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The Emancipation of Evan Walls
EVAN WALLS IS TERRIFIED by the birth of his first child because he doesn’t want her to suffer the isolation he had as a child. Seeing his torment, his wife, Izzy, prods him to explain. He tells of being a black child growing up in the racially charged 1960s. Inspired to overcome the racism and class status imposed on blacks, he dreams of a life bigger than that lived by most everyone he knows in the small Virginia town of Canaan. He is resented by friends and family for desiring a life better than theirs. Among the smartest in his class, Evan becomes a target of white kids threatened by the forced integration of their schools. Caught in a crossfire of hate from whites and his own people, who question whether he is black enough, Evan is often alone and bewildered. Only the love of his great grandmother, Mama Jennie, and his mentor, Bojack, keeps him on track. Together, they help Evan find perspective and peace.
312 pages, Hardcover
Published June 15, 2019
60 people are currently reading
758 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey Blount
5 books64 followersJeffrey is a novelist and Emmy award-winning television director
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
March 1, 2019
Every so often a book comes along that you believe everyone should read. For me, The Emancipation of Evan Walls by Jeffrey Blount is that book, a story in which not only the protagonist, Evan Walls, is liberated from the demons of his youth, but through which receptive readers will be freed of uninformed notions about what it was like to grow up black in America before, and after, emancipation. This incredible story, might shock you, or at the very least, will move you to tears. Either way, you won’t forget it any time soon, if ever.
As a wide-eyed, curious and intelligent youngster, Evan loves the weekly gathering of friends and family for Kool-Aid, chatter and gossip on his parents’ verandah. At one such gathering, he tunes into Bojack’s grumblings on the status of the black people of Canaan who seem content with, and intent upon staying where years of white suppression have put them ie. not seeking to better themselves, to get an education, and one day become somebody who matters.
Evan takes Bojack’s views to heart and from that point on is determined to make something of himself. He learns to read; he slowly replaces his “black” way of speaking with proper English. He is mentored for years by both Bojack and his beloved great-grandmother Jennie, but along the way he is rejected, not just by his peers who see him as an Uncle Tom and as turning his back on his race, but by his own status-conscious mother and father. After schools become integrated, the friendless, unloved and abused Evan finds friendship in some white classmates. Unfortunately, that fuels even more anger from his family, and triggers complete isolation and violence from his black brothers. Despite a broken heart and incredible loneliness, Evan weathers it all to become a star athlete. But even that cannot salvage the damage his determination to become a somebody has caused in his personal life. He has broken the unspoken rule of accepting the status quo, of fitting in with everyone, and now he must pay the price.
The Emancipation of Evan Walls is a gut-wrenching read, delivered by a brilliant, award-winning author and television director, Jeffrey Blount. He is a master of telling a story, revealing characters and their motivations primarily through dialogue. This style of writing not only makes his characters utterly realistic and emotionally engaging, but also moves the story along quickly. This is one of those books that keep you turning pages, not because of non-stop action or unexpected twists and turns, but because of the stark reality and truths explored through the characters and setting. The Emancipation of Evan Walls is utterly riveting reading and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Brilliant!
©Viga Boland, author and book reviewer, http://www.vigaboland.com
As a wide-eyed, curious and intelligent youngster, Evan loves the weekly gathering of friends and family for Kool-Aid, chatter and gossip on his parents’ verandah. At one such gathering, he tunes into Bojack’s grumblings on the status of the black people of Canaan who seem content with, and intent upon staying where years of white suppression have put them ie. not seeking to better themselves, to get an education, and one day become somebody who matters.
Evan takes Bojack’s views to heart and from that point on is determined to make something of himself. He learns to read; he slowly replaces his “black” way of speaking with proper English. He is mentored for years by both Bojack and his beloved great-grandmother Jennie, but along the way he is rejected, not just by his peers who see him as an Uncle Tom and as turning his back on his race, but by his own status-conscious mother and father. After schools become integrated, the friendless, unloved and abused Evan finds friendship in some white classmates. Unfortunately, that fuels even more anger from his family, and triggers complete isolation and violence from his black brothers. Despite a broken heart and incredible loneliness, Evan weathers it all to become a star athlete. But even that cannot salvage the damage his determination to become a somebody has caused in his personal life. He has broken the unspoken rule of accepting the status quo, of fitting in with everyone, and now he must pay the price.
The Emancipation of Evan Walls is a gut-wrenching read, delivered by a brilliant, award-winning author and television director, Jeffrey Blount. He is a master of telling a story, revealing characters and their motivations primarily through dialogue. This style of writing not only makes his characters utterly realistic and emotionally engaging, but also moves the story along quickly. This is one of those books that keep you turning pages, not because of non-stop action or unexpected twists and turns, but because of the stark reality and truths explored through the characters and setting. The Emancipation of Evan Walls is utterly riveting reading and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Brilliant!
©Viga Boland, author and book reviewer, http://www.vigaboland.com
July 27, 2019
"It's impossible to be fine when someone - check that, a whole society - is telling you that you're less because of what you look like." WOW! This book is powerful, insightful, important! Everyone should read it. I bet many will recognize someone they know, perhaps even themselves, within these pages. BRAVO!
December 15, 2020
Once in a great while you pick up a book that is so thought provoking, honest, and gut wrenching, you just can’t put it down - that is this book for me by Emmy award-winning Television producer Jeffrey Blount, "The Emancipation of Evan Walls".
The story is told through the eyes of a young black man growing up in the American South during the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1960s as he faces difficulties from both his own black community and the those that want to put him down. An extraordinary story that is a must read.
The story is told through the eyes of a young black man growing up in the American South during the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1960s as he faces difficulties from both his own black community and the those that want to put him down. An extraordinary story that is a must read.
July 19, 2019
This was both a harrowing and compelling book. It's all about Evan Walls, a black child growing up in a small country town, where prejudice and sorrow ran rampant. And he wanted an education, to be somebody. But there were obstacles from all sides. He lost friends and family, was mistreated and disrespected by both the white and black communities.
I was raised up North, a white woman who had black friends from elementary school and on. I never know anyone who lived with that kind of hate and discrimination. This book opened my eyes to so much. How sad that his own family wouldn't want him to be better, have better. It was heartbreaking. Very well written, full of emotion. This story touched me.
I was raised up North, a white woman who had black friends from elementary school and on. I never know anyone who lived with that kind of hate and discrimination. This book opened my eyes to so much. How sad that his own family wouldn't want him to be better, have better. It was heartbreaking. Very well written, full of emotion. This story touched me.
August 24, 2019
Wonderful, eye opening book about race, love, and the emotions that come with it.
I thought this was a fantastic book. It’s very emotionally charged, well written, and has wonderful, and not so wonderful characters. I found a few times that I had to put the book down, because I was so incensed!
I ended up messaging the author before I even finished, with all the feelings that were floating in me, from this book. He was wonderful enough to write me back!
I have told quite a few people that this is a must read! Unfortunately, in this day and age of racism, that we live in now... it should be a book that high schools recommend.
5 stars all day!
I thought this was a fantastic book. It’s very emotionally charged, well written, and has wonderful, and not so wonderful characters. I found a few times that I had to put the book down, because I was so incensed!
I ended up messaging the author before I even finished, with all the feelings that were floating in me, from this book. He was wonderful enough to write me back!
I have told quite a few people that this is a must read! Unfortunately, in this day and age of racism, that we live in now... it should be a book that high schools recommend.
5 stars all day!
November 22, 2020
The Emancipation of Evan Walls last night and it left me in a whole bunch of feels. 🥺
Evan Walls is terrified by the birth of his first child because he doesn't want her to suffer the isolation he had as a child. Seeing his torment, his wife, Izzy, prods him to explain. He tells her about his childhood growing up in the racially charged 1960s. Inspired to overcome the racism and class status imposed on blacks, he dreams of a life bigger than that lived by everyone he knows in the small town of Canaan, VA. He is resented by friends and his family for desiring a life “better than theirs” Among the smartest in his class, Evan becomes a target of white kids threatened by the forced integration of their schools. Caught in a crossfire of hate from whites and his own people, who question whether he is black enough, Evan is often alone and confused. Only the love of his great grandmother, Mama Jennie, and his mentor, Bojack, keeps him on track. Together, they help Evan find perspective and peace.
Damn. This book. Whew...this book gets your brain thinking and going a mile a minute. It is seriously one of the most powerful things I have read. EVER. As a white women I found this to be so educating as to the experience of Evan. It saddens me and makes me feel so disheartened because even though this novel takes place in the 60’s we aren’t that far off from it. It needs to be read in HS and in college. It depicts things so well that I was literally “woke”. Thank you @jefferyblount for this moving novel and to @uplit reads for letting me part of this campaign. I feel like I struck gold with getting to be a part of this lovely book.
GO GET THIS! It will change your life.
Evan Walls is terrified by the birth of his first child because he doesn't want her to suffer the isolation he had as a child. Seeing his torment, his wife, Izzy, prods him to explain. He tells her about his childhood growing up in the racially charged 1960s. Inspired to overcome the racism and class status imposed on blacks, he dreams of a life bigger than that lived by everyone he knows in the small town of Canaan, VA. He is resented by friends and his family for desiring a life “better than theirs” Among the smartest in his class, Evan becomes a target of white kids threatened by the forced integration of their schools. Caught in a crossfire of hate from whites and his own people, who question whether he is black enough, Evan is often alone and confused. Only the love of his great grandmother, Mama Jennie, and his mentor, Bojack, keeps him on track. Together, they help Evan find perspective and peace.
Damn. This book. Whew...this book gets your brain thinking and going a mile a minute. It is seriously one of the most powerful things I have read. EVER. As a white women I found this to be so educating as to the experience of Evan. It saddens me and makes me feel so disheartened because even though this novel takes place in the 60’s we aren’t that far off from it. It needs to be read in HS and in college. It depicts things so well that I was literally “woke”. Thank you @jefferyblount for this moving novel and to @uplit reads for letting me part of this campaign. I feel like I struck gold with getting to be a part of this lovely book.
GO GET THIS! It will change your life.
July 3, 2019
Title: The Emancipation of Evan Walls
Author: Jeffrey Blount
Publisher: Köehler Books
ISBN: 978-1633938106
My thoughts on the story:
This small Virginian town of Canaan and its inhabitants will stay with me for some time. Evan Walls has touched my heart and prickled something deep inside me. He is a rare individual, and it matters not that he is fictional, because he represents many and has taught me so much.
The theme of this book, in my eyes, is digging deep and finding that light within us that will make us shine. Finding an inner strength, an inner fight, that will help us overcome any battle. As in any war, we don’t come out unscathed, but our scars prove we are alive and have persevered.
Perseverance builds character, and that quality is so evident in young Evan Walls. His story breaks my heart. I can only imagine the loneliness, fear, and abandonment this young boy felt. He was savagely caught between a white world hating him because of the color of his skin, and a black world hating him for wanting to rise above what they were dealt. He was so young when the town of Canaan turned against him, even treated with disgust by his own family. The frustration, fear, and helplessness the black townsfolk felt led to porch sessions, or gossip gatherings that took place on the Walls’s porch over glasses of Kool-aid and potato chips…and they were brutal.
The scenes of school integration took me back to a movie, Remember the Titans, where racial tension, hate, and viciousness abounded. These scenes not only made me angry and sickened, but they made me cry. It was horribly sad to see Evan have to walk through the halls of hate, and even sadder to know that so many have experienced the same horrors. This kind of hate is taught. And hopefully this book, Evan’s story, can help to unlearn it.
I normally don’t read a book containing violence, ugly slang, or salty language, but this story wouldn’t be authentic without it. This is a brilliantly told story with a meaningful and timely message. I moved a little slow through some of the dialogue, due to the cultural Ebonics, but it gave the story an authentic energy.
Quotes from the book:
“There is a lot to enjoy in life despite the people that hate you. And someday there will be somebody to come along and recognize that there is something special about Evan Walls.”
You never know what kinds of pains people carry around with them.
Thoughts on the cover:
The cover art is what initially sparked my interest. Love it.
Thoughts on the title:
Perfect.
★★★★★
Pages: 312
First line (Prologue): Through the rivers of my youth swam many moccasins.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through BookPleasures. I was under no obligation to post a positive review.
Author: Jeffrey Blount
Publisher: Köehler Books
ISBN: 978-1633938106
My thoughts on the story:
This small Virginian town of Canaan and its inhabitants will stay with me for some time. Evan Walls has touched my heart and prickled something deep inside me. He is a rare individual, and it matters not that he is fictional, because he represents many and has taught me so much.
The theme of this book, in my eyes, is digging deep and finding that light within us that will make us shine. Finding an inner strength, an inner fight, that will help us overcome any battle. As in any war, we don’t come out unscathed, but our scars prove we are alive and have persevered.
Perseverance builds character, and that quality is so evident in young Evan Walls. His story breaks my heart. I can only imagine the loneliness, fear, and abandonment this young boy felt. He was savagely caught between a white world hating him because of the color of his skin, and a black world hating him for wanting to rise above what they were dealt. He was so young when the town of Canaan turned against him, even treated with disgust by his own family. The frustration, fear, and helplessness the black townsfolk felt led to porch sessions, or gossip gatherings that took place on the Walls’s porch over glasses of Kool-aid and potato chips…and they were brutal.
The scenes of school integration took me back to a movie, Remember the Titans, where racial tension, hate, and viciousness abounded. These scenes not only made me angry and sickened, but they made me cry. It was horribly sad to see Evan have to walk through the halls of hate, and even sadder to know that so many have experienced the same horrors. This kind of hate is taught. And hopefully this book, Evan’s story, can help to unlearn it.
I normally don’t read a book containing violence, ugly slang, or salty language, but this story wouldn’t be authentic without it. This is a brilliantly told story with a meaningful and timely message. I moved a little slow through some of the dialogue, due to the cultural Ebonics, but it gave the story an authentic energy.
Quotes from the book:
“There is a lot to enjoy in life despite the people that hate you. And someday there will be somebody to come along and recognize that there is something special about Evan Walls.”
You never know what kinds of pains people carry around with them.
Thoughts on the cover:
The cover art is what initially sparked my interest. Love it.
Thoughts on the title:
Perfect.
★★★★★
Pages: 312
First line (Prologue): Through the rivers of my youth swam many moccasins.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through BookPleasures. I was under no obligation to post a positive review.
October 25, 2019
This book teaches that there is always a way out of a horrible situation, nevertheless you will not get out without suffering some psychological injuries.
Evan Walls is a boy who never gave up on his dream even as a young child and as a result was forced to grow up in cruel isolation. While reading the book, many occasions presented themselves in which to throw in the towel in order to be accepted and blend in with a town like Canaan, a small community in Virginia. A small town that had to wrestle with integrating its local schools and where racial lines come sharply into destructive focus.
The author Jeffrey Blount provided the reader with comfort if not a solution in each difficult situation Evan encounters. He had you cheering for Evan in football games, fights, and his education. You want everyone to see him as the beacon of the community, an intellect in the making. You want his family to recognize him as a product of their dreams and that he deserves their love and support .
He is the conduit that not only crossed the racial lines - first one to go into the town's library, first African American consistently get A's in his classes, first to visit friends in the white neighbor, first to date outside his race - but the first with a fully formed dream along with action toward a solid future. Nevertheless the inner and outer turmoils he suffered for each of infraction is staggering.
All the characters in the book are scarred in different ways which is due to living in a racially charged climate, a community that insist on hanging on to slavery or at least positioned two doors away from it.
However, there are those like Bojack and Mama Jennie who at times, helped to dull the pain and motivated Evan to keep his eyes on the prize - to become someone other than a factory worker in a poor town where everyone ritualistically bemoans their fate.
In the end, did Evan win and at what price?
Evan Walls is a boy who never gave up on his dream even as a young child and as a result was forced to grow up in cruel isolation. While reading the book, many occasions presented themselves in which to throw in the towel in order to be accepted and blend in with a town like Canaan, a small community in Virginia. A small town that had to wrestle with integrating its local schools and where racial lines come sharply into destructive focus.
The author Jeffrey Blount provided the reader with comfort if not a solution in each difficult situation Evan encounters. He had you cheering for Evan in football games, fights, and his education. You want everyone to see him as the beacon of the community, an intellect in the making. You want his family to recognize him as a product of their dreams and that he deserves their love and support .
He is the conduit that not only crossed the racial lines - first one to go into the town's library, first African American consistently get A's in his classes, first to visit friends in the white neighbor, first to date outside his race - but the first with a fully formed dream along with action toward a solid future. Nevertheless the inner and outer turmoils he suffered for each of infraction is staggering.
All the characters in the book are scarred in different ways which is due to living in a racially charged climate, a community that insist on hanging on to slavery or at least positioned two doors away from it.
However, there are those like Bojack and Mama Jennie who at times, helped to dull the pain and motivated Evan to keep his eyes on the prize - to become someone other than a factory worker in a poor town where everyone ritualistically bemoans their fate.
In the end, did Evan win and at what price?
December 2, 2020
“Even though I was only 10 years old, it hit me hard and moved something in me to hear a grown man admit that he was sad about his life. It made me realize that I couldn’t end up that way.”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Evan Walls wants a better life for himself than the one his parents have, growing up in a small town in Virginia during the civil rights era. He wants an education. Instead of support, he’s shunned. For years. By every black person in his community, including his parents.
⠀⠀⠀���⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Throughout his entire childhood and teenage years, blacks in his town ostracized him, mocked him, physically assaulted him, and demeaned him. All because he loved books and learning.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
But on a much deeper level, blacks in Evan’s town are unwilling to rise above their hate for and fear of whites in order to better themselves. And there’s a deep resentment of Evan’s desire to be better than a farmer or working at the meat packing plant.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“Prob’bly the biggest thang that kept us down all these years ain’t been the KKK, it’s been the shackles on our brains.”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I instantly though of this line from Bob Marley’s Redemption Song:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🎶 Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds. 🎶
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This is the underlying theme of the book. Evan struggles to deal with others’ perception that he was uppity and acting white, and the trauma he carries for the rest of his life. Even was fighting against the mental shackles of his community.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It’s a haunting, well-written, maddening, and heartbreaking book. But it’s a powerful look at identity, false pride, ignorance, friendship, and a parent’s responsibility to their children. I do highly recommend it.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Evan Walls wants a better life for himself than the one his parents have, growing up in a small town in Virginia during the civil rights era. He wants an education. Instead of support, he’s shunned. For years. By every black person in his community, including his parents.
⠀⠀⠀���⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Throughout his entire childhood and teenage years, blacks in his town ostracized him, mocked him, physically assaulted him, and demeaned him. All because he loved books and learning.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
But on a much deeper level, blacks in Evan’s town are unwilling to rise above their hate for and fear of whites in order to better themselves. And there’s a deep resentment of Evan’s desire to be better than a farmer or working at the meat packing plant.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“Prob’bly the biggest thang that kept us down all these years ain’t been the KKK, it’s been the shackles on our brains.”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I instantly though of this line from Bob Marley’s Redemption Song:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🎶 Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds. 🎶
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This is the underlying theme of the book. Evan struggles to deal with others’ perception that he was uppity and acting white, and the trauma he carries for the rest of his life. Even was fighting against the mental shackles of his community.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It’s a haunting, well-written, maddening, and heartbreaking book. But it’s a powerful look at identity, false pride, ignorance, friendship, and a parent’s responsibility to their children. I do highly recommend it.
December 16, 2020
This book is equal parts heartbreaking and moving. It was at times hard to read, yet with Blount’s beautiful writing, I could not put it down. Evan Walls is a character you love and empathize with; at times I had the urge to throw my book simply because of the way those in Evan’s life treated him. Although it was a difficult read, it was a book that really made me think, question, and explore the complex issue of racism and the climate of the 1960s. What really made this book for me was the unconditional love Evan did have in his life; his relationships with Mama Jennie and Bojack truly warmed my heart.
Jeffrey Blount sure can write! Blount’s poetic style captivated me immediately. He created strong characters, told an emotionally-engaging tale, and kept the story well-paced. The Emancipation Walls is a wonderful book that has my high praises.
Thank you to @jeffreyblount & @uplitreads for the #gifted copy
Jeffrey Blount sure can write! Blount’s poetic style captivated me immediately. He created strong characters, told an emotionally-engaging tale, and kept the story well-paced. The Emancipation Walls is a wonderful book that has my high praises.
Thank you to @jeffreyblount & @uplitreads for the #gifted copy
February 7, 2021
Summary: The birth of Evan's child brings up memories of his own childhood, which was fraught with racial tension and loneliness.
My take: First off, I was #gifted a copy by the author through @uplitreads - thank you to both!
Even though parts were heartbreaking, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Evan was such a lovable character it made me hopeful for him to find a sense of belonging and success. This offered such great insight into the racial disparity, especially in a small town, in the 1960-1970s. I don't want to give away anything, so I'm going to leave it at that!
The story had a great pace for spanning so much time in Evan's life. I enjoyed the dialogue, especially whenever it was a conversation with Mama Jennie who was wise and kind. I really enjoyed the beginning and ending of the story (it starts and ends in 1993 with Evan as an adult and new father).
My take: First off, I was #gifted a copy by the author through @uplitreads - thank you to both!
Even though parts were heartbreaking, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Evan was such a lovable character it made me hopeful for him to find a sense of belonging and success. This offered such great insight into the racial disparity, especially in a small town, in the 1960-1970s. I don't want to give away anything, so I'm going to leave it at that!
The story had a great pace for spanning so much time in Evan's life. I enjoyed the dialogue, especially whenever it was a conversation with Mama Jennie who was wise and kind. I really enjoyed the beginning and ending of the story (it starts and ends in 1993 with Evan as an adult and new father).
June 16, 2019
I started reading the book as soon as it was delivered to my kindle over breakfast; by dinner time, I was already finished and I immediately went back and re-read parts of the novel.
I thought I was well read and educated, but this book taught me that there is so much I have to still learn. The Emancipation of Evan Walls is a beautifully written, touching novel that touches on so many nuanced aspects of race and identity. My heart broke for Evan Walls as I read about how he tries to navigate growing up during the integration of schools.
It is a brilliantly written, gut-wrenching novel, and a must read for everyone, especially in recent times.
I thought I was well read and educated, but this book taught me that there is so much I have to still learn. The Emancipation of Evan Walls is a beautifully written, touching novel that touches on so many nuanced aspects of race and identity. My heart broke for Evan Walls as I read about how he tries to navigate growing up during the integration of schools.
It is a brilliantly written, gut-wrenching novel, and a must read for everyone, especially in recent times.
July 28, 2019
This book was so thought provoking! The trials Evan went through as a child is so compelling. To think that this takes place in my lifetime-I’m the same age as Evan- is unreal. I could not put it down. I recommend this as a read for all ages.
July 9, 2020
My goodness, this is an amazing book! So well-written and engaging in its storyline, I couldn’t put it down. The raw emotion and honesty is breathtaking at times; this is a timely novel for our changing world.
August 27, 2019
I cried through this entire book. Positively heartbreaking.
September 15, 2019
Powerful, and thought provoking book!
A young boy growing up and coming of age in the 1960’s.
A young boy growing up and coming of age in the 1960’s.
February 9, 2020
Great book with a perspective on racism that isn’t usually shared. Evan quickly became a character you wanted people to see for the kind of person he was.
February 10, 2020
This was not an easy read, and some scenes seemed unnecessary, but the subject matter in general made it worth finishing to the end.
June 22, 2020
Incredible story- should be required reading. I loved reading the story from a first person narrative. I not only saw the story unfold- I felt it. Thank you, Mr. Blount for writing this book.
December 26, 2020
Just after the birth of his child, Evan Walls is finally ready to open up to his wife about his childhood. Raised in racially-charged Virginia in the late 60’s, Evan wanted more for his life than his small town could provide. He thought that if he could get a good education, he could make something of himself and leave his small town. However, that mentality caused his friends and family to look down on him for assuming they weren’t good enough in Evan’s eyes. His friends and cousins began calling him “Uncle Tom” or “Snowball” because they thought he was trying to act white. The white kids in town didn’t want anything to do with him as one of the new kids in their recently integrated school. Evan must navigate the small town dynamics all while trying to do what’s best for himself.
You will feel deeply for Evan. There were many times I just wanted to give him a big hug. Love and affection were severely lacking in his childhood.
Jeffrey Blount did a superb job of bringing to life the racial tensions of the south. That makes the book both important and hard to read.
You will feel deeply for Evan. There were many times I just wanted to give him a big hug. Love and affection were severely lacking in his childhood.
Jeffrey Blount did a superb job of bringing to life the racial tensions of the south. That makes the book both important and hard to read.
January 26, 2021
As a reader, one of the best things that can happen is to read a book that stays with you long after the final page. The Emancipation of Evan Walls is one of those books. In a retelling of his life, our main character, Evan, describes what it was like growing up in the 1960’s in small-town, racially-fueled Virginia. Evan desires to grow up to be “somebody”, and will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. In a newly integrated school, this means he has very few fans, caught between not being white and also not behaving how the blacks in his community would like.
Jeffrey Blount describes his characters and their experiences in a way that makes you feel their heartbreak right along with them. This story is absolutely gut-wrenching, and it forces the reader to step into Evan’s life and challenges you to see things from a perspective not often told. I feel this book is so relevant and a story that demands to be read, and I’ll be recommending it often for years to come.
Jeffrey Blount describes his characters and their experiences in a way that makes you feel their heartbreak right along with them. This story is absolutely gut-wrenching, and it forces the reader to step into Evan’s life and challenges you to see things from a perspective not often told. I feel this book is so relevant and a story that demands to be read, and I’ll be recommending it often for years to come.
March 16, 2021
This book will be an eye opener for people who have had white privilege without even realizing it. Set in rural Virginia in the 1960's it is the story of a young black boy with the intelligence and aspiration to "make something" of himself. Instead of being lauded by his segregated community he was ostracized by the other people of color and called uppity by the whites. Some of the secondary characters could have been more nuanced but Evan was someone I enjoyed getting to know and spending time with. This fiction presents some interesting ideas about race and how we may or may not relate to someone "like us". Well done. This could be an interesting book club selection.
January 10, 2021
Honestly, I'm not even sure I deserve to speak on the topics this devastating coming-of-age story presents. It's really not my place.
What I can speak to is the writing and the storytelling. Blount created a character with immense capacity to love and to dream without restraint. To fight for equality and acceptance for all despite the pushback and the ugliness of the world in which he grew. He created a character that embodies absolutely every single thing that our current world needs, even today. Especially today.
The racism that leaks from these pages is abhorrent and shameful and made my skin absolutely crawl. To know and understand that people lived this daily (and still do) is infuriating.
The Emancipation of Evan Walls will leave you feeling exposed, ashamed, and yet, determined. It lays bare every grim detail of the Black experience with no holds barred. It will break your heart, but embolden your spirit. An absolute must read.
Thank you to UpLit Reads, Jeffrey E. Blount, and Koehler Books for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!
CW: Police brutality, racism, violence, domestic violence, alcoholism, death
What I can speak to is the writing and the storytelling. Blount created a character with immense capacity to love and to dream without restraint. To fight for equality and acceptance for all despite the pushback and the ugliness of the world in which he grew. He created a character that embodies absolutely every single thing that our current world needs, even today. Especially today.
The racism that leaks from these pages is abhorrent and shameful and made my skin absolutely crawl. To know and understand that people lived this daily (and still do) is infuriating.
The Emancipation of Evan Walls will leave you feeling exposed, ashamed, and yet, determined. It lays bare every grim detail of the Black experience with no holds barred. It will break your heart, but embolden your spirit. An absolute must read.
Thank you to UpLit Reads, Jeffrey E. Blount, and Koehler Books for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!
CW: Police brutality, racism, violence, domestic violence, alcoholism, death
December 10, 2020
"The biggest thang that kept us down all these years ain't been the KKK and shackles on our feet. It's been the shackles on our brains.”
The Emancipation of Evan Walls takes place in Virginia during the 1960’s and follows the life of a young black boy named Evan as he navigates the complexities of school, friendship, and love. Though a fictional tale, it reads more like a memoir as author Jeffrey Blount has the uncanny ability to make the story come alive. Told in first person narrative, we follow the hardships and hurdles when Evan’s desire to learn comes in stark contrast with his need to fit in.
Evan is an incredibly bright boy with a thirst for knowledge. When he succeeds in school and gains the attentions of his teacher, he quickly learns not everyone is enamored with his successes. His peers are angry, his parents embarrassed and that leaves Evan confused. He seeks advice from an uncle and grandmother, who help him navigate life within the black community.
Similar to the ways The Vanishing Half opened my eyes to the topic of passing, The Emancipation of Evan Walls shares the black community’s taboo subject of acting white. Evan’s black friends and family eventually choose to abandon him and at one point he is attacked and hospitalized when he tries to defend a white friend.
“He felt impotent in the face of whites. He needed revenge, but he couldn’t seek it against whites, so he sought it against the next best thing - a black kid who embodied their ideals.”
This is a story that will make you uncomfortable. The story itself was immersive and I flew through the reading. But the topics and themes were ones that unsettled me, made me pause. This is a book you chew on, marinate in, and need to discuss.
“I just know the range of white folks, from the paddy rollers to the Klan, and to them that helped with the civil rights. A Negro needs to be able to tell the difference so they’ll know who to go to in the times of strife.”
I want to be an agent of change. I want to be safe haven, a mentor, and a light for those around me. Books like this rattle me when injustice comes to light. While a tough topic, the story is full of hope and redemption. It all comes to a head at the end, when Evan has a daughter and must decide whether to share about his difficult past or not. How can he protect her form what is to come?
I was able to interview Jeffrey and discuss this book in detail. As soon as I figure out how to post it (the file is giant!) I will share it over on my blog. Until then, I highly encourage you to pick up this book! The more difficult conversations we can have about the complexities of racism, the more we are able to learn and grow. Thank you to Jeffrey Blount and Uplit Reads for the opportunity to read the book and share discussion.
The Emancipation of Evan Walls takes place in Virginia during the 1960’s and follows the life of a young black boy named Evan as he navigates the complexities of school, friendship, and love. Though a fictional tale, it reads more like a memoir as author Jeffrey Blount has the uncanny ability to make the story come alive. Told in first person narrative, we follow the hardships and hurdles when Evan’s desire to learn comes in stark contrast with his need to fit in.
Evan is an incredibly bright boy with a thirst for knowledge. When he succeeds in school and gains the attentions of his teacher, he quickly learns not everyone is enamored with his successes. His peers are angry, his parents embarrassed and that leaves Evan confused. He seeks advice from an uncle and grandmother, who help him navigate life within the black community.
Similar to the ways The Vanishing Half opened my eyes to the topic of passing, The Emancipation of Evan Walls shares the black community’s taboo subject of acting white. Evan’s black friends and family eventually choose to abandon him and at one point he is attacked and hospitalized when he tries to defend a white friend.
“He felt impotent in the face of whites. He needed revenge, but he couldn’t seek it against whites, so he sought it against the next best thing - a black kid who embodied their ideals.”
This is a story that will make you uncomfortable. The story itself was immersive and I flew through the reading. But the topics and themes were ones that unsettled me, made me pause. This is a book you chew on, marinate in, and need to discuss.
“I just know the range of white folks, from the paddy rollers to the Klan, and to them that helped with the civil rights. A Negro needs to be able to tell the difference so they’ll know who to go to in the times of strife.”
I want to be an agent of change. I want to be safe haven, a mentor, and a light for those around me. Books like this rattle me when injustice comes to light. While a tough topic, the story is full of hope and redemption. It all comes to a head at the end, when Evan has a daughter and must decide whether to share about his difficult past or not. How can he protect her form what is to come?
I was able to interview Jeffrey and discuss this book in detail. As soon as I figure out how to post it (the file is giant!) I will share it over on my blog. Until then, I highly encourage you to pick up this book! The more difficult conversations we can have about the complexities of racism, the more we are able to learn and grow. Thank you to Jeffrey Blount and Uplit Reads for the opportunity to read the book and share discussion.
December 28, 2020
The story of Evan Walls is so brilliantly written it almost reads like a memoir if you will. Its a brutally honest compilation of how it was growing up black in the age of civil rights movement. Its an era where being black and ambitious didn't go well together and it was rather horrific to read few stories that described the fate of the ones who stood up to their oppressor's . Evan doesn't want to be a rocket scientist, all he wants is a decent education and a good job unlike the rest of his community who have happily settled for farmers or workers at the meat factory. But his dreams to something as basic as this is mocked as "Acting like whites" by his own family, friends and fellow blacks. But under all his emotions of hurt, anger, and vulnerability, he often feels helpless with only his uncle and his grandma looking out for him & keeping the fire in him burning bright. Evan goes on to become the first to achieve so many things in his small town of Virginia which was thought to be impossible otherwise . His resilience and determination will make you root for him so hard. I would say this book is a required reading for anyone who is not privy to what it feels like to grow up as a Black person in a overwhelmingly racial demography. It will make you go through bouts of shock, empathy, anger, compassion, sad and hopeful. 1960s when this story takes place was 60 years ago and well we are to this day fighting for #blacklivesmatter and I sure believe we still have a long way to go.
December 16, 2020
“They mad at you ‘cause when you become something, you toss all them lost chances right back up into they faces. It hurts.”
As someone who has always wanted to believe in school as a safe harbor, wanted to see education and the importance of educating children as incontrovertible, this book was a difficult but important piece of perspective. When I read Hillbilly Elegy back in 2016 my biggest takeaway was an understanding that for people who break the cycle of generational poverty they often forego the chance to every truly go home again, and the same is true for Evan Walls.
I think for many of us it’s impossible to imagine discouraging your child from succeeding or hard to understand how traumatic it would’ve been to grow up with parents who lobbied against your education. The experience of reading anything from the perspective of “I cannot imagine this happens” is why own voices literature is so important. You have to believe people when they tell you about their lives, you have to believe others’ experiences are real and valid regardless of how different they look from your own.
The Emancipation of Evan Walls is raw and brutal but also redemptive. The storyline is structured as a retelling, opening with the birth of Evan’s first child and the resurfacing of long repressed childhood trauma. In the face of fear that his child’s life could ever resemble his own, Evan opens up to his wife about his past, unearthing long buried secrets about the darkness of his childhood. Heartbreaking and eye opening The Emancipation of Evan Walls adds an important voice to the library of literature on American history. Told too often by white people about the relationship between black people and white people, Blount expands the narrative to explore the challenges that black people face within their own communities.
As someone who has always wanted to believe in school as a safe harbor, wanted to see education and the importance of educating children as incontrovertible, this book was a difficult but important piece of perspective. When I read Hillbilly Elegy back in 2016 my biggest takeaway was an understanding that for people who break the cycle of generational poverty they often forego the chance to every truly go home again, and the same is true for Evan Walls.
I think for many of us it’s impossible to imagine discouraging your child from succeeding or hard to understand how traumatic it would’ve been to grow up with parents who lobbied against your education. The experience of reading anything from the perspective of “I cannot imagine this happens” is why own voices literature is so important. You have to believe people when they tell you about their lives, you have to believe others’ experiences are real and valid regardless of how different they look from your own.
The Emancipation of Evan Walls is raw and brutal but also redemptive. The storyline is structured as a retelling, opening with the birth of Evan’s first child and the resurfacing of long repressed childhood trauma. In the face of fear that his child’s life could ever resemble his own, Evan opens up to his wife about his past, unearthing long buried secrets about the darkness of his childhood. Heartbreaking and eye opening The Emancipation of Evan Walls adds an important voice to the library of literature on American history. Told too often by white people about the relationship between black people and white people, Blount expands the narrative to explore the challenges that black people face within their own communities.
December 1, 2020
This story is one that I can tell will stick with me for a long time.
I gave Evan Walls 4 stars for a few reasons. First, there were some fantastic details sprinkled throughout the book. However, the level of detail varied a lot, so I found myself wondering why certain parts were so much more descriptive than others. Second, I wish more of the book had been dedicated to Evan’s relationship with Patty and less on the play-by-play of his football games. Lastly, and this really isn’t a complaint, but it took me a long time to get through the book because reading accents always slows me down. I think the use of southern accents in the book added to the story, though, so I wouldn’t change that!
I gave Evan Walls 4 stars for a few reasons. First, there were some fantastic details sprinkled throughout the book. However, the level of detail varied a lot, so I found myself wondering why certain parts were so much more descriptive than others. Second, I wish more of the book had been dedicated to Evan’s relationship with Patty and less on the play-by-play of his football games. Lastly, and this really isn’t a complaint, but it took me a long time to get through the book because reading accents always slows me down. I think the use of southern accents in the book added to the story, though, so I wouldn’t change that!
August 9, 2025
This book showed the fine line that many black people walk who have the desire to achieve greater than those around them, while also trying to not seem like they are “better than” those in their community. Evan Walls had an inner and outer struggle, but thankfully he had two people in his corner to encourage him to stay the course and believe in himself; Mama Jennie and Bojack. This book had references that ring true in the black community, especially for those who were enslaved or just one generation removed from slavery. Sometimes the lack of exposure to greater can create a closed mind, and thankfully Evan didn’t fall victim to the close mindedness that many in his community had. This book was a great example of perseverance and beating the odds. I thoroughly enjoyed it, finished it in a few hours.
August 24, 2019
Jeffrey Blount's novel is a powerful, painful rite de passage through America's racist culture. Set in a rural community in southeastern Virginia during the time when public schools began to integrate and racial tensions ran high, the novel, told in young Walls’ voice, immerses readers in the universal experience of an adolescent struggling to develop their full human potential. But Evan’s is complicated because of his skin color--a black child growing up in a society designed to humiliate, intimidate, and stifle his spirit and ambition. Evan is forced to cope with the conflicts that racism imposes on everyone, with its contradictory messages of love and hate, acceptance and rejection. For black Americans, these conflicts have often been, and still are, matters of life and death.
With honesty and passion, Blount has put Evan Walls in the context of the hates, fears and prejudices of both his black family and community and the white world dominated by the self-serving lie of white supremacy. It’s a tension-filled journey for Evan as he struggles between the two worlds, as black Americans have done for centuries in order to survive. Evan’s dilemma is that he wants more than mere survival. He wants to thrive and this pits him against his family and friends who see him as a sell-out Uncle Tom and whites who see him as an “uppity nigger.”
Blount pulls no punches in depicting the emotional hurt, terror, and physical injury that Evan experiences as he tries to become a man. Along the way, he is ostracized by his family and community and violently attacked, but he finds support and understanding from his strong, dependable great-grandmother, Mama Jennie; Bojack, an adult friend who has suffered his own pain and loss; and Eliza Blizzard, the energetic town political activist who recognizes Evan’s potential and is determined to show him that he can realize his ambition on his own terms. Despite all the racial conflicts, black-white friendships and interracial romance develop, holding out hope that a more enlightened world is possible.
Blount’s intimate, unhurried writing style masterfully creates scenes bursting with true-to-life dialogue and unforgettable characters. This is an important book that holds truths for all Americans, whatever their ethnicity. It will make you cry, it will make you angry, and it will make you cheer Evan Walls’ emancipation as heroic.
With honesty and passion, Blount has put Evan Walls in the context of the hates, fears and prejudices of both his black family and community and the white world dominated by the self-serving lie of white supremacy. It’s a tension-filled journey for Evan as he struggles between the two worlds, as black Americans have done for centuries in order to survive. Evan’s dilemma is that he wants more than mere survival. He wants to thrive and this pits him against his family and friends who see him as a sell-out Uncle Tom and whites who see him as an “uppity nigger.”
Blount pulls no punches in depicting the emotional hurt, terror, and physical injury that Evan experiences as he tries to become a man. Along the way, he is ostracized by his family and community and violently attacked, but he finds support and understanding from his strong, dependable great-grandmother, Mama Jennie; Bojack, an adult friend who has suffered his own pain and loss; and Eliza Blizzard, the energetic town political activist who recognizes Evan’s potential and is determined to show him that he can realize his ambition on his own terms. Despite all the racial conflicts, black-white friendships and interracial romance develop, holding out hope that a more enlightened world is possible.
Blount’s intimate, unhurried writing style masterfully creates scenes bursting with true-to-life dialogue and unforgettable characters. This is an important book that holds truths for all Americans, whatever their ethnicity. It will make you cry, it will make you angry, and it will make you cheer Evan Walls’ emancipation as heroic.
December 18, 2020
This is not something I normally pick up. But I was excited for something different and a challenge.
Review: 🤩🤩🤩🤩
Genre: Fiction
This book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster and shares a perspective that you don’t normally see in books that tackle race relations. It is thought provoking, heartbreaking, and just a beautifully written story (key word beautifully written, the story itself is gut wrenching). You empathize with Evan as a child growing up in a world that has deemed him an outcast by not only white’s in the 1960s but his own black community kicks him to the curb for his desire to try and defy all the odds stacked against him in life and make something of himself. I recommend this book because it will teach you new lessons, provide you a different perspective and it will stay with you long after you read it. This book did take me a while to get through because of the heaviness of the story.
Short Synopsis: Evan Walls is a new dad, who doesn’t want his child to ever suffer how he did as a child. The book follows his childhood growing up in racially charged 1960s. He dreams of a life bigger than the one he knows in small town Canaan, Virginia. He is ostracized by friends and family for desiring a life better than theirs. As a smart young boy, in an integrated school Evan is hated by both whites and his own people who question whether he is black enough.
Review: 🤩🤩🤩🤩
Genre: Fiction
This book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster and shares a perspective that you don’t normally see in books that tackle race relations. It is thought provoking, heartbreaking, and just a beautifully written story (key word beautifully written, the story itself is gut wrenching). You empathize with Evan as a child growing up in a world that has deemed him an outcast by not only white’s in the 1960s but his own black community kicks him to the curb for his desire to try and defy all the odds stacked against him in life and make something of himself. I recommend this book because it will teach you new lessons, provide you a different perspective and it will stay with you long after you read it. This book did take me a while to get through because of the heaviness of the story.
Short Synopsis: Evan Walls is a new dad, who doesn’t want his child to ever suffer how he did as a child. The book follows his childhood growing up in racially charged 1960s. He dreams of a life bigger than the one he knows in small town Canaan, Virginia. He is ostracized by friends and family for desiring a life better than theirs. As a smart young boy, in an integrated school Evan is hated by both whites and his own people who question whether he is black enough.
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