Three Girls from Bronzeville

by Dawn Turner

They were three Black girls. Dawn, tall and studious; her sister, Kim, younger by three years and headstrong; and her best friend, Debra, already prom-queen pretty by third grade. They bonded as they roamed the concrete landscape of Bronzeville, a historic neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, the destination of hundreds of thousands of Black folks who fled the ravages of the Jim Crow South.

These third-generation daughters of the Great Migration come of age in the 1970s, in the warm glow of the recent civil rights movement. It has offered them a promise that they will have more opportunities, rights, and freedoms than any generation of Black Americans in history. But the girls have much more immediate concerns: hiding under the dining room table and eavesdropping on grown folks’ business; collecting secret treasures; and daydreaming about their futures. And then fate intervenes, sending them careening in wildly different directions. There’s heartbreak, loss, displacement, and even murder.

Three Girls from Bronzeville is a memoir that chronicles Dawn’s attempt to find answers. It’s a celebration of sisterhood, a testimony to the unique struggles of Black women, and a tour-de-force about the complex interplay of race, class, and opportunity, and how those forces shape our lives and our capacity for resilience and redemption.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Race, Audiobook, Biography, Biography Memoir, Book Club

336 pages, Hardcover

First published September 7, 2021

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I lived in Chicago on the Northwest side for almost thirty years. I'm familiar with the areas that these girls grew up in, but as a white girl it was an area I didn't frequent. This takes place in the seventies, before and during the negative changes that took place in Bronzeville. Three girls, two sisters and a best friend, grew up together, same area but with different results. This is a book of coping, overcoming many challenges and changing environment that often became detrimental. The girls stories as well as their parents. It is written honestly in a forthright manner and I came to admire the eldest sister Dawn and feel and hope for Kim and Debra. There were many things that were the same as I experienced growing up albeit in a different neighborhood, but many things that were different.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook…read by Janina Edwards

Dawn and Kim, (sisters), and Debra (friend) - were three Black Women- [third generation of ‘The Great Migration’] - who grew up on Chicago’s south side…in the historic Bronzeville district, where African-American life and culture had/has a strong sense of pride.
Hundreds of thousands of blacks migrated to the South side of Chicago during the devastation of the Jim Crow years of forced racial segregation.

The girls had more freedom - in the 70’s - than black women did just a decade prior —they had hope, dreams, close bonds, and family support…..
but disturbing signs begin to slowly and painfully reveal that not each girl was immune from the world’s darker impulses.

This is a very heart rendering memoir- that reads like a novel. Dawn explores our human quest for connection as she exposes the traps that life —and we - set for ourselves…..
Told with engaging storytelling skill, Dawn not only pinpoints the moment a person is altered — by chance or fate - or action not taken - she unveils the flaws of being human - with unexpected turns.
To be left with questions of ‘why’ ….is the most human question of all…
Why me? Why them? …..but sometimes there just are no clear answers to these questions….

There are stories that beg to be told - memoirs that beg to be written…
and “Three Girls From Bronzeville”….is one of them.

Dawn Turner - an Award winning journalist and novelist took great care telling this true story….
My one small quibble….is that although the storytelling is definitely intimate — powerful - tragic with redemptive and reflective aspects - at times it was repetitive—a little editing was needed.
But….overall….it was a story that pulls on our heart strings.

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book that tells the journey of three Black women in the Bronzeville neighbor of Chicago. It did remind me alot of The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates and The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League but where those books focused on Black men this is one of a few books that do the same for Black women. Turner's writing is very good and it helps that she is journalist, very clear and readable. There was one point where I wondered how this book would have read if Debra had written it. She seemed to have the most interesting story. It may have been even better if Dawn and Debra had written this book together.

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, and Dawn Turner, for a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has gotten many four and five star reviews, please read them.

Memoir is my favorite genre but the pace of this book didn't quite capture me.

[Clif Hostetler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a memoir of growing up in Chicago’s south side Bronzeville District. The experiences recounted in this book are many and varied, but the heart of the story is the author’s reflection on her own life’s path, and the pondering of why and how her life diverged so drastically from the lives of the two girls she grew up closest to — her younger sister Kim and her childhood best friend Debra Trice. How did she end up in a successful journalism and writing career while her sister died of chronic alcoholism at age twenty-three and Debra served about twenty years in prison for murder.

The first half of the book describes their growing up years so by the time it’s evident that their paths are going in different directions I as a reader was emotionally pulled into the world of these girls and their families. Thus the death of her sister and the drug induced murder committed by Debra were deeply felt events for me as a reader.

These three girls were from families that loved them and encourage them to do well in school. Thus they may have lived in the heart of a big city surrounded by plenty of temptations, but they were not without a support system. Thus it was painful to read of the diverging paths they followed when they truly had different choices available.

Of the many stories and details shared in this memoir, I noted one critical detail in the author’s life that was different from that of her sister and friend. In junior high she had a male friend who happened to be gay (thus early pregnancy wasn’t a threat). He decided to apply to enter an advanced study high school program sponsored by the University of Chicago. The author decided to also apply after being encouraged to do so my this friend. They both were accepted, and then the author says she spent the next four years competing to keep up with her friend academically. The author admits she would have never have known about or had any motivation to enter that academic program if she hadn’t been encouraged to do so by this friend. I think this friend at this particular time in her life made all the difference in the world.

Late in the book the author tells of a five hour telephone conversation she had with this high school friend after many years of not seeing each other. It was in this conversation that he told her that the only reason he applied to that advanced program was to avoid gym class. Who would have thought that fear of a gym class could make such a difference for two people.

Regarding the differences in her life from that of her friends the author at one point admits:

“There but for the grace of God go I.”

The following is taken from the end of the book’s narrative:

Sometimes I think about the girls Kim, Debra and I once were, and it astounds me the paths we took. I used to believe that it was their daring that led to their undoing, and that ours was a story about choices—three girls that made vastly different ones. But it’s really a story about second chances, who gets them, who doesn’t, who makes the most of them. I thought about how much my sister’s death and my best friend’s imprisonment changed me, and how they continue to shape me and the stories I tell. In that way our separate roads have merged into one, and we are forever connected.

Indeed the author herself experienced a second chance herself when she was placed on academic probation after her first year in college. Instead of giving up she decided to work harder, then aced a semester at a community college, and consequently earned the right to reenter the University of Illinois. She managed to graduate in four years in spite of this early stumble.

[Traci Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed by this one. It was slow going (didn’t get interested until page 170) and lacked a clear point of view. I felt the author really played into respectability politics as well as the myth of boot straps rehabilitation. Certainly had poignant moments but the structure and voice were a miss for me.

[Quirkyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this as a goodreads giveaway. Thank you Simon and Schuster.

This book is a good continuation of The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration.

I felt like Ms. Turner was carrying the story on with her families history. It is also a story of how three very close people’s lives can take different turns.

Mostly, I enjoyed reading about a part of Chicago that I only saw from afar on the EL or driving near on one of the city’s highways.

[Rincey · Rating 3 out of 5]

While there are aspects of this memoir that I liked, I didn't fully love it. It felt like it was missing an element of reflection and was more a list of events that happened to the author, sister and friend for a while. I also would have loved more information about what was happening in the city at large or to provide some context, too. The end of the book feels stronger than the earlier parts, which may have been because she was able to incorporate her friend's story and voice more into the story

Check out my full thoughts in this reading vlog: https://youtu.be/a0J7DTAd7xA

[Andre(Read-A-Lot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

There but for the Grace of God go I. This book exemplifies that sentence. This memoir is written like a novel, a testament to Dawn Turner’s talent as a novelist. A very entrancing story of three girls from Bronzeville, Chicago, Illinois. Two sisters and a best friend. They all started out in similar near middle class circumstances, obviously Dawn and her sister Kim sharing the same upbringing separated by a mere three years. Debra becomes Dawn’s friend in the third grade and they began a life long friendship. How do people begin in the same place but end up entirely in different lots. Is it luck? Wrong choices? Are some people born bad or destined for greatness?

The reader will contemplate these possibilities as you follow Dawn along her journey from childhood to professionally accomplished adult. Why hadn’t Kim and Debra followed along that path. What derailed them? I can’t say much more without giving you the story and I’d much rather you get this tale from Dawn Turner than me. I can say this is a fast read, and moves like a novel with speed and snappy prose. You will laugh, maybe cry, but always you will be rejoicing in the story, and feel gratitude for Dawn having shared it. I found this book to be appealing and revealing, and although there is some sadness to contend with, it was an uplifting journey. I urge you to add this to your “Read Now” shelf. Thanks to Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for an advanced DRC. Book drops September 7, 2021

[Jenny (Reading Envy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dawn Turner goes back in her personal history to explore her life alongside two other women she was close to - her sister Kim and her friend upstairs, Debra. She looks at race and economic stability but also personal choices and sometimes just the luck of the draw. It's also a good look at one specific neighborhood in the south side of Chicago, one that of course has been lost the way she knew it to gentrification. At the time, some were pushing against desegregation while others were being inventive with neighborhoods for the rising black middle class.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

No problem giving this memoir by Dawn Turner, published in 2021, a solid 4 stars. I became fully engaged in the story of Dawn, especially as she was growing up in the 70s and 80s--and the story takes us all the way to the Trump Era. Dawn's story focuses on her relationships with her sister,Kim, and her friendship with Debra, a more extroverted girl than Dawn was and, so, important for Dawn's social development. These are the "Three Sisters from Bronzeville."
The background of the story is Bronzetown, the historic black community on the South Side of Chicago. not very many miles away (and a quick "el" ride) from where I lived in the suburb of Oak Park, but a complete world away. Suburbanites view the black communities with dread as a place overwhelmed by gangs and drugs. One of the things I liked best about Dawn's story is that it shows the strong sense of community and family that can be found in a place called the "ghetto."
One thing that struck me was the vital place of the black church in the life of Dawn's family (and the community) and I reflected on the black church's centrality in the African-American experience. I was aware of that knowing about Dr. Martin Luther King and other civil rights leaders.
There are many things that can be commented on but there is a key question at the heart of the book and that is--Why did we lose them? Dawn's life trajectory took her to a career in journalism, a successful life. Debra and Kim went in other directions--Debra going to prison and Kim dying in her early twenties. Why?

[Brina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful, full review to come

[Donna Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dawn Turner is an award-winning journalist who grew up in Bronzeville, the historic home of the Black Community in the south end of Chicago. My thanks go to Simon and Schuster and Edelweiss for the invitation to read and review; I also extend my apology for missing the date of publication. This well written memoir is for sale now.

Turner looks back at her life through the lens of sisterhood. The two other girls mentioned in the title are her younger sister, Kim, and her best friend, Debra, whom she meets in elementary school. She takes us through the benchmarks of her life in a narrative that is both intimate and conversational, but that also features a keen depth of analysis, as she examines their experiences with regard to race, gender, social class, and of course, a few random, intangible but significant aspects of their experiences.

I enjoyed this book. There’s some terrific humor—for example, as a child, Dawn ascertains that a trip to the hospital is the equivalent of a death sentence, and when she needs a tonsillectomy, she gives away her most prized possessions, explaining that she is “going home to be with the Lord.”

And…about that. The humor is terrific, but the Lord dominates this story in a way that makes me uncomfortable, with passages that go far beyond the brief and the pithy. It’s her story, and she should tell it the way she chooses, but the almost constant religious references make this more of a Christian memoir than one for general audiences. It has a lot of nice moments and is told by a skillful scribe, but at the same time, I’m not sure I’d read another memoir of hers, should she choose to write it, because I find these frequent references tiresome. I have to wonder if the story would be any less authentic if this aspect were included with a gentler hand.

There are lots of meaty issues, thought provoking and common to the experience of a great many people. At one point, for example, she gives a speech at school, and although it is exhilarating and more than successful, Debra passes her a note asking why she sounds white when she speaks to an audience. Later, as an adult, Dawn and her husband confront other choices. Is it better to get a house in a low crime area that is mostly Caucasian, or should one stay in the Black community, even if there are fewer opportunities for their child there? Then the same issue arises regarding school choice. There are many other thought-provoking situations, but I’ll leave you to find these on your own.

This is a powerful memoir written by an accomplished wordsmith. For those that can read it with Jesus riding shotgun, this book is recommended.

[Ang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do I...like memoirs now?

In all seriousness, this was really wonderful. Turner knows how to write beautiful sentences, and the introspection in her writing really spoke to me. I also really LOVED the way she wrote about the older lady relatives in her life--her mom, her aunt, and her granny. The love and care she feels for them just...shines through.

Of course, the central two women in this life, besides her, are also spoken of beautifully, reverently. A wonderful read.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Novel Visits · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nonfiction has not been my thing this year and that makes me a little sad. Maybe because there has been a lot going on in my life, I’m feeling like I need to escape and nonfiction can’t always do that for me. So, when I say I found a memoir that I thoroughly enjoyed, 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐙𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄 by Dawn Turner, I hope you’ll take note! ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Journalist and novelist Dawn Turner writes about growing up in the 70’s in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. Mainly working class with some subsidized housing, Bronzeville was a largely Black area of the city, where the recent civil rights movement brought hope for greater opportunities. Dawn, her sister Kim and her best friend Debra led lives much like any other little girls growing up in a big city. They shared hopes, dreams and lots of laughs. But as adolescence hit and Debra’s family moved, the three had less and less in common and their lives began to move in wildly different directions.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
The memoir chronicles the challenges each girl/woman faced as she grew into adulthood. Turner held a laser focus on what she wanted and how to achieve it, but Kim and Debra struggled to find their dreams and overcome the many obstacles in their ways. I found 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘻𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦 to be compelling, honest, sad, and yet ultimately uplifting. Add this one to your nonfiction TBR. I’m glad I did!⁣

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for both an e-galley and finished copy of this book.

[Quo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dawn Turner's Three Girls From Bronzeville: A Uniquely American Memoir of Race, Fate & Sisterhood is an interesting memoir, written by a longtime Chicago journalist, detailing the author's life & that of her sister Kim + a longtime friend who ends up in prison for murder.



There are a great many facets or points of demarcation that cause three African-American women with a similar background to end up with fates so very different from each other. In reading this narrative, I was sympathetic to & even captivated by parts of the tale, while finding other sections within the book not all that well fleshed out.

One assumes that Dawn Ward worked primarily from memory rather than any journals she may have kept & relied on because the later periods of her life loom most vivid. Her high school period & 4 years at the University of Illinois seem largely absent, other than some details about her having had difficulty settling in to college life in a new environment. While I sensed that there must have been at least a few teachers who mentored her & served as role models or substantial influences, they seemed not to have factored into the story.

Ward does amply describe her almost saintly but outspoken mother, the important role of her church and to a somewhat lesser degree her father, though her parents' relationship was traumatic. Dawn's sister Kim fails to adjust or to find much comfort or worth in her life, ultimately dying quite young after battling drugs. Much of Dawn Ward's life has been spent in attempting to reconcile herself to her younger sister's death. In time, the author marries & has a daughter, though the marriage eventually withers & few interactions with her husband David appear within the memoir.

The essence of the story seems to rest on Debra, Dawn's childhood & lifelong friend, serving as a kind of soulmate while growing up but who also fails to find a meaningful role in life, at least until sent to prison. While at the Marion Penitentiary in Indiana, Debra takes refuge in self-improvement & a heightened sense of her own potential through a prison education program while serving a 50 year sentence for a murder she admitted to but which she claimed to have been accidental, having been mired in a drug stupor along with the man she killed.

The tale of how Debra begins to reclaim her life while incarcerated is quite uplifting, as she earns a college degree with honors, with the jailed baccalaureates tossing their caps into the air within the prison yard. The author also describes how her father came from a large landowning family down in Mississippi, though he ends up as a cab driver in Chicago.

There is another compelling aside describing how Dawn's moderately poor family & their similar neighbors attempt to wall themselves off from the far more impoverished African-American people of a nearby housing project.

Dawn Turner suggests that

although my sister Kim and my friend Debra found their daring while they were young, I found mine as a writer. My notepad doubled as my shield, my pen as my sword.

She used a journalistic approach even in seeking answers from her father regarding his mistreatment of Dawn's mother. Beyond her role as a celebrated columnist, Dawn Ward has written two novels & also assisted other similar young people who are in need of mentoring with a scholarship program.



What I seemed to miss in Three Girls From Bronzeville, the chosen "One Book" for 2022 by my village, was a sense of how living in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago influenced its past residents, the historical characters, including Louis Armstrong, Richard Wright, Gwendolyn Brooks & Katherine Dunham who amplified it, as well as how the area's Jazz, Blues & Gospel music, its dance bands & theaters radiated through the lives of those who lived there & continue to have a residual impact on the area today.

Seemingly absent also was any description of the Civil Rights struggle & Chicago's part in it, which must have left a deep imprint on the author's parents if not on Dawn herself.

But perhaps Dawn Turner's journalistic background made it difficult to move from pure description to a more consequential discernment, something that writers for daily papers may seldom be asked to render. In spite of that, Three Girls From Bronzeville is a colorfully rendered tale of how lives can be torn asunder by a series of circumstances, a few of their own making, while weighed down by the rigors of life in a ghetto environment.

In spite of those pitfalls, one of the Bronzeville trio, Debra, manages undergo a personal transformation, gaining both forgiveness & even reconciliation from the family of the man she murdered.

*In a Zoom interview with the author via my local library, Dawn Ward explained that the book was prompted by a similar book by Wes Moore who authored a similar book about 2 African-American men & their divergent lives and also that the "Bronzeville" designation came about when Chicago's "Black-Belt" community in the 1930s took issue with the word black, seeking a phrasing that at the time seemed less pejorative.

**Within my review are 2 photos of Dawn Ward, the 2nd with author Colson Whitehead.

[SundayAtDusk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not paying any attention to the subtitle before beginning this book, I thought this story was a novel at first, and author Dawn Turner gave her protagonist her own name. How odd! At some point I did realize it was a memoir, but in some ways it does read like a novel. It doesn't move rapidly, however, which was fine with me. I enjoyed the pacing and happily returned to the story again and again to read more. Ms. Turner grew up in Chicago in a middle-class family with her younger sister Kim. Her best friend Debra lived in the same building when they were young. Like all children, the girls had hopes and dreams of the future and the careers they would have as adults.

Like real life, things did not turn out as planned for all three girls. The author explores that, as well as describes her childhood, college and adult years. Women from various generations play major roles in her life, more so than men. While it's not anti-men by any means, the reality was women never left, except by death. Dawn Turner was a success story, but there is no preaching or pretentiousness when telling the stories of others who weren't. A common cause of destruction, however, appeared to be drug usage; both the destruction of individuals and the destruction of neighborhoods. Yet there were two things drugs couldn't destroy . . . good memories and love.

(Note: I received a free e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster.)

[Gary Anderson]

Add Three Girls from Bronzeville by journalist Dawn Turner (formerly Dawn Turner Trice) to the list of important memoirs by Black American writers. Turner tells about three girls growing up in Chicago’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood, home to many prominent Black figures but subject to changing conditions over the decades. Turner, her younger sister Kim, and her best friend Debra come from almost identical circumstances, but the lives of each young woman turn out drastically different from one another, leading readers to reflect on what internal factors influence us when our external surroundings only partially explain our actions and decisions. The subtitle A Uniquely American Story of Race, Fate, and Sisterhood provides some of the context shaping the people, places, and events shared by the girls and their families. Turner’s incisive story-telling, carefully-revealed details, and controlled emotions make Three Girls from Bronzeville a memorable and illuminating reading experience.

[Jamele (BookswithJams) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story of three girls, Dawn Turner, her younger sister Kim, and her best friend Debra. All three have their own individual struggles while growing up in Bronzeville, a historic neighborhood in Chicago's south side. The audio for this was great, and this is told from Dawn's perspective throughout. This is not an easy listen, for there is a lot of heartbreak, struggle, and loss in here, and how it affects Dawn throughout her life not only adds to her resilience but makes her a better friend and sister than most of us could ever be.

This is definitely worth the read, it is well written, Dawn is an award winning journalist so I expected as much, but I was drawn in from the beginning and loved the way she captured the setting along with connecting the reader to her family. I think this is an important read and one that I will be recommending for a while.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the digital galley to review.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Goodreads Win***

As much as I appreciated the clear, straight-forward story telling, unfortunately, this book didn't compel me. Maybe I've been reading too many memoirs recently but this one did not have that certain something that made me look forward to reading it every night. Dawn Turner is a good author but not as a "character" in the book. Through her eyes I felt like someone looking into a window of the lives of her sister, best friend and family. But I wanted to be taken into that life. But I never felt let in; I felt at a remove. Maybe that was the point since Dawn seemed to operate on a level above those in her life. I'd bet if you gave me a book written by Debra, I would have been more engrossed.

[Melody · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this memoir but I didn't love it. The authorial judgement around sex work and what sorts of people do it was pretty strident, and I was put off by that.

[Sandra The Old Woman in a Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dawn Turner's memoir about her life growing up on the South Side of Chicago drew me in from the opening pages. Compared to the author's success, the disparate outcomes of her friend and sister make up the crux of Turner's compelling narrative.

Like Dawn, I spent years living in Chicago's South Side, but in Hyde Park, a neighborhood the author describes as gentrified because of its proximity to The University of Chicago. Indeed, I walked past Ms. Turner's high school at least weekly, and I drove past her neighborhood often.

But, because it's Chicago, one of the most segregated cities in the country, I didn't know Bronzeville at all. I appreciate the author introducing me to the area and sharing her experiences. She taught me much, something I look for from memoirs.

The story explores an age-old question of why some people are resilient, overcome obstacles, and reach security and success. In contrast, others stumble and end up in chaotic, self-destructive circumstances. Ms. Turner touches on why but mostly leaves the question unanswered - because there is no answer.

"But for the grace of God go I..."

For this reader, the main message I got from Three Girls From Bronzeville is that there is no magic answer to what makes some kids successful and others not. It's complicated. And by taking us methodically through the complexity, Turner pulls out compassion from the reader. Her narrative is a reminder that people are more than the worst thing they ever did.

Turner writes as the journalist she is. Her language is pragmatic, organized, easy to read, and often feels distant from the subject matter - not in a bad way, but like she is an objective observer of her life. Non-the-less, there is still a lot of emotional impact to her story.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy memoirs and, also, to anyone interested in how the mix of temperament, environment and societal conditions influence who we become.

I received a free NetGalley version of this book in return for an honest review.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic memoir of a woman growing up in 1970s Bronzeville, Chicago with her younger sister and best friend. The three women take different paths and encounter different fates. I couldn't put this one down. Beautifully written, honest characters, and a mix of sociopolitical and historical background with the very personal.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A published author and acclaimed journalist explored her, her sister, and her best friend's different life trajectories despite coming from the same neighborhood and similar family backgrounds. Memoirs--because I'm so nosey--is my favorite genre. Yet, at times this memoir felt like a novel; there were a lot of mundane details, and the chapters were too dialogue heavy. The author didn't give enough for me to understand her perspectives on all the situations she decided to include in this memoir. I just can't put my finger specifically on where it didn't come together for me. Furthermore, I don't think this title lives up to its title beyond the colon. The memoir was about sisterhood, but it included so much of the best friend's stories in the final chapters that she should have gotten a co-author credit. There was limited, if any, analysis of race or fate. Mainly as the memoir focuses in most chapters on the kind of choices that they've made and could have made. And someone who believes in how choices influence our lives would more likely think that we shape our own lives, which has less to do with fate. There wasn't a moment when I was reading this memoir that I felt a truth that would feel real for most people. I struggled to finish the last 100 or so pages. It needed a clearer perspective.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exquisitely written memoir about growing up in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the Southside of Chicago in the 1970s.
Dawn Turner, her younger sister Kim and her best friend Debra come of age and explore their world while navigating the cultural intricacies of growing up Black on the Southside of Chicago to middle class families as the world around then deteriorates. Their paths eventually diverge in tragic ways and Dawn is left to try to figure out what happened to these two girls she loved and why.

As noted on the cover, this is a story of race, fate and sisterhood. It is also a story of redemption and forgiveness, of overwhelming familial love and acceptance, of trying to become the best person you can be despite your circumstances.

I used to enjoy Dawn Turner’s columns when she wrote for the Chicago Tribune and was excited to read this book. She doesn’t disappoint. I am glad to see that she has written a couple of novels and I am looking forward to reading them too.

An absolute recommend.

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow--4.5 stars. This is a stunning work of narrative nonfiction written by journalist Dawn Turner. Turner explores her childhood along with those of her younger sister, Kim, and best friend, Debra. They all grow up in Bronzeville, a neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, but they take very different paths in life. I stayed up until 1am the night I started reading it. This is a compelling read. Highly recommended.

[Tashay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Black Chicago Summer Reading Book #6

The first half of the book felt cold and distant. The author tells the story of how she, her younger sister, and childhood best friend all took different paths in life. The best friend and sister wind up on the wrong paths but the author never “really” strays, or when she does make mistakes, they don’t get much air time. I was more drawn to the sister and best friend’s lives than that of the author.

A much stronger ending than beginning.

[Julie Wyngaert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Memoir is not my favorite genre. 3.5 stars. I understand the point- 3 little girls and the very different paths they ended up on. But the book felt draggy at times, and so many endless details that didn’t move the story forward, and other things I wanted to know more about. I love learning more about her life, and I love the strong women who raised her. I want to know more about how Debra fared after her release

[Julia Buckley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A moving and well-written memoir. The book is nostalgic for its author and for me--the author's baby was born just two days after mine, and we grew up around the same time in Chicago, so I understood every reference that she made. The book had the scope of memoirs like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, except that the family lived in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. We learn to love the characters and cry with them over their losses, but also to celebrate their victories. The tone is compassionate and wise, and the story will stay with you.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memoir about 3 girls growing up in Bronzeville, a mostly Black middleish-class downtown Chicago neighborhood, in the 1970s-1980s.

Dawn and her little sister Kim befriend their upstairs neighbor, Debra. The three girls and their families make their way in downtown Chicago, watching their neighborhood transform. What unfolds is truly a testament to the sheer variety of human experience. People are unpredictable. Dawn (the author) writes of her struggles to get through to her sister and friend, who are both good people but go in unhealthy directions.

I just loved this book. There aren't many books that effectively transport you to a time and place. I could just picture that era and location and felt like I was there with them. This book got in my head in a good way. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what would happen to these three people, fully invested. It's one I will remember.