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Leaving: A Novel
In 1959, newly-widowed and pregnant Ruby Washington and her thirteen-year-old half brother, Easton, board a bus in rural South Carolina, destined for Oakland, California. There, far from the violent events that forced her to flee her home, Ruby hopes to make a new life for her family.
Ruby gives birth to a daughter, Lida, and strives to raise the girl and Easton. But as their Oakland neighborhood changes during the turbulent 1960s, the three are driven apart by forces that Ruby cannot control. Easton becomes involved with civil rights activism and the Black Panthers; Lida, keeping a hurtful family secret to herself, spirals into a cycle of dependency and denial. Finally, Lida's sons Love LeRoy and Li'l Pit must fend for themselves in the inhospitable streets of America, leaving one city for another, searching for a home.
Centered around three generations of a family and set against the larger dispossession of African-Americans, Leaving is a blend of history and intimately-observed everyday life-a remarkable debut novel.
Ruby gives birth to a daughter, Lida, and strives to raise the girl and Easton. But as their Oakland neighborhood changes during the turbulent 1960s, the three are driven apart by forces that Ruby cannot control. Easton becomes involved with civil rights activism and the Black Panthers; Lida, keeping a hurtful family secret to herself, spirals into a cycle of dependency and denial. Finally, Lida's sons Love LeRoy and Li'l Pit must fend for themselves in the inhospitable streets of America, leaving one city for another, searching for a home.
Centered around three generations of a family and set against the larger dispossession of African-Americans, Leaving is a blend of history and intimately-observed everyday life-a remarkable debut novel.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
2 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 25, 2020
Gripping, heartbreaking, hopeful. This book took me on an emotional roller coaster with its complex characters. I'm a sucker for family sagas, and the timelines switching back and forth were easy to follow. The book overall was well written. Never a dull moment-I was always intrigued. I love the different nuances that can make you hate and pity a character at the same time. I wish there were more literary works by Mr. Dry--truly one for the ages.
July 17, 2019
Inspiring story line, showing how hardships really shapes ones life. The writting was well done, and despite the jumping between storylines, I was still able to follow along. Highly recommend!
October 13, 2009
Leaving is Richard Dry's debut novel and it is excellent!! It is the story of Ruby Washington's family - three generations and their actions and reactions to survive against all odds. In 1959, Ruby, poor and pregnant, hastily leaves small town Norma, South Carolina for Oakland, California with her younger half brother (Easton) in tow. She moves in with her father and his lover and finds work as a seamstress. Dry then blends in the political and social happenings of the time and we watch how Ruby struggles to hold her family together despite racism, incest, domestic violence, and the influx of drugs in the community.
Weighing in at 450 pages, Dry gives the reader a lot to consider. The interrelationships of the characters are complex and engaging. Dry provides up close and personal perspectives of the movement through the eyes of a college age Easton when he ventures south to participate in a Civil Rights march in Selma, Alabama. Another supporting character embodies the Black Panther philosophies; Lida (Ruby's daughter) resorts to prostitution to support a drug habit; Love (Ruby's grandson) grows up with heroin-addicted parents and experiences the juvenile justice system. Every character has a unique voice/view and a heartbreaking story, which Dry tells with compelling realism. Interweaved within the story are historical (factual) citations and references that shaped race relations and influenced the Black experience in America.
Dry writes with conviction and purpose as evidenced in the title reference and the theme of "leaving" is echoed in the character's actions, a few examples are: Ruby's exodus from South Carolina is necessary to avoid racial violence; whereas Love escapes to the same South Carolina to avoid the ills of urban gang life. Lida's choice to leave Ruby's home is a result of her fleeing pain and unresolved issues; Marcus (Lida's husband) leaves for three years to launch a musical career, etc.
This book was simply a good read -- the characters and plot were well developed; pacing was sound and the story moved quickly (which made the 450 pages easier to digest).
Weighing in at 450 pages, Dry gives the reader a lot to consider. The interrelationships of the characters are complex and engaging. Dry provides up close and personal perspectives of the movement through the eyes of a college age Easton when he ventures south to participate in a Civil Rights march in Selma, Alabama. Another supporting character embodies the Black Panther philosophies; Lida (Ruby's daughter) resorts to prostitution to support a drug habit; Love (Ruby's grandson) grows up with heroin-addicted parents and experiences the juvenile justice system. Every character has a unique voice/view and a heartbreaking story, which Dry tells with compelling realism. Interweaved within the story are historical (factual) citations and references that shaped race relations and influenced the Black experience in America.
Dry writes with conviction and purpose as evidenced in the title reference and the theme of "leaving" is echoed in the character's actions, a few examples are: Ruby's exodus from South Carolina is necessary to avoid racial violence; whereas Love escapes to the same South Carolina to avoid the ills of urban gang life. Lida's choice to leave Ruby's home is a result of her fleeing pain and unresolved issues; Marcus (Lida's husband) leaves for three years to launch a musical career, etc.
This book was simply a good read -- the characters and plot were well developed; pacing was sound and the story moved quickly (which made the 450 pages easier to digest).
September 29, 2019
What I Loved: The stories follow three generations of a family in American really giving the reader a full view of the initial events in the timeline and the reactions to event caused, even generations later.
How I Felt: This book is full of sadness. This is not a book meant to make a person happy, however, I felt everything the author intended us to feel.
My reasons for 3 stars: The book jumped around a lot in time. The writer tells the story in bits and pieces so that each story is in chronological order, but each chapter is a different part of one of her family's lives. The reader jumps from 1950 to 1998 and back. It was an interesting way to write the story, but it did bother me. I got used to it and was able to get through the book, and I did appreciated the way the story unfolded by the end.
To Read or Not To Read: If you enjoy historical fiction, or Civil Rights books, this would be a great read for you. It's definitely worth picking up and trying it out!
What's This Book About Anyway?
This book tells the story of one girl's life, along with her brother, daughter, and grandsons. Ruby Washington is newly widowed, and pregnant, and leaves South Carolina, heading to California with her brother. We follow her struggles through the 1960's: her brother becomes a Black Panther and Lida, her daughter, has secrets that become detrimental to her. The third generation in this book is Lida's two sons. They are constantly moving from one place to another trying to survive and find a place to call home.
All of my reviews can be found on https://shejustlovesbooks.com/
How I Felt: This book is full of sadness. This is not a book meant to make a person happy, however, I felt everything the author intended us to feel.
My reasons for 3 stars: The book jumped around a lot in time. The writer tells the story in bits and pieces so that each story is in chronological order, but each chapter is a different part of one of her family's lives. The reader jumps from 1950 to 1998 and back. It was an interesting way to write the story, but it did bother me. I got used to it and was able to get through the book, and I did appreciated the way the story unfolded by the end.
To Read or Not To Read: If you enjoy historical fiction, or Civil Rights books, this would be a great read for you. It's definitely worth picking up and trying it out!
What's This Book About Anyway?
This book tells the story of one girl's life, along with her brother, daughter, and grandsons. Ruby Washington is newly widowed, and pregnant, and leaves South Carolina, heading to California with her brother. We follow her struggles through the 1960's: her brother becomes a Black Panther and Lida, her daughter, has secrets that become detrimental to her. The third generation in this book is Lida's two sons. They are constantly moving from one place to another trying to survive and find a place to call home.
All of my reviews can be found on https://shejustlovesbooks.com/
March 29, 2015
Wow this book is gripping, depressing, but most all unveiling ( for a middle class white man). It speaks of multiple generations within one African American family and tells life experiences, pain, and despair that I know nothing about. I felt ignorant as I read the book and yet it felt so real. I find myself driving the neighborhood I live in ( not too far off from some depicted in this novel) and I wonder are there kids sitting in some apartment going through what Love and Lil Pit went through...I pray for hope and protection. This book touches on generational emotional trauma, addiction, and shame in ways that make you feel sick. Hope you give this book a read and ask yourself how near is it to the urban reality in our cities?
September 13, 2015
A heart wrenching and realistic portrayal of the African American experience through the eyes of three generations of an impoverished family. Jumps through time between the 1960s, 1970s and 1990s, and includes excerpts from writings during slavery. Compassionately and articulately written, detailing harrowing accounts of racism and poverty. May be considered dark or depressing to some, but a very important read for anyone that seeks a deeper understanding of American history.
The author does an excellent job in creating sympathetic characters out of people that would generally not be considered sympathetic in reality (e.g., criminals). Each character has a thoughtfully written back story and linear progression of circumstance.
Highly recommend.
The author does an excellent job in creating sympathetic characters out of people that would generally not be considered sympathetic in reality (e.g., criminals). Each character has a thoughtfully written back story and linear progression of circumstance.
Highly recommend.
January 19, 2015
Loved loved loved this book..it is a moving saga of a family through the years and how the sins of the fathers or ancestors really do influence the present generation and how sometimes its possible to change. This book shifts perception and time periods but is never hard to follow and impossible to forget. Love E, Lil Pit and Ruby will stay with you long after the book is done and that is the mark of a great read..Dont miss this one
February 26, 2010
This book was a nice read. It was based in my hometown, so I felt extremely connected to the story. However, the dialogue and whys, whens, and hows of the characters actions didnt flow. I didnt understand the intentions of the characters and the dialogue seemed awkward and forced. I wonder if the author being white, writing a story about Black life, could have something to do with this misstep in the book. Other than that, it was a good book.
March 5, 2008
This is my favorite novel right now. I read it in school a couple of years ago and got to meet the author. It's neat because parts of the story take place in the East Bay: El Cerrito and Berkeley.
March 20, 2012
Amazing.& That Is All.
January 24, 2013
I first read this in my California Ethnic Studies Lit course. Very well written.
August 17, 2016
Highly recommend!
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March 28, 2014Fiction D798 2003
December 3, 2007
This book is excellent. There's not much else to say... I would recommend to anyone.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews