recognized a number of expressions I grew up hearing in my household such as “can’t beat that with a stick!” and “some people don’t believe fat meat is greasy;”
Through fiction LaShonda Katrice Barnett brings to life such things as the typesetting skills required in early printing press operations; the world of people like Ida B. Wells and pioneers of the black press; the histories of unions, anti-lynching movements, prison farms and convict leasing programs;
All of the food descriptions made my mouth water.
November 30, 2016
Here's my video review: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTq_...
May 18, 2016
This book has gotten many rave reviews, and I, too, found a lot to like. I was truly touched by the Williams family and their fight for dignity and worth. Barnett created someone real in Ivoe. I was lucky enough to have recently read The Mis-Education of the Negro. In it, Woodson examines the issues that Ivoe faces in the context of non-fiction. It could be a companion piece to this book, because Woodson seems to speak directly to Ivoe. The Mis-Education of the Negro gave me more insight into the time period and Ivoe’s struggles.
Ivoe is a well written. I felt like I knew her, but I was just as interested in the support characters, particularly Lemon and Ennis. I thought that there was lost potential with Irabella’s character. She could have been a lot more interesting than she actual was.
Barnett did an excellent job combining historical facts and the feel of the period (both country and city life) into the novel. She, also, sprinkled in some beautifully worded paragraphs. I enjoyed her choice of sentence structure and phrasing.
My biggest problem with this book was that it felt disjointed. It wasn’t about the time jumps from chapter to chapter. Yes, I think that the pacing was sometimes off, but I looked forward to the time travel. The problem was that, without warning, I would be bounced from the mind of one character to another. It felt gimmicky. My “flow” was constantly interrupted by slight confusion. I kept having to go back and reread to figure out if I had missed something. It felt to me like Jam on the Vine needed one more go round with the editor.
There were, certainly, some unexpected plot twists. I appreciated the fact that even though I knew where the book was going to end up, I had no idea how Burnett would get there.
In my opinion, the thing that makes this book special is, also, what holds it back. Barnett has something to say. Her message is focused which gives the book tone, but in pursuit of a consistent message she forfeits some execution.
Jam on the Vine isn’t perfect, but it isn’t ordinary. Barnett is a good writer. She gives you a different perspective than you might expect, and the book is interesting. I, easily, give this book four stars.
Ivoe is a well written. I felt like I knew her, but I was just as interested in the support characters, particularly Lemon and Ennis. I thought that there was lost potential with Irabella’s character. She could have been a lot more interesting than she actual was.
Barnett did an excellent job combining historical facts and the feel of the period (both country and city life) into the novel. She, also, sprinkled in some beautifully worded paragraphs. I enjoyed her choice of sentence structure and phrasing.
My biggest problem with this book was that it felt disjointed. It wasn’t about the time jumps from chapter to chapter. Yes, I think that the pacing was sometimes off, but I looked forward to the time travel. The problem was that, without warning, I would be bounced from the mind of one character to another. It felt gimmicky. My “flow” was constantly interrupted by slight confusion. I kept having to go back and reread to figure out if I had missed something. It felt to me like Jam on the Vine needed one more go round with the editor.
There were, certainly, some unexpected plot twists. I appreciated the fact that even though I knew where the book was going to end up, I had no idea how Burnett would get there.
In my opinion, the thing that makes this book special is, also, what holds it back. Barnett has something to say. Her message is focused which gives the book tone, but in pursuit of a consistent message she forfeits some execution.
Jam on the Vine isn’t perfect, but it isn’t ordinary. Barnett is a good writer. She gives you a different perspective than you might expect, and the book is interesting. I, easily, give this book four stars.
March 3, 2015
I voted in our city-wide primary election today. When I arrived at my polling place, I was greeted by five enthusiastic poll workers—and exactly zero other voters. Sure, it's just a primary for a municipal election, but I can't say I was filled with hope for the future of our fair metropolis.
More often than not, politics leave me feeling hopeless and sad. I vote, and I'll continue to because I value the privilege, but because my personal political views don't align with the majority in my state, I usually feel like my dissenting voice is completely drowned out. But I'll keep showing up, keep voting for people who support libraries and schools, because it feels irresponsible not to.
Ivoe Williams, the hard-headed protagonist of Barnett's new novel, doesn't let a little opposition get her down, even though she has much more to deal with than a few city councilmen who don't support public libraries. As an African-American woman with dreams of becoming a newspaper reporter around the time of World War I, to say Ivoe faces an uphill battle is a massive understatement. But instead of wringing her hands, she gets to work.
Barnett visits Ivoe at various points of her life spanning a number of years, from her childhood in rural Texas to her middle-age trip to Paris with her lover, Ona. Ivoe encounters setback after setback, and at times it appears even to her that she'll never achieve her professional goals, but she has a close-knit family that supports and encourages her as well as plenty of journalistic skills. I loved her conviction in the face of the staggering racism of Jim Crow America.
I always appreciate books that fill the holes in my education, and I knew embarrassingly little about what life was like for African Americans in the years between emancipation and the Civil Rights era. Jam on the Vine provides a well-researched and emotionally charged window into that part of our nation's history. To add historical weight, Barnett mentions in her author's note that many of the news articles Ivoe writes in the novel are in fact taken from real articles published at the time. My inner word nerd went wild at that.
If you enjoy historical novels, this one should definitely be on your list. Ivoe's determination to expose injustice made me want to stand up and cheer.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
More often than not, politics leave me feeling hopeless and sad. I vote, and I'll continue to because I value the privilege, but because my personal political views don't align with the majority in my state, I usually feel like my dissenting voice is completely drowned out. But I'll keep showing up, keep voting for people who support libraries and schools, because it feels irresponsible not to.
Ivoe Williams, the hard-headed protagonist of Barnett's new novel, doesn't let a little opposition get her down, even though she has much more to deal with than a few city councilmen who don't support public libraries. As an African-American woman with dreams of becoming a newspaper reporter around the time of World War I, to say Ivoe faces an uphill battle is a massive understatement. But instead of wringing her hands, she gets to work.
Barnett visits Ivoe at various points of her life spanning a number of years, from her childhood in rural Texas to her middle-age trip to Paris with her lover, Ona. Ivoe encounters setback after setback, and at times it appears even to her that she'll never achieve her professional goals, but she has a close-knit family that supports and encourages her as well as plenty of journalistic skills. I loved her conviction in the face of the staggering racism of Jim Crow America.
I always appreciate books that fill the holes in my education, and I knew embarrassingly little about what life was like for African Americans in the years between emancipation and the Civil Rights era. Jam on the Vine provides a well-researched and emotionally charged window into that part of our nation's history. To add historical weight, Barnett mentions in her author's note that many of the news articles Ivoe writes in the novel are in fact taken from real articles published at the time. My inner word nerd went wild at that.
If you enjoy historical novels, this one should definitely be on your list. Ivoe's determination to expose injustice made me want to stand up and cheer.
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
November 4, 2015
This is such a beautiful book. The relevance is maddening. A story of love and desire, Jam on the Vine is a call to be more not just do more. I loved this book and its amazingly resilient characters who exemplify the complexities of being tenacious enough to be great!
August 13, 2017
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me???
Before buying this book, I had heard many great things about it from people whose opinions I trust and normally agree with. What went wrong here, you ask? This book was an utter pain for me to attempt to navigate... It's not necessarily the actual story that caused me such pain but rather the horrible manner in which it's written. If I could sum this book up in one word, it would be disjointed. This book jumps around worse than any other book I've read to date, and I've read hundreds so far. It seems that the author was trying to avoid arduous info-dumps by speaking to readers as if they *already knew* these characters and their peculiar setting. I can almost guarantee that most will not be familiar with the idiosyncrasies of such a setting. There are more effective ways to handle settings than just jumping into the middle of each scene, then moving simultaneously back and forward in time and leaving out important details that readers have to guess at. Also, the author jumps from character to character with no warning. I was NOT impressed. It's clear that better editing and general guidance was needed here.
I really wanted to stick with this book but JESUS the writing never gets any better. The writing is not skilled. I ended up throwing it across the room and then kicking it before donating it to some unfortunate mystery soul. That's not something I'd normally do but the headache caused by it seemed to demand histrionics on my part. To each their own, but I wouldn't recommend it.
Before buying this book, I had heard many great things about it from people whose opinions I trust and normally agree with. What went wrong here, you ask? This book was an utter pain for me to attempt to navigate... It's not necessarily the actual story that caused me such pain but rather the horrible manner in which it's written. If I could sum this book up in one word, it would be disjointed. This book jumps around worse than any other book I've read to date, and I've read hundreds so far. It seems that the author was trying to avoid arduous info-dumps by speaking to readers as if they *already knew* these characters and their peculiar setting. I can almost guarantee that most will not be familiar with the idiosyncrasies of such a setting. There are more effective ways to handle settings than just jumping into the middle of each scene, then moving simultaneously back and forward in time and leaving out important details that readers have to guess at. Also, the author jumps from character to character with no warning. I was NOT impressed. It's clear that better editing and general guidance was needed here.
I really wanted to stick with this book but JESUS the writing never gets any better. The writing is not skilled. I ended up throwing it across the room and then kicking it before donating it to some unfortunate mystery soul. That's not something I'd normally do but the headache caused by it seemed to demand histrionics on my part. To each their own, but I wouldn't recommend it.
June 5, 2016
This book is so many things. Good things.
September 23, 2014
Ivoe Williams, growing up in the early twentieth century in Texas, dreams of a better future for herself, her family, and all African Americans. She is intelligent and bookish, and her family sacrifices a lot to send her to college. There she discovers her love of writing and journalism as well as the key to her sexuality. After college, she sticks with her family through increasingly hard times before she finally convinces them to move to Kansas City for better opportunities. There she is finally able to re-unite with the love of her life and start her own newspaper focused on African American issues.
I wanted to love this book. It has so many things that I love in a good story - a fight against racism, strong female characters and strong family relationships, an earnest bookish girl pursuing her dream... But ultimately, I found the constantly shifting perspectives too distracting (one paragraph in one character's voice, the next in another), and the story itself too meandering to win my heart. The novel is titled for the newspaper that Ivoe eventually starts in Kansas City - which happens with just 50 pages left in the story. It seems too late in the book for the seminal event to occur. With a strong editorial hand, this book could be great; as it is, it's just OK.
I wanted to love this book. It has so many things that I love in a good story - a fight against racism, strong female characters and strong family relationships, an earnest bookish girl pursuing her dream... But ultimately, I found the constantly shifting perspectives too distracting (one paragraph in one character's voice, the next in another), and the story itself too meandering to win my heart. The novel is titled for the newspaper that Ivoe eventually starts in Kansas City - which happens with just 50 pages left in the story. It seems too late in the book for the seminal event to occur. With a strong editorial hand, this book could be great; as it is, it's just OK.
March 19, 2015
One of the reasons JAM ON THE VINE succeeds is because it's an honest and heartfelt story about family, love, and ambition. The characters are real, their hardships test them but do not break them, and the historical references are accurate. The writing is lush and thoughtful, and often a sentence is one you must read again for the pure enjoyment of it . . . just like one would like to taste the delicious tomato jam that the main character's (Ivoe) mother produces for the neighborhood women.
Set during the early 20th century in Texas and Kansas, the story of Ivoe is one that will feel both similar and different to readers. The family at the center of the story is African-American, familiar in many ways from stories written by Toni Morrison and Alice Walker. But this family is also different from what has already been part of many novels. This family is also Muslim. Barnett offers a glimpse into a world surprising and alien, but also one that readers can understand. The family's center is Ivoe, a lover of the written word, commits what could be a deadly sin for a Black girl in the Jim Crow South: she steals. But what she steals is far more important than the theft itself. She steals a newspaper. And like so many girls before and after her, she reads it in secret, luxuriating in its ability to take her far away from her own reality.
It is that need to both escape reality as well as to mirror it that pushes Ivoe into the newspaper business. She takes her family with her to her new career and integrates them in the new home she builds -- with a lot of blood, sweat and tears. As she grows into her new life, she also recognizes that her love for her female friends is more than just an appreciation of that relationship. It's a love she cannot deny and she embraces it completely.
Barnett's tale of racism and the birth of African-American newspapers is made more strong by the integration of this marvelous family -- and the recipes and musical interludes that sprinkle the pages of this novel. It's a wonderful book that I hated to see end.
Set during the early 20th century in Texas and Kansas, the story of Ivoe is one that will feel both similar and different to readers. The family at the center of the story is African-American, familiar in many ways from stories written by Toni Morrison and Alice Walker. But this family is also different from what has already been part of many novels. This family is also Muslim. Barnett offers a glimpse into a world surprising and alien, but also one that readers can understand. The family's center is Ivoe, a lover of the written word, commits what could be a deadly sin for a Black girl in the Jim Crow South: she steals. But what she steals is far more important than the theft itself. She steals a newspaper. And like so many girls before and after her, she reads it in secret, luxuriating in its ability to take her far away from her own reality.
It is that need to both escape reality as well as to mirror it that pushes Ivoe into the newspaper business. She takes her family with her to her new career and integrates them in the new home she builds -- with a lot of blood, sweat and tears. As she grows into her new life, she also recognizes that her love for her female friends is more than just an appreciation of that relationship. It's a love she cannot deny and she embraces it completely.
Barnett's tale of racism and the birth of African-American newspapers is made more strong by the integration of this marvelous family -- and the recipes and musical interludes that sprinkle the pages of this novel. It's a wonderful book that I hated to see end.
February 9, 2015
Thought coming shortly
This will be one of my top reads for 2015.
This will be one of my top reads for 2015.
April 11, 2016
"Naw, mistake number one was being born colored."
Barnett's stunning first novel covers a lot of issues and moves through some tumultuous years between 1897 and 1925. I was touched, tickled, and more than occasionally outraged. What more can you ask for in a book?
The reader is introduced to many strong and vibrant female characters who manage to provide for themselves and their families despite adversity and prejudice. And, who could not love the main character, Ivoe. Introduced as a young girl, she is an avid reader confronted by a dearth of reading material. We have the privilege of watching her bloom into a talented journalist.
"That's what it means to be just a woman -- no say. But an educated woman has a say and choice!"
This is one that deserves to become a book club favorite.
Barnett's stunning first novel covers a lot of issues and moves through some tumultuous years between 1897 and 1925. I was touched, tickled, and more than occasionally outraged. What more can you ask for in a book?
The reader is introduced to many strong and vibrant female characters who manage to provide for themselves and their families despite adversity and prejudice. And, who could not love the main character, Ivoe. Introduced as a young girl, she is an avid reader confronted by a dearth of reading material. We have the privilege of watching her bloom into a talented journalist.
"That's what it means to be just a woman -- no say. But an educated woman has a say and choice!"
This is one that deserves to become a book club favorite.
July 16, 2015
This novel makes me want to read more by this author. It's historical fiction about a black woman journalist who decides to start her own newspaper.
Add in a love story and you have a wonderful, beautiful first novel. If I had a criticism about the book, it would be that I felt the parts about Ivoe's father felt a little rushed and somewhat tossed in to the grand scheme of the novel.
Overall this is a solid first effort that will appeal to readers of LGBT literature, African American fiction, and historical fiction.
Add in a love story and you have a wonderful, beautiful first novel. If I had a criticism about the book, it would be that I felt the parts about Ivoe's father felt a little rushed and somewhat tossed in to the grand scheme of the novel.
Overall this is a solid first effort that will appeal to readers of LGBT literature, African American fiction, and historical fiction.
January 22, 2020
4.5 stars, rounded up.
This is a beautiful novel. I really hate that it took me so long to read it! It is very much a "slice of life" story in that it's not terribly plot-driven, and in fact there are lots of time jumps which were sometimes jarring, but ultimately the time jumps didn't impact the storytelling.
Reading this so closely after Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption really struck me with how similar the justice systems described in each book are, despite being 60-70 years apart. And even today, in 2020, black men are incarcerated at a much higher rate than white men. It's so easy to say "well the events in this book were 100 years ago" but despite advancements like the Civil Rights Act and the abolition of Jim Crow, not enough has changed. While the justice system part of this book is limited to the last 1/2 of the book, it is a hugely important piece of the story.
I loved most of the characters in this book. The way Barnett wrote them, it's hard not to! Despite my hesitation from the summary that Ivoe is in a relationship with her former professor, the way the relationship unfolded was totally natural and began as a mentor/mentee relationship, then evolved into a friendship and finally a relationship long after she had left school. So I was very pleased that they didn't get involved while Ivoe was at school, though it was clear she had a crush on Ona. Another thing I was pleased about was the fact that Ivoe was not sexually assaulted as a child. While sexual assault is unfortunately prevalent, it bugs me with how often it's in the background of lesbian characters' stories. This inevitably leads to people making the connection that sexual assault or rape can turn someone gay, so I was very pleased to see that this was not the case in this book.
This book may not be for everyone with the way it's written, but I still highly recommend it to everyone. LaShonda Katrice Barnett is immensely talented, and there are so many little things I appreciated while reading this book. It's truly great.
This is a beautiful novel. I really hate that it took me so long to read it! It is very much a "slice of life" story in that it's not terribly plot-driven, and in fact there are lots of time jumps which were sometimes jarring, but ultimately the time jumps didn't impact the storytelling.
Reading this so closely after Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption really struck me with how similar the justice systems described in each book are, despite being 60-70 years apart. And even today, in 2020, black men are incarcerated at a much higher rate than white men. It's so easy to say "well the events in this book were 100 years ago" but despite advancements like the Civil Rights Act and the abolition of Jim Crow, not enough has changed. While the justice system part of this book is limited to the last 1/2 of the book, it is a hugely important piece of the story.
I loved most of the characters in this book. The way Barnett wrote them, it's hard not to! Despite my hesitation from the summary that Ivoe is in a relationship with her former professor, the way the relationship unfolded was totally natural and began as a mentor/mentee relationship, then evolved into a friendship and finally a relationship long after she had left school. So I was very pleased that they didn't get involved while Ivoe was at school, though it was clear she had a crush on Ona. Another thing I was pleased about was the fact that Ivoe was not sexually assaulted as a child. While sexual assault is unfortunately prevalent, it bugs me with how often it's in the background of lesbian characters' stories. This inevitably leads to people making the connection that sexual assault or rape can turn someone gay, so I was very pleased to see that this was not the case in this book.
This book may not be for everyone with the way it's written, but I still highly recommend it to everyone. LaShonda Katrice Barnett is immensely talented, and there are so many little things I appreciated while reading this book. It's truly great.
started-did-not-finish
April 3, 2016Well, I can't honestly say I read it. It just never got going for me. I rarely rarely rarely start a book and not finish it. But this was tough sledding in the beginning and it was a failure to launch for me. I may revisit it in the future, but this book prompted me to create a new shelf. Started not finished.
April 7, 2015
Journalism, Jim crow, and queer history meet at the turn of the century in TX and move to Kansas City for WWI and the Jazz Age. A moving look at those forced into the "otherness" of society.
November 13, 2023
Reading this allowed me to see that even back then black women struggled and even more so with an education. Fathers wanted more for their families and still couldn’t solely provide. Incarceration never changed for Blacks. And employers were biased, three strikes of you were black, educated and female.
I was surprised to see how the story included a lesbian relationship. Many people don’t believe it but black people been gay..
🗞️
In the story we see Ivoe’s mother , Lemon, and her aunt Mary- Belle, both descendants of slavery.
Seeing Lemon shift her perspective of change was interesting. As well as Ivoe learning how success brings jealousy in friendships and past lovers too. Y’all the girl burned her hair with a perm, threw her summer application in the trash and burned down her home all in the span of ten years.
But just like now, a hater’s gonna hate.
🗞️
Throughout the story Ivoe sees her way through struggles, finds the importance of connections and education and finds love and success in the end. If you’re a historical fiction lover, this one is for you! Because I definitely didn’t know Black Journalism was a thing back in 1916.
I was surprised to see how the story included a lesbian relationship. Many people don’t believe it but black people been gay..
🗞️
In the story we see Ivoe’s mother , Lemon, and her aunt Mary- Belle, both descendants of slavery.
Seeing Lemon shift her perspective of change was interesting. As well as Ivoe learning how success brings jealousy in friendships and past lovers too. Y’all the girl burned her hair with a perm, threw her summer application in the trash and burned down her home all in the span of ten years.
But just like now, a hater’s gonna hate.
🗞️
Throughout the story Ivoe sees her way through struggles, finds the importance of connections and education and finds love and success in the end. If you’re a historical fiction lover, this one is for you! Because I definitely didn’t know Black Journalism was a thing back in 1916.
March 1, 2016
For me, Jam on the Vine is the best kind of historical fiction.
From its first pages, I found Jam on the Vine to be very engaging. The voices of Ivoe and the other characters are strong and easy to slip in to, and I quickly became invested in their world and lives. Barnett's writing and characterization are both strong, and pave the way for this novel to do great things.
I will admit that as a white Canadian, I knew extraordinarily little about late 19th and early 20th century America. Barnett does a great job of giving you details about that time period in the southern US while still maintaining a narrative and strong characters. The characters grow and change as their world around them changes, and the interplay between those two things is one of the strongest parts of the novel.
I think Jam on the Vine is the best kind of historical fiction because it's so alive. The injustices faced by the black characters in the novel aren't just in the past - they're alive in our present. And while I enjoyed reading this novel as a piece of fiction, it also allowed me to grow my own understanding of how anti-black racism has functioned as an institution for hundreds of years, and how that history stacks up and shapes the present I live in. I'm also thankful that Barnett included her notes about research in the back of the book, opening up opportunity for readers to pursue their own research and to drive the point home that although this is fiction, it's very strongly based in real events.
An excellent novel. I hope Barnett writes more soon.
From its first pages, I found Jam on the Vine to be very engaging. The voices of Ivoe and the other characters are strong and easy to slip in to, and I quickly became invested in their world and lives. Barnett's writing and characterization are both strong, and pave the way for this novel to do great things.
I will admit that as a white Canadian, I knew extraordinarily little about late 19th and early 20th century America. Barnett does a great job of giving you details about that time period in the southern US while still maintaining a narrative and strong characters. The characters grow and change as their world around them changes, and the interplay between those two things is one of the strongest parts of the novel.
I think Jam on the Vine is the best kind of historical fiction because it's so alive. The injustices faced by the black characters in the novel aren't just in the past - they're alive in our present. And while I enjoyed reading this novel as a piece of fiction, it also allowed me to grow my own understanding of how anti-black racism has functioned as an institution for hundreds of years, and how that history stacks up and shapes the present I live in. I'm also thankful that Barnett included her notes about research in the back of the book, opening up opportunity for readers to pursue their own research and to drive the point home that although this is fiction, it's very strongly based in real events.
An excellent novel. I hope Barnett writes more soon.
March 25, 2015
Ivoe Williams moves to Kansas City with the intent to become a newspaper fact checker. It's too bad she didn't check the facts in this book. For example, Ivoe announces her move to her family quoting "Kansas City! Kansas City here I come!", a song that will not be written for another 41 years. At college in 1905 she and a classmate grouse about a curriculum that revolves around "Edison and Einstein". Einstein wouldn't publish his general theory of relativity until 1915. And it's not just the years - Ivoe's father encounters a wounded white man whose cart and horse have been smashed by a boulder. Rather than risk being blamed for the man's injuries he leaves the man to die of his wounds, then buries the man. But what did he do with the cart and horse? Want more? Ivoe's mother makes jam for sale. She works hard all day so she leaves the jam to slowly simmer overnight. Any jam maker can tell you that jam is made on high heat and stirred quickly and constantly.
I wanted to like this book. It covers the Jim Crow era and highlights the especial difficulties of women and the use of imprisonment as another form of slavery. But the many inconsistencies made it laughable where it should have been poignant, there were lots of lesbian sex scences (I'd rather not have anyone's sex scenes, thank you) and it became one of those books I know I'll forget in a month. If I'm lucky.
I wanted to like this book. It covers the Jim Crow era and highlights the especial difficulties of women and the use of imprisonment as another form of slavery. But the many inconsistencies made it laughable where it should have been poignant, there were lots of lesbian sex scences (I'd rather not have anyone's sex scenes, thank you) and it became one of those books I know I'll forget in a month. If I'm lucky.
January 10, 2016
Full review: http://books-n-music.blogspot.com/201.... Where do I begin? One of the very best historical fiction reads ever! So informative and emotionally wrought, yet bearable. Barnett's writing style seemed a bit choppy to me initially, but after the first 20-30 pages it seemed to flow much better and I literally flew through the last 200 pages!! Barnett did a fantastic job of characterization and I loved the underlying love stories: Ivoe and Berdis, Ivoe and Ona, Timbo and Roena, Irabella and "Plenty," and Lemon and Ennis. Though I could have foregone the few small explicit sex scenes, even that was well done! A great book! Really! This is one I will be shouting about for a long time!!
November 25, 2024
I learned so much about the founding and prominence of the the black press. I am forever grateful for those who risked their lives to shine a light on injustice while presenting to the world the brilliance and necessity that existed among them.
June 4, 2021
Phew this one took me a while to get through, but once I got into it, I was able to get through it pretty fast. The omniscient narrator was definitely confusing at times, but it was interesting being able to understand the thoughts and feelings of characters other than Ivoe. There were some very chilling parts of this book that remind us that while there has been progress since 1920, there is still a lot of work to be done for equality, especially with the prison systems. The portrayal of Ivoe and Ona’s relationship made me appreciate the importance of supportive significant others. Overall, a good read.
March 25, 2017
"Surely by now I have racked up enough lessons in degradation for the dean of life to confer upon me a degree in bitterness." Ivoe, pg. 179
The making of a "race woman" (who seems a lot like Ida B. Wells) set during the nadir is a unique premise in and of itself. Made even more so by the cast of characters and not-Chicago Midwestern setting (well small town Texas first and then Kansas City). Each surrounding character is strongly developed and while the story jumps from inner monologue to inner monologue to me it's always clear whose speaking. The only exception would be Ivoe's sister Irabelle whose character growth seems stunted after a horrific incident (although there is another racist incident earlier on in the book that she is too young to understand the magnitude of and never revisits). The author manages to weave together so many interesting historical tidbits, whether it's the presence of Muslims in the post Reconstruction South or the multiple LGBT characters. Even the focus on Ivoe in college, there aren't many novels that discuss the curriculum of Black women's colleges or what their social lives would have been like so I enjoyed that glimpse into this underrepresented part of history as well as the surrounding activism. I'm also not trying to give to much away but Ivoe's parents have the most gut-wrenching love story and it takes the most unexpected turn and I just gobbled it up. It often seems like in Black historical novels we don't get much of a focus on passionate Black love so that was a nice touch. But with those touching moments come stomach churning ones, the author spares few details when it comes to describing lynchings, sexual assaults and revolting prison conditions. It's tough to get through but important and well worth it to see the parallels to today.
A tribute to Black newspapers, a reminder of their storied history and vital importance to the community throughout the 19th and 20th century. I only wish we had spent more time on journalistic endeavors and less on her childhood, the story drags through most of the first chunk. The love 'triangle' keeps the reader somewhat engaged but overall I think most of the 'precocious child' and even job hunting parts could have been shortened considerably. Even now although Black newspapers may be dwindling, magazines and websites seem to be chugging along or thriving and providing much needed representation while serving as a safe space. It is not a coincidence for example that Essence magazine has led the way in coverage of the missing Black girls in DC and across the country, a story that is slowly now being picked up by the "mainstream" media. I think if this book had been a bit shorter and not plodded along so much in the beginning I would have liked it a lot more but it is clear that the author is excited by her material and loves her characters, she tries to pack in as much as she can. It almost might have been better as a series or at least with a sequel to give the reader more space to breathe and savor. I look forward to her next novel (which will be more historical fiction according to an interview I read).
The making of a "race woman" (who seems a lot like Ida B. Wells) set during the nadir is a unique premise in and of itself. Made even more so by the cast of characters and not-Chicago Midwestern setting (well small town Texas first and then Kansas City). Each surrounding character is strongly developed and while the story jumps from inner monologue to inner monologue to me it's always clear whose speaking. The only exception would be Ivoe's sister Irabelle whose character growth seems stunted after a horrific incident (although there is another racist incident earlier on in the book that she is too young to understand the magnitude of and never revisits). The author manages to weave together so many interesting historical tidbits, whether it's the presence of Muslims in the post Reconstruction South or the multiple LGBT characters. Even the focus on Ivoe in college, there aren't many novels that discuss the curriculum of Black women's colleges or what their social lives would have been like so I enjoyed that glimpse into this underrepresented part of history as well as the surrounding activism. I'm also not trying to give to much away but Ivoe's parents have the most gut-wrenching love story and it takes the most unexpected turn and I just gobbled it up. It often seems like in Black historical novels we don't get much of a focus on passionate Black love so that was a nice touch. But with those touching moments come stomach churning ones, the author spares few details when it comes to describing lynchings, sexual assaults and revolting prison conditions. It's tough to get through but important and well worth it to see the parallels to today.
A tribute to Black newspapers, a reminder of their storied history and vital importance to the community throughout the 19th and 20th century. I only wish we had spent more time on journalistic endeavors and less on her childhood, the story drags through most of the first chunk. The love 'triangle' keeps the reader somewhat engaged but overall I think most of the 'precocious child' and even job hunting parts could have been shortened considerably. Even now although Black newspapers may be dwindling, magazines and websites seem to be chugging along or thriving and providing much needed representation while serving as a safe space. It is not a coincidence for example that Essence magazine has led the way in coverage of the missing Black girls in DC and across the country, a story that is slowly now being picked up by the "mainstream" media. I think if this book had been a bit shorter and not plodded along so much in the beginning I would have liked it a lot more but it is clear that the author is excited by her material and loves her characters, she tries to pack in as much as she can. It almost might have been better as a series or at least with a sequel to give the reader more space to breathe and savor. I look forward to her next novel (which will be more historical fiction according to an interview I read).
April 27, 2015
Wonderful story of Ivoe Williams, a daughter of a metal-smith father & a Muslim mother from East Texas. As a young girl, she always was reading newspapers, always wanting to know more about the world, about the actual process of journalism. The family was very poor, the mother, named Lemon, would always have a garden & make & sell tomato jams & baked goods to keep them afloat. Life was hard, people did not care much for the black people. But the family had a lot of love & humility & determination to live just like other people.
When Ivoe earns a scholarship to a college in Austin, she learns all there is to know about newspaper work, how the machines, typesetters, ink, how everything worked. Her mentor Ona has taught her well. And when she goes back to her little town, she is over-qualified for any job, that & being a woman, but mostly cannot get a job because she is black. That only urges her to try to write up somehow, anyway she can, about the plight about the black people. There are too many lynchings, beatings going on & NOBODY writes about them. But Ivoe will. By hook or crook, she writes, always getting in trouble for it. But she & her love Ona become the owners of their own newspaper, Ivoe develops a strong & courageous voice to help her people.
A story set in the harsh Jim Crow era. Beautifully written by Ms. Barnett. You loved the characters & felt all the hurt they felt. I know I would enjoy another book, another story about Ivoe Williams. Thank you, Ms. Barnett-wonderful!
When Ivoe earns a scholarship to a college in Austin, she learns all there is to know about newspaper work, how the machines, typesetters, ink, how everything worked. Her mentor Ona has taught her well. And when she goes back to her little town, she is over-qualified for any job, that & being a woman, but mostly cannot get a job because she is black. That only urges her to try to write up somehow, anyway she can, about the plight about the black people. There are too many lynchings, beatings going on & NOBODY writes about them. But Ivoe will. By hook or crook, she writes, always getting in trouble for it. But she & her love Ona become the owners of their own newspaper, Ivoe develops a strong & courageous voice to help her people.
A story set in the harsh Jim Crow era. Beautifully written by Ms. Barnett. You loved the characters & felt all the hurt they felt. I know I would enjoy another book, another story about Ivoe Williams. Thank you, Ms. Barnett-wonderful!
January 31, 2016
Jam on the vine is the story of black families still treated as slaves in the late 1890s through 1925. It is a beautiful and haunting story of the resilience and persistence of our black population. The indecencies our brothers and sisters sustained is deplorable and a disgrace to the white population. Singled out because of their color Black Americans were targeted for everything White Americans could devise. Living conditions and segregation were appalling.
Ivoe Williams was instrumental in educating Black Americans through her publication, Jam on the Vine. Met with hostility and vengeance she overcame obstacles which her white counterparts were never subjected. Educated and with the encouragement of her dearest friend and mentor, Ivoe persevered through difficult times with a stamina and vigor until her voice was heard.
Jam on the Vine is an education in post Civil War America, when racism and slavery should have been long forgotten. As plainly pointed out by wide acceptance in Paris, France, America is far behind the rest of the world in acceptance of our black brothers and sisters.
Composed with sensitivity and integrity, LaShonda Katrice Barnett has exceeded my expectations in this educational fiction novel, pointing out atrocities that should shame those who persecuted our brothers and sisters. This first novel for this talented author is worthy of praise.
Ivoe Williams was instrumental in educating Black Americans through her publication, Jam on the Vine. Met with hostility and vengeance she overcame obstacles which her white counterparts were never subjected. Educated and with the encouragement of her dearest friend and mentor, Ivoe persevered through difficult times with a stamina and vigor until her voice was heard.
Jam on the Vine is an education in post Civil War America, when racism and slavery should have been long forgotten. As plainly pointed out by wide acceptance in Paris, France, America is far behind the rest of the world in acceptance of our black brothers and sisters.
Composed with sensitivity and integrity, LaShonda Katrice Barnett has exceeded my expectations in this educational fiction novel, pointing out atrocities that should shame those who persecuted our brothers and sisters. This first novel for this talented author is worthy of praise.
September 29, 2015
Most readers seem to love "Jam on the Vine." Count me in that number. "Jam on the Vine" is a historical narrative about Ivoe, a Texas-raised Black girl, who has an inextinguishable love for other Black people. We follow Ivoe from childhood, where she falls in love with reading after stealing newspapers from her mother's employer. Interwoven in her upbringing are the stories of those in her inner circle, including her gardening mother, her hardworking and prideful father and her free-spirited sister. Together, Ivoe's family survives brutal oppression. Ivoe channels her love for Black folks into her editorial articles and eventually in her own newspaper. Ivoe's life -- full of unapologetic love for Black people, an aspiration for freedom from social ills, and a fulfilling relationship with another Black woman -- feels contemporary. That is what makes "Jam on the Vine" worth reading.
I would have given "Jam on the Vine" five stars, but the ending felt incomplete. Also, the final 30 pages were filled with wonderful prose, but no advancement of the plot.
I would have given "Jam on the Vine" five stars, but the ending felt incomplete. Also, the final 30 pages were filled with wonderful prose, but no advancement of the plot.
March 28, 2015
What struck me most about this book is how much the police brutality and systemic racism of the early 1900s is still alive today in America. Certain passages called to mind Ferguson and St. Louis County so closely it was hard not to feel that we haven't made any progress in the ensuing century. Surely we have, but not enough, and not by far.
There were several stories nestled in this book; I enjoyed the tale of Ivoe and her family most. That is when I saw the words dance across the page, full and rich and resplendent. They slowed whenever Ivoe left her family and for most of the second half of the book, as Ivoe rose to her calling as a journalist and soldier in the fight for equal rights.
Still, I appreciated the beauty and movement in much of the writing and I look forward to more stories from LaSHonda Katrice Barnett.
There were several stories nestled in this book; I enjoyed the tale of Ivoe and her family most. That is when I saw the words dance across the page, full and rich and resplendent. They slowed whenever Ivoe left her family and for most of the second half of the book, as Ivoe rose to her calling as a journalist and soldier in the fight for equal rights.
Still, I appreciated the beauty and movement in much of the writing and I look forward to more stories from LaSHonda Katrice Barnett.
October 14, 2016
Jam on the Vine is an important novel. Barnett explores the intersection of race, gender, sexuality and history, having done fascinating research and imagined the results in the lives of an early 20th century African American family through the course of their great migration from rural to urban America. The main character is a lesbian (challenge one) and a principled driven journalist (challenge two). On both fronts, Ivoe Williams succeeds in living the life she believes in and I laughed and cried and cheered and loved with her.
The prose itself, the integration of history, is not always satisfying, but I'm glad I spent time with this new writer and will be looking for her future work.
P.s. The last part of this novel, about the use of prison in this era as a new form of slavery echoes the strong argument in Michelle Alexander's The New a Jim Crow.
The prose itself, the integration of history, is not always satisfying, but I'm glad I spent time with this new writer and will be looking for her future work.
P.s. The last part of this novel, about the use of prison in this era as a new form of slavery echoes the strong argument in Michelle Alexander's The New a Jim Crow.
July 15, 2015
Good first effort from Ms. Barnett. Interesting story of a hard working farm family that migrates from TX to The Big City (KCMO) after Emancipation. Historical fiction with lots of factual events woven in, from the Spanish-American War to WWI to Red Summer, with lynchings, beatings, and wrongful incarcerations in between.
The protagonist is a tenacious and determined woman who learns the hard way that "Respectability Politics" will not lead to racial and gender equality, and that even "tolerant" France is not the paradise of equality many thought it was for Blacks in the early 20th century. I have mixed feelings about the way she put her family in danger through her activism and writing; they had to run for their lives more than once.
The protagonist is a tenacious and determined woman who learns the hard way that "Respectability Politics" will not lead to racial and gender equality, and that even "tolerant" France is not the paradise of equality many thought it was for Blacks in the early 20th century. I have mixed feelings about the way she put her family in danger through her activism and writing; they had to run for their lives more than once.
May 15, 2016
I received this book free in a Goodreads giveaway.
So some of the reviews led me to believe there was more sexual content, but I think there were only 3ish sex scenes and I skipped over them.
Overall I had higher hopes for this book. I felt that the characterization was fairly weak and that the author was trying to tell too many stories, yet failed to captively tell one. The switching of perspectives throughout the book only detracted from the story rather than giving a fuller picture or comparing view points.
The ending is especially uninteresting - the story just stops. I am not sure where the climax was, or what ways the characters grew or developed.
Two stars for an important topic told truthfully. I did learn about some historical events.
So some of the reviews led me to believe there was more sexual content, but I think there were only 3ish sex scenes and I skipped over them.
Overall I had higher hopes for this book. I felt that the characterization was fairly weak and that the author was trying to tell too many stories, yet failed to captively tell one. The switching of perspectives throughout the book only detracted from the story rather than giving a fuller picture or comparing view points.
The ending is especially uninteresting - the story just stops. I am not sure where the climax was, or what ways the characters grew or developed.
Two stars for an important topic told truthfully. I did learn about some historical events.
October 14, 2017
This thoroughly-researched historical novel documents the methodical, grinding efficiency of Jim Crow laws and lawless mobs, which denied opportunity, dignity, and democracy to African Americans in the early 20th Century, by following Ivoe Williams’ tortuous path toward her dream of being a journalist who can advance the cause of her people. How’s that for a one-sentence review? However, I am compelled to add my admiration for the way the author makes her characters so vivid that I became so involved with them that I often felt great apprehension about reading on, fearing what slight, injustice, or tragedy might emerge from the pages and being dismayed about our society's lack of progress concerning racial relations.
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