Goat

by James McBride, LeVar Burton (Narrator)

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Audiobook

Audiobook

Published October 24, 2017

About the author

James McBride is a native New Yorker and a graduate of  New York City public schools. He studied composition at The Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio and received his Masters in Journalism from Columbia University in New York at age 22. He holds several honorary doctorates and is currently a Distinguished Writer in Residence at New York University.  He is married with three children. He lives in Pennsylvania and New York.  

James McBride is a former staff writer for The Washington Post, People Magazine, and The Boston Globe. His work has also appeared in Essence, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times. His April, 2007 National Geographic story entitled “Hip Hop Planet” is considered a respected treatise on African American music and culture.

As a musician, he has written songs (music and lyrics) for Anita Baker, Grover Washington Jr., and Gary Burton, among others. He served as a tenor saxophone sideman for jazz legend Little Jimmy Scott. He is the recipient of several awards for his work as a composer in musical theater including the Stephen Sondheim Award and the Richard Rodgers Foundation Horizon Award. His “Riffin’ and Pontificatin’ ” Tour, a nationwide tour of high schools and colleges promoting reading through jazz, was captured in a 2003 Comcast documentary. He has been featured on national radio and television programs in America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

---from his official website

Reviews

[Kitt E · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title of this short story refers to a young boy living in a very poor neighborhood ("The Bottom"), who is discovered for his ability to run incredibly fast. Told through the eyes of his school mate, the story ultimately transforms into a narration of socioeconomic status and its effects on perceptions and realities in our lives.

I originally rated this as 5 stars because it was so incredibly engaging, so real, so human. It completely transported you to The Bottom, made you ride the roller coaster of the narrator's feelings, kept everything so accessible. But the end.

I've actually been sitting here for almost an hour googling my way through reviews to understand what the hell happened. I mean, I knew what I thought happened. Turns out, I knew what I wanted to believe happened. But that's not what happened. The end is a deep, dark place in which all the humour and levity of the story goes to die. And to make it worse, the podcast goes on to interview the author who talks of dignity, respect, and refraining from the judgment of others as themes he was trying to communicate. Epic fail, Sir, for the end deserves none of those good graces from its' readers. Instead, the end makes clear that The Bottom is a place of brokenness, heartache, hopelessness, disgust, and depravity from which we cannot be sure its protagonists will, or can, ever escape - No matter how fast they run.

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

James McBride is a wonderful story teller bringing his characters alive with humour and heart but the ending caught me off-guard.

In the version read by Levar Burton the story is follםwed by an interesting interview with the author.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very transporting, narrator has lots of personality, even though he’s mostly an observer, and shows the challenges of poverty and racial oppression in a surprising way.

[Joy Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This read was one of my favorite characterizations by LeVar. The story was an amazing glimpse into a hard live through the innocence and revealing.

[Jelka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great narration by LeVar Burton

[Ambre · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to James McBride's short story Goat (from his collection of short stories entitled Five-Carat Soul) narrated by LaVar Burton on LeVar Burton Reads and was led down the proverbial garden path.

It starts out very lighthearted, as told from the perspective of Butter, one of Goat's young friends. LeVar's storytelling adds an additional layer of warmth and joviality to the story. We learn a lot about their impoverished life, particularly Goat's family, and a little about the well-meaning teacher from Butter's recollections.

But there's quite the dark twist at the end. It's left open for interpretation by each reader, so you're still left wondering, with a pit in your stomach.

This story will definitely make you think.

[Jacquelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is one that I enjoyed while drinking coffee and working at home. It is a story that I found to incite truth, consideration, respect and hope. Many parents are in predicaments that hinder them from providing continuous education for their children as well as a mentorship and couchung that children need to push them forward in their education, extra-curriculars and life. As an ESL teacher, I aspire to be the same kind of person and teacher. Not just in service of the students but also families in the community. This is a story I will easily and whole-heartedly recommend to everyone. I am truly blessed to have read this work.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was judging LeVar for pronouncing Corps as "Corpse" instead of "Cor" then I realized that it was from the POV of the lead's schoolmate LOL. The use of an outsider's POV provided some distance to the characters and muffled the blow of the twist ending. I applaud the teacher for going above and beyond to help, as well as, her and the runner's attempts to rise above their current lowly circumstances but the author's comments about attempting to portray respect and dignity left a bad taste in my mouth given the ending. I'm still trying to untangle the ending in my mind. Did the teacher enable the behaviour? The story had a strong impact to me, for sure.

[Amy Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable tale, with an odd twist at the end. A well-meaning teacher starts trying to help a poor black kid, and gets more than she bargained for. Very well-crafted. It's a bit too slice-of-life for my tastes, as I prefer a bit of SFF in my stories, but I highly recommend it for anyone who does enjoy slice-of-life.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of a well meaning teacher trying to help an impoverished family. However, she inadvertently digs up a surprise ending.

[Simran Bodhak · Rating 4 out of 5]

An elementary teacher who wanted to do more for the black student who was talented yet devoid of a chance. She fought for him and won. A terrible family secret revealed.

[Sammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

life's complicated.

[Marlise · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an extraordinary story. It’s written so light-hearted but it’s so raw and difficult. The reveal at the end is tough and surprising and still not so sure. But the writing is brilliant.

[Frieda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was so surprising. Not the content so much, but it was so well delivered. Well written and wonderful narration.

[Jessica Fields · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just can’t with the ending

[Davie Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio Book read by LeVar Burton. I do wish LeVar hadn't mentioned at the introduction of the story that there was a twist - that seems like a cardinal sin to me. With that said however, it was still a surprising ending, and I don't think much of the impact was lost. It's a fantastic little story and the world McBride creates in just a few short pages is nothing short of amazing. The cast is incredibly interesting and it feels like there's room to step into this world again and again, opening a small window onto another characters life.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A touching story about life in the Bottom, a poor, black community. Told from the perspective of Butter, a classmate of the titular Goat. For the most part it is humorous and light-hearted while still providing a commentary on the socioeconomic challenges faced in the community. The revelation at the end takes us in to darker, murkier waters.

[Yadira Mejia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reminded me I read the book about his mom! Also he's from Red Hook! Also he teaches a music class!?! Also this story was so good and so reflective. I was shocked but loved the characters and talked about this with Sammy a handful of times.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about a boy growing up in Pennsylvania who is very fast.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful!

[Harrison Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

🤤 LeVar Burton reading me a short story yessss

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great short story with an ending that I did not expect. I think James McBride is now one of my favorite authors. I also read and enjoyed his book Heaven and Earth Grocery Store.