Brothers and Sisters

by Bebe Moore Campbell

“With wit and grace, Campbell shows how all our stories—white, black, male female—ultimately intertwine.”— Time

Set against the smoldering embers of post-riot Los Angeles, Brothers and Sisters confirms Bebe Moore Campbell’s reputation for fiction that “cuts close to the bone of real life” ( Atlanta Journal ).

Esther Jackson is a bank manager who’s worked hard to keep her passions in check. Sensitive to injustice, but struggling against hostility and mistrust, she forms a tentative friendship with Mallory Post, a white coworker who seems sometimes to live in a different—and unreachable—world.

But when an attractive black man is hired as a senior vice president at the bank, with troubling and unexpected consequences for both of these women, Esther is forced to question her deepest loyalties and desire—and what really makes us “brothers and sisters.”

Genres: Fiction, African American, Literature, Novels, Adult Fiction, Book Club, Drama

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Bebe Moore Campbell (February 18, 1950 – November 27, 2006), was the author of three New York Times bestsellers, Brothers and Sisters, Singing in the Comeback Choir, and What You Owe Me, which was also a Los Angeles Times "Best Book of 2001". Her other works include the novel Your Blues Ain't Like Mine, which was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and the winner of the NAACP Image Award for Literature; her memoir, Sweet Summer, Growing Up With and Without My Dad; and her first nonfiction book, Successful Women, Angry Men: Backlash in the Two-Career Marriage. Her essays, articles, and excerpts appear in many anthologies.

Campbell's interest in mental health was the catalyst for her first children's book, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry, which was published in September 2003. This book won the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Outstanding Literature Award for 2003. The book tells the story of how a little girl copes with being reared by her mentally ill mother. Ms. Campbell was a member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and a founding member of NAMI-Inglewood. Her book 72 Hour Hold also deals with mental illness. Her first play, "Even with the Madness", debuted in New York in June 2003. This work revisited the theme of mental illness and the family.

As a journalist, Campbell wrote articles for The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Essence, Ebony, Black Enterprise, as well as other publications. She was a regular commentator for Morning Edition a program on National Public Radio.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Felice Laverne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bebe Moore Campbell’s Brothers and Sisters, originally published by Putnam in 1994* in the aftermath of the Rodney King beating, is a true testament to what I wish we could see more of on bestseller lists today. Published during an era of growing racial tensions (though what era doesn’t have that?) and political outspokenness through hip-hop music, this novel brought to life the realities of being an educated and successful modern-day African-American woman. Stereotypes were debunked and explored, and here Campbell helped to set new standards in literature for femininity and “blackness,” while also probing such sensitive topics as the church, the advantages and troubles of racial solidarity and reaching across the racial line to find friendship. The characters that the late Campbell portrayed here were realistic and 3-dimensional; the tension that she painted in the air was palpable with the turn of every page, like a heartbeat pulsing throughout the chapters.

Brothers and Sisters was a read that featured relatable dialogue that easily flowed off the tip of the tongue; Campbell’s use of vernacular outside of the workplace and in the “mean streets” of L.A. beautifully contrasted with dialogue that went on within the walls of the workplace to create a masterful portrayal of what it is like to live in two worlds at the same time, from dealing with the stress of professional expectations of peers in a racist and sexist environment to simultaneously surviving in a world equally hostile outside of the workplace doors. Deceit, mistrust, racism, sexism, accusations of rape, love, dating, social and corporate ladders, competition and banding together to survive in hostile waters all play a role in this novel.

The trouble that many novels have in this genre is that they do not come off as authentic. The dialogue is stilted or unfittingly formal in areas where authenticity is needed or ragged in situations where a sophisticated touch is being attempted by the author. There is a finesse to portraying this "double consciousness" (for those W.E.B. DuBois followers), this world of African Americanism that is honestly a world within itself, and it is difficult to find an author who depicts this lifestyle—this social setting—accurately and with the tautness and stress that it carries in real, everyday life. The beauty in which Campbell offered that to her readers here is to be applauded. Following Esther Jackson through a day in her world will bring you out the other side more conscious of societal pressures at play if you weren’t already, deeply entertained and honestly tickled by the thoughts that these characters think but don’t always say. This one is a read for anyone, because there’s something for everyone here if your mind is open.

Make no mistake: I love a good thriller, a thought-provoking character piece or the occasional humor-filled antics of chick lit, but it’s novels like this that I wish we could see more of in the spotlight today. 5 stars *****

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*The cover used on the blog is from the 2009 reprint publication of this novel by Berkley.

[mark monday · Rating 1 out of 5]

Campbell knocked it out of the park with the wonderfully empathetic, unsentimental, and moving Your Blues Ain't Like Mine... sad to say, she struck out with this sad affair. assorted bathetic shenanigans and sundry soap operatic histrionics fail to coalesce into anything worthwhile; about as striking and interesting as dishwater.

[Nakia · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is a Bebe Moore Campbell fan club, tell me where to sign up!

I added this to my reading list because I'm intentional about re-reading a few books each year that I loved in my younger years. I have no idea how old I was when I read this, but I wouldn't be surprised if I was in middle school reading it and having no idea how REAL the racial dynamics in this book were. This was released 30+ years ago and literally everything that happens still holds true today.

Bebe was one of those great writers who also created smart, multi layered stories that tug at you in multiple ways. It's impossible to be bored because you'll be laughing, angry, introspective, shocked, and wondering why/how you're able to relate so well to characters your mama's age.

After reading this, I thought about how rich our literary world would be if Bebe was still among us, but I'm happy for the work she left with us. RIP to my fav!

UPDATE: I forgot to also say that this would be perfect for a limited series set in the 90s. The material is there. Add great actors and people will be glued to the screen with this one.

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a GREAT book it teaches about self-esteem, how men can sometimes have a certain "control" over a womans mind that makes her either believe that she is "worth-it" or not. BROTHERS AND SISTERS touches subjects such as how minorities (Blacks, Hispanics...WOMEN) have a difficult time "moving-up" in the corporate world, especially women and the trials and tribulations they may incur, i.e., having to work twice as hard to prove ones qualifications and hitting the "glass ceiling." There are so many social/everyday "day-to-day" issues that are pointed out in this book. While reading BROTHERS AND SISTERS by BEBE MOORE-CAMPBELL I am 100% sure you WILL be able to relate to it in one way or another no matter WHO you are....Happy reading!!!

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a slow start for me...I had to force myself to read past page 100.

However, the patience paid off! This story is truly captivating once the characters are well established and start to intermingle.

I think this book holds a new relevance with today's issues and news.

[Lulu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was originally published almost 30 years ago, yet the situations and emotions and mental anguish presented in this book….are still very much relatable today.

It’s an excellent story and very insightful on individual/cultural differences and how we approach them in public and private.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bebe Moore Campbell delivers sooooo much with this book. Even though it's a lot of book to read; it never falters and you even want more at the end. The way Campbell effortlessly tackles so many themes and draws readers in to all of these characters is amazing. I would recommend this book to ANYBODY regardless of race or gender. This is also a timeless book as race relations and professional politics will remain relevant. Things kicked into high gear at the end and it was great! I would have rated this book a 5 star if some of the climax didn't seem a little rushed. Overall, I love a book where you FEEL the characters; root for some; hate some others; and struggle back and forth on what's "right" and what's "wrong." You even question, "What would I do if it were me or my decision?" when it comes to a lot of the obstacles. Great read. I feel very late getting into BMC's work esp now that she is deceased, but this will not be the only book I read from her (already bought "What You Owe Me").

[Deborah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't understand all the praise. This book is awful. Flat, stereotyped characters. Jerky timelines and POV's that switch suddenly and clumsily. I keep having to backtrack to check where we are in time and whose head we're in. How exactly do you smack yourself in the head so hard that it "reverberates in the empty room" (that we've already been told isn't empty) or tremble so hard somebody can't hold on to you? Take a minute and picture those things, seriously. Hamfisted, overdramatic, contrived. Yes, I get the story, I really do get it, it's about prejudice and power and the moral choices each of us makes, and had the story been told well this could have been a Truly Important Book. Campbell is capable of a good turn of phrase --describing buildings in a depressed part of town as "the color of bathtub rings" was evocative. As it is, it comes off as a sophomoric soap opera. Life is too short for bad writing, but I have to finish this because it's assigned reading for an MCS class. At least I can sell it back after the quarter.

[Ashley Teagle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Bebe Moore Campbell tried to cover a lot of ground in this book. I think a lot of what she did with Esther and Mallory's friendship was exaggerated but real in many ways. I make the same argument for Humphrey Boone and Esther as upwardly mobile black folks in the modern day.

This was a book that I appreciated not having all the loose ends tied off. I felt like this was a book about people in progress and having they open endedness allows me to be hopeful for them all.

Even to this day, I think this would make a great book discussion title especially for groups not afraid to tackle the topic of race.

[JACQ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy the settings & themes of the book, but I felt the story progressed way too slow, & at 544 pages, the book could've been shortened of some of the filler. Also, Esther was the epitome of 'angry Black female' & it began to annoy me how cliché her character became. Still, the issues are as relevant now as they were in the book's settings of 1993, and the writing skills of Bebe Moore Campbell are excellent.

[Nikki C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very thought provoking book, especially for women in corporate america. However, the book was too long and took too long to tell a rather non-complex story. But, I did enjoy it.

[. · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING! Would read again 10 out of 10!

[Kelly Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book

[Riya · Rating 4 out of 5]

The L.A. riots. Most people on the west coast at least probably remember them pretty vividly. I was just a kid. A white kid who had just moved back from Mexico and was shocked by this thing called racism. Not that there isn't prejudice south of the border, but it was never anything like this. I felt weird in my own skin, where I had been a minority before (in number only- there were never any negative consequences to this) now I was part of the majority- an ugly majority that even as a child made me feel ashamed, a majority I never understood, a majority that considered any loss of privilege "reverse racism" (not even going there . . .) In Brothers and Sisters, Campbell captures this whole hot mess in a way that let me glimpse at both sides. And that's not to say that all of a sudden I feel any sympathy for bigots or for the average white person who sees anyone else getting a fair shake and somehow think the result is that they are getting cheated, it's still bullcrap, but Campbell does a fantastic job of showing that perspective I have always failed to see. Weird right? A white girl needing a black author to explain her own race to her . . . but that just goes to show how race and racism are so much bigger and so much more complicated than just black and white, us and them.

Campbell also proves herself an expert in shifting POV. It's a tough thing to do, but the author nails it in this book, shifting from black perspectives to white, female to male, young to old, always giving the character in question a chance at explaining themselves. This is an excellent read that shouldn't be timeless but so far it is-because wounds are still fresh and hate still broils at our nation's surface.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was long...and trying to sum it up by theme the closest things I could say was that it was about ambition. What do you want to be, how far do you want to go and what would you do to get there. It doesn't matter what level of education or background the characters had, they all wanted something and were faced with moral dilemas on how to achieve these goals. Some of the character may have been a little sterotyped but most were representative of people I have encountered. This book brought up some interesting conflict between loyalty to race, gender, and family. Which is stronger? It also was interesting to have it set after the LA riots and consider how much those recent events stirred up feelings in the characters. I found this to be an interesting look into the lives of people who encounter race issues and difficult choices on a regular basis.

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, wonderful writer. I was so sad when Bebe Moore Campbell passed away, she was so talented and said what I think a lot of people were afraid to say about race relations in America. This is my story and others as well in a lot of ways and a book that is still relevant to this day! I wish Mrs. Campbell was still with us as I would have loved to see what she would have written post President Obama's election. I like how this book let's no one off the hook and does not cast all the blame on any one race but looks at how far we have come yet haven't come! I strongly reccomend!

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Publisher's Weekly:
Campbell's intriguing (if not always three-dimensional) cast of characters reveal the fears and hopes of people caught in a web of shrinking opportunities and institutionalized stereotypes of race, class and gender. Adroitly using the great racial divide of Los Angeles, this absorbing novel explores the intricacies of experience, knowledge and bias which perpetuate inequalities and segregated lives.

[Daisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent book! It is a must-read for anyone in corporate America or any working person, for that matter. It is very insightful about race wars and cultural differences, allowing the reader to think about situations from more than one angle. However, it is not biased towards any ethnic group. I enjoyed this book thoroughly but it left me wondering what became of Lakeesha & King. I think I know...

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been a big fan of Bebe's work, and I was finally able to get my hands on a copy of this book to read. As usual, her writing did not disappoint. One of my favorite things about Bebe Moore Campbell's work is the various viewpoints and perspectives she fuses into her work. Nobody is always good, or always bad and as a reader she incorporates many different viewpoints into the story to form a much broader picture of her characters and her worlds she created.

[Nikita · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the depth of some of the characters and overall story line, there were just too many technical flaws with the novel. Campbell provides an excessive amount of detail which makes it tiring to read because of how unnecessarily long it is; and POV shifts are often random and abrupt which makes the story hard to follow.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bebe Moore Campbell is a favorite author. I enjoyed how this book looked at racism from all sides- you become so enthralled in the lives of her characters. I was a bit disappointed with the ending, though.

[Stasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book - the characters all felt so real. The story was fantastic from beginning to end. Definitely one of those books that I had a hard time putting down. I would highly recommend it.

[Abby Frucht · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this book. It's an accessible, entertaining, smart, fun read that openly addresses racism and sexism in the white collar workplace. It was published in 1994; I can only hope that the situations it describes with so much wit and passion are at least in part no longer current.

[Kia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book didnt age well at all. The things that were talked about in the book was still relatable as far as race relations in America. Some of the language and storylines were cringy. Overall, I liked the book and most of the characters.

[Shà · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was an awesome read as well. as i read this book, i imagined myself as if i was there in the movement.

[Niesha S. Hampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I, for one, enjoyed this book. I thought it was extremely well written and it kept my attention though I discovered it on accident. Ester (Esther ?) was a thorn in my flesh for a good part of it. I hated how angry she always was, but I loved how I started to understand by just spending some time in her head. Mallory was a misguided, but good friend. She truly tried to understand where her girl was coming from, and I loved how she decided to spend some time in E’s neighborhood to feel closer and to get a sense of what it meant to be her. All in all, i found this to be an enjoyable ride. I’d definitely read it again in the future.

One thing to note is that the POVs change rather quickly with little warning. You really have to be paying attention or you’ll get lost in the sauce. RIP BeBe! ❤️

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Con unos cuantos trazos Bebe Moore Campbell es capaz de introducir a cualquiera dentro de sus historias y hacer que se sienta cómodo. Y aunque el nivel de bienestar puede variar según guste más o menos el tema (el de los bancos tiende a interesarme más bien poco), esa virtud hace que leer sus novelas sea bastante placentero, a priori.
Hay otra cosa más cierta: en Brothers and Sisters prácticamente todos los personajes están en el límite emocional. A la autora le sirve como estrategia para presentar de forma clara los conflictos raciales del siglo XX, pero al lector le parece poco creíble, demasiado intenso y muy radical.

[Mrs Tupac · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the 90’s feel of this book; Kimberla Lawson Roby writing style favors Bebe Campbell (imo)
Anywho ; who knew a bank had all this drama ! At certain points the book boringly dragged on I guess Bebe wanted to get her message through with the way she weaved everything together. I liked Tyrone he seemed like an exciting guy , without a lot of money, but a good job. At different settings of the book it got confusing with too many characters name to keep up with.

I didn’t like Malory she acted so damn oblivious! The way she didn’t want to let go of her racist ex lets me know what type of time she was on. She kept repeating she doesn’t see color every other sentence I hate people who use that as a goal post like it’s a valid point ! We all see color!
I don’t like Humphrey what a coon !
I don’t like Esther she tolerated too much … then starts acting like the Oprah Winfrey of the bank ! Girl be pro black through & through !

Lakeisha was a tacky terrible around the way girl ; who’s a kiss a ss out of everyone in the book I wanted her to win & mature out of the ghetto saga along with getting rid of that jail bird! . Hector was definitely a mole within the company he should’ve been fired and jailed asap! As good as Esther was to him he did her wrong unapologetically to look after his own butt while trying to replace anyone black within the workplace with his barely qualified family member.

Humphrey, Ralph, and Kirk were the same within my eyes just born on different sides of the tracks doing dirty deeds differently while trying to justify it with their personal lives, wants , and needs ! I didn’t like the ending with all that drama the story seemed rushed and the wrong people were treated unfairly !

[reading.withree · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the novel set in Los Angeles, three individuals confront their fears and dreams following the Rodney King riots.
•••••
Campbell unpacked a lot with this novel. Touching topics that many don’t want to all while going from the different POV of race and gender. By the end there were a lot of loose ends, but I didn’t feel unfulfilled. The individuals in this book all seemed like people in progress so it left me hopeful. The theme that stayed consistent to me was ambition. What are you willing to do in order to get what you want? How far will you go?

[Marilyn Sue Michel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was published in 1994, so it was written not long after the "civil incident" in Los Angeles, 1992. The story is well written and lengthy at 544 pages. While racial factors are portrayed with sympathy for persons of color, part of the story deals with sexual harassment of a white woman by a powerful black man. It is unfortunate that these problems continue to plague us. A good book if you like one that is long, with a mildly revolutionary ending.