A Taste of Honey: Stories

by Jabari Asim

Poignant and powerful, this debut collection from preeminent writer and critic Jabari Asim heralds his arrival as an exciting new voice in African American fiction.
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Through a series of fictional episodes set against the backdrop of one of the most turbulent years in modern history, Asim brings into pin-sharp focus how the tumultuous events of '68 affected real people's lives and shaped the country we live in today. 
 
The sixteen connected stories in this exciting debut are set in the fictional Midwestern town of Gateway City, where second generation off-spring of the Great Migrators have pieced together a thriving, if fragile existence.  With police brutality on the rise, the civil rights movement gaining momentum, and wars raging at home and abroad, Asim has conjured a community that stands on edge.  But it is the individual struggles with love, childrearing, adolescence, etc, lyrically chronicled here, that create a piercing portrait of humanity.
 
In I'd Rather Go Blind and Zombies, young Crispus Jones, who while sensitive to the tremors of upheaval around him is still much more concerned with his crush on neighbor Polly and if he's ever going to be as cool as his brother.   When Ray Mortimer, a white cop, kills the owner of his favorite candy store, Crispus becomes aware of malice even more scary than zombies and the ghost that he thinks may be haunting his house. 
 
In The Wheat from the Tares and A Virtuous Woman, Rose Whittier deals with her abusive husband with a desperate resignation until his past catches up with him and she's given a second chance at love.  And Gabriel, her suitor, realizes that his whole-hearted commitment to The Struggle may have to give way for his own shot at romance.
 
And in Ashes to Ashes we see how a single act of despicable violence in their childhoods cements a lasting connection between two unlikely friends.
 
From Crispus' tender innocence to Ray Mortimer's near pure evil, to Rose's quiet determination, the characters in this book and their journeys showcase a world that is brimming with grace and meaning and showcases the talents of a writer at the top of his game.  

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, African American, Historical Fiction, Anthologies, Drama, Book Club

205 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Praise for Only The Strong

"Jabari Asim is such an elegant writer that you won't realize how smoothly he drew you in until you're halfway through this book. Humane and humorous, compassionate and willing to get a little rough, this describes both the writer and the novel. Only The Strong does for St. Louis what Edward P. Jones has done for Washington D.C., Raymond Chandler for Los Angeles---marked it as place on the literary map where you'll want to stay for a long while. A riveting novel." --Victor LaValle, author of The Devil in Silver

“Only the Strong is a lushly atmospheric and passionately written piece of work, bursting with colorful characters that shine on every page.” ---Bernice L. McFadden, author of Gathering of Waters

"Only the Strong effortlessly transmits Jabari Asim’s profound affection for this book's charismatic and varied characters. This is a vivid, revelatory portrait of 1970s America in the disheartened aftermath of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s death." —Rafael Yglesias, author of The Wisdom of Perversity

"There's an eerie timeliness to the publication of this fictional study of Saint Louis black communities of the 1970s. Only the Strong reminds me of Chester Himes’ Harlem entertainments—in its deceptively light handling of desperately serious subject matter. Jabari Asim is a writer to watch, and to listen to closely, in these difficult times." —Madison Smartt Bell, author of All Souls’ Rising and Zig Zag Wanderer

"It is like stepping into a time capsule of my old neighborhood in the 1970s...to read about Gateway City, Jabari Asim’s fascinating rendition of St. Louis, as an adult brings back memories of time and place, and also admiration for his storytelling." —Susan Straight, author of Between Heaven and Here and A Million Nightingales


Praise for A Taste Of Honey

"A Taste of Honey has the power of memoir and the poetry of fiction. Suddenly, it is 1968 once more, with all of the hope and violence and seismic change that rocked the cities that summer. It's all here and it's all beautifully rendered. This books is a gem."
—Chris Bohjalian, author of Secrets of Eden

"Jabari Asim has written a brilliant coming-of-age tale filled with compelling characters navigating race relations in 1968, navigating familial and neighborhood demands, and triumphantly reaffirming what it means to be human. A lovely, lyrical collection of connected stories that will leave readers breathless and ecstatic with passion and joy."
—Jewell Parker Rhodes, author of Yellow Moon

"Offering the bitter with the sweet, Jabari Asim's first collection of stories, A Taste Of Honey, serves up a multilayered dish. Asim ranges through and across a Midwestern African American community in the wake of the civil rights movement and the social changes of the last forty years, writing from the inside out and unforgettably bringing to life a world that still is too seldom seen in American fiction."
—John Keene, author of Annotations

"Jabari Asim's rich short stories read like a novel . . . full of people we love getting to know—Rose, Gabriel, Pristine, Ed, Reuben, and Guts. I particularly loved the male characters in these pages . . . men who live by their brains and their brawn, shelter their children, their community. They embrace their wives. They love hard, laugh deep, and cry inside."
—Denise Nicholas, author of Freshwater Road

"Asim successfully delves into politics, domestic violence, racial identity, young love, and more in this humorous and poignant collection..."
—Publishers Weekly

"With his debut work of fiction, the Guggenheim Fellow proves himself to be a promising storyteller." -Library Journal

"This fiction rings true." -Kirkus Reviews

More about Jabari Asim

He is the author of What Obama Means . . . For Our Culture, Our Politics, Our Future,, The N Word

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was expecting a series of short stories with no connection and about completely different topics. What I found was a fantastically written book then weaves the lives of so many people together that I was dizzy trying to keep it straight but what fun I had trying. This touching, insightful, thoughtful, descriptive book had me running down back alleys, rooting for true love and cheering when the horribly racist cop finally gets his doo-wop whooped. While each chapter was a story unto itself, the magical way Jabari Asim illustrates how our lives are interconnected in ways we can't even imagine yet had me feeling sorry this great read was over.

[Bernard James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This past week I became a member of the fictional town of Gateway (located in one of the central Midwestern States "I think") during the Spring of 1968. A good book will do that for you: transport you to a time and place where reality is transcended by the strength of your imagination. But in order to pull it off, a writer has to deliver characters with such depth and power that they leap off the page to intrude upon your thoughts long after the book has been set aside. Jabari Asim does exactly that in A Taste of Honey. For the past few days, my time and energy has been invested in this wonderful collection of short stories - eighteen vignettes inextricably linked by common threads of culture, community struggle and aspiration. Honey takes us on a journey through the lives of hard working first and second generation beneficiaries of the Great Migration during a time in our nation's history when our collective soul was left with a series of huge and gaping wounds; some of which - it can be reasonably argued - have yet to fully heal. The turbulent civil rights era capped by the tragic and untimely death of Dr. King serves as the backdrop for Asim's colorful presentation. On many levels, the tension and uncertainty of those violent times manifests itself in the prose like a steady pulse required to keep the stories alive; but in spite of the potential for disaster the reader suspects is always nearby, the triumph and beauty of each carefully rendered account is unmistakably evident; even as the most difficult trials and tribulations of Gateway's citizens are put on display for all to see. Gloria conquers her demons and re-learns how to embrace the world. Rose discovers true love without being asked to compromise her virtue and dignity. Gabriel becomes vested in something more than just slogans about power and revolution and Pristine and Reuben reaffirm the value of a family's strength and enduring love.

[JaVone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely spellbinding...before I even begin...READ THIS BOOK. I highly recommend it. This is a set of interwoven stories in which everyone is searching (whether consciously or unconsciously) for that beacon of hope. The characters (and there are a lot of them) were amazing! The stories and the prose were well written and very captivating. I could not put this one down and when I did finish I was overwhelmed with joy. I mean I was smiling from ear to ear after reading this. Asim used humor, sincerity, and poetic language to explore sensitive topics like rape, domestic violence, racism, police brutality, and adolescence (to name a few). It was written so well that at times I forgot that I was reading fiction.
Through the short journey, I found myself becoming attached to the characters. I would like to see this as a mini series or on television. I would also like to teach this in my classroom someday.

Go get it, NOW! (sorry I didn't mean to yell :)

[Johanna Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book so far. A lot of times you can predict where a book is going. Not that this book is suspenseful, just that I don't know where the author will go next and haven't felt that in reading in a long time. Kind of an uncomfortable feeling, but in the best of ways. Good starting back up with your reading regimen book.

Tried hard to stretch this one out lest I couldn't find a good follow-up (suggestions welcome). Very sweet and encouraging. Just wonder if it was too encouraging. This book focuses in on the real lives of many interconnected characters while the volatile period in the late 1960's when so many were being fought and fighting for their own civil rights was going on all around. I appreciated this book's uplifting tone, but knowing how far we still are from equality, I can't imagine how people found peace back then. Perhaps this book is a credit to what my dad always says -- "hope springs eternal".

Anyway, it was good for a lift when I needed one. Also, I loved this author's writing style.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel told in the form of connected short stories about an African-American community on the verge of change in the late '60's. The Jones' family is the main focus: Reuben, the artistic father, Pristine, the mother who holds it all together, Schomburg, the oldest son who is flirting with the new radical Black nationalist movement, and Crispus, the youngest son who features prominently in most of the stories.

WHAT I LIKED:
The writing is beautiful and captures accurately the voices, actions, and diversity of the Black community at that time. It not only talks about some of the racial and anti-war upheaval that happened then, but also touches on domestic violence and police brutality.

WHAT I DISLISKED:
The ending was a tad bit predictable, but well-written, so I forgave it.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the compact elegance of this book -- the characters are so vividly drawn, and things come together in a way that tells you about the whole of that place and time. Which is pretty wild, for such a slim book. You learn a lot through Asim's skill at putting things together in a powerful way.

One of the things that struck me most about reading this was the memory of how scary youth can be. When you're a child, you're powerless in a lot of ways. I think that's why I liked the child characters the best -- they negotiate their world in a way that rings true. When you compound that with the political situation of the characters' community at the time, well, you've got a very very interesting book.

[Diana Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Lord loves a cheerful giver, but I guess I'm just not in the mood." -Aunt Georgia

I'm sorry, but this book is absolutely amazing. I could NOT put it down. I laughed, I commiserated, I clucked my tongue, I snapped my fingers, and I just enjoyed the sheer pleasure of reading this book. It's painful to read at times, and then it'll have you laughing out loud at other times. I related to these characters and felt a sense of enlightenment and sadness for my people. I don't know, it was just nice reading about real Black people dealing with racist cops, abusive husbands, and racism but still holding on, believing in God and believing in love, and putting family first. I must own this book for my personal collection. I will never forget it.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be one of my favorite books from the Go On Girl Book list. The setting invoked memories from my childhood, although I was just born around the time frame of the book. It reminded me of some of my neighbors on my block. I fell in love with the characters. This was a great book. I am glad I purchased it on the Kindle. I don't have to share it with others and worry about what condition my book will come back in. This is definitely a keeper and one I would read again. I generally do not reread books but this one will be read again.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of linked stories is probably closer to a novel; few of the stories could stand alone. It reminds me of Ntozake Shange's Betsey Brown in the looseness of its construction and in its intense focus on a very particular St. Louis neighborhood. Though Asim calls it Gateway City, most of the street names and landmarks are given their real names. The book is set almost exclusively in an area of about ten square blocks around Vandeventer Avenue just south of Fairground Park, and it features an interesting range of African American characters—a family with three adolescent boys, an orphaned young woman, an abused wife, a community-minded gangster with a hidden connection to a local minister, and the gangster's portly enforcer who steps in to save the orphaned young woman from a white cop with evil designs. From what I've read, Asim follows some of these characters further in his new novel Only the Strong. This earlier book begins in 1967 with the police killing of a blind storekeeper, and it concludes with the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr., which leads to rioting and looting in Gateway City of a scale that, I believe, exceeds anything that actually occurred in St. Louis at that time. Asim's sympathies, however, seem firmly rooted not with the angry young men out burning and pillaging, but with those who find ways to love and support each other amid the chaos and violence of racism. This was a good book that I look forward to adding to my independent reading list for Reading and Writing Fiction. I hope it will provide an inspiring model for students.

[warren Cassell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This work was a selection of my book club and I probably would not have read it on my own. Fortunately, book clubs lead one to new ways and this was a lovely discovery. “Taste of Honey” is supposedly a collection of sixteen connected short stories, but stands on its own as a fully developed novel. Set in fictitious Gateway City (St. Louis) on the Mississippi River during the sixties, it covers a few months in the lives of a middle class black family living in a segregated section of town. The story revolves around the relationships within one family as well as the community as family. The family and community have a number of unforgettable, beautiful and sympathetic characters. It also has some brutal scenes as a result of neighboring Neanderthal white residents---a not infrequent occurrence at the time. A Taste of Honey is an uplifting book--- and a primer for those who are not too familiar with this sad era in American history.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this connected collection of short stories - it really read like a novel. Once I started reading I could not put down and wondered what took me so look to pick up this book. Takes place in a small to mid-sized town in the midwest right before MLK is killed. Great character voices, community and family oriented storyline, used the background of the story to inform us about the political issues of the time. I would love to see these characters again. I surely hope Asim writes more fiction.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book! I loved all of the historical references, the strong family community and reading this story put a smile on my face. I loved how all the stories fit together so perfectly that it did not feel like a series of short stories it just felt like one great story.

[Vonetta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book, but quite troubling at times, so I couldn't finish it since I was looking for a lighter literary read. The language flows easily and the characters are easily imagined. I think I'll come back to it eventually.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Less of a short story collection than a loosely connected novel. I was immediately invested in the inhabitants of these stories, rooting for them in their trials and celebrating every good turn. I'm going to miss them.

[Nadine Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable quick read. Loved the story plot and character names. There was a nice flow and rhythm to story even with telling end and then back story.
Expect to read more from Mr. Asim.

[Jai · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Great book of interconnected stories.

[Cathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only complaint about this book is that it wasn’t longer. A series of interconnected stories about an African American neighborhood in 1968, A Taste of Honey is more of a novella/short story hybrid. Most of the stories could stand on their own, but they work together to show the fullness of the neighborhood. Many of the residents of the fictional city North Gateway experience violence at hands of white police officers, strangers, classmates, friends, and family. That violence is part of the trauma of the racism embedded in the history of this country. Just as present in the lives of North Gateway’s citizens, though, is resilience, hope, fierce love, and various talents from book smarts to pie making to painting.

Though Jabari Asim wrote this book a decade ago about characters living more than half a century ago, it’s as relevant right now as ever. Asim’s complex characters are flawed, yet it is impossible not to care for them deeply. In fact, for many of them these flaws are what make them so real. It also seems extra important that Black characters get to enjoy the kind of fullness that white characters have for so long. We see them as neither villains nor saints. Rather, they are people with real loves, troubles, triumphs, and failures.

I’m not a plot-driven reader, but I found myself riveted by this book, forcing myself to put it down to save (and savor) later. That’s partly due to how people’s stories come together —not just related but entwined — as the book progresses. It’s also, though, because the plot is so true to life. Asim confronts, head on, the many ways that Black Americans confront danger in a society designed for their destruction. This isn’t trauma porn, though, and the stories of love, tenacity, and success are both beautiful and sustaining.

I really enjoyed meeting Crispus, Roderick, Pristine, Reuben, Ed, Gabriel, Rose, and so many other characters. I wish I could see what happened to them next.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good! In light of everything that is going on now with the current movement I thought this would be a good read. And it was. History really does repeat itself.
I really enjoyed this authors writing style and how this was a collection of short stories but they fit together perfectly.

[Effie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Wonderful writing. Each character in this community is beautifully drawn. One of my favorite reads so far this year. Looking forward to reading more by Jabari Asim!

[Nakia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because the author of Booktini's selected April book (Raised by the Mistress) failed to send our copies on time, we had to quickly choose a short book to read in the two week span before our April meeting. Jabari Asim's collection of short stories centered around a fictional community in the midwest was perfect length-wise. I don't think this was the perfect book for a book discussion, though.

Don't get me wrong. Asim is a great writer, with a fantastic imagination and a knack for storytelling, especially when weaving tales of Black, small town life, where everybody knows your name. But the stories were extremely subtle, and quite calm, until you come quickly crashing toward the end of the book. Due to the lack of action, there wasn't quite that much to discuss when we met.

The book also started off with so many characters, that it wasn't until I was well into the fifth story that I had a handle on who everyone was.

I still enjoyed the book though. Highlights: the story of Rose, downtrodden, but still filled with a beautiful melody; Ed, and his wayward thinking about how Black people should respond to mistreatment by whites (ie a degree is a waste of time if you still end up harassed by the police or aren't welcome in certain parts of the town); and Crispus forming a friendship with The Genius. These stories made it hard for me to put the book down.

I'm not fond of books turned in to movies, but this one definitely reminded me of a mid western, 1960s version of "Crooklyn". Someone should definitely look in to it.

[Brandee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. Asim has a writing style that is both easy to read and literary, which I can really appreciate. His gift for character-making is strong: his descriptions of their appearances, mannerisms, pasts, all work to make each one so believable, and I really liked the diversity represented by the people in these stories. With the racism of the time period in this setting, some stories were hard to read...violence, harassment, deference. My favorites were the more domestic ones,like "The Boy on the Couch", "The Wheat From the Tares", and "Drunk on History". The ending story, "Burning Desires", was the perfect choice...a love story intertwined in an unlikely way with the death of MLK Jr. and the heartbreaking riots. That story's title is genius, too. My only complaint is that sometimes the stories were too short, making me feel kind of like I was jumping all over the place while reading the collection, but I liked that they were all about the same group of people in different times, circumstances, places. That was a fresh way to do short stories. All in all, not great, but solidly good and glad I read this author. I may look for his other work; a nice long novel by him would interest me.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Taste of Honey was one of those reading experiences I went into with little to no expectations, and emerged with that satisfying feeling of having loved what I just read. Although I've read my fair share of short story collections, I can't say that I can recall reading one that was executed so seamlessly and effortlessly to come across as a novel. I was so impressed with Asim's ability to render his characters to his readership in snapshots that over the course of the entire text felt like a comprehensive mosaic of their current selves and backstories. This ability sets Asim apart from other short story writers I've encountered and marks him as an author worth his salt. The way in which he intertwined characters' individual narratives with transformative (now historical) events taking place at the time and social issues informing their respective daily realities was also noteworthy. If forced to pick, I would say "A Virtuous Woman" was my favorite story. I'm very much looking forward to reading other works by Asim.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is nothing particularly magical about Asims's prose, but his straight forward telling is reminiscent of a memoir, making the people and stories feel authentic and real. Reminiscent of Diaz, Danticat or even Joyce in his handling of a small circle of people, Asim is different in that you come away from reading about a variety of serious issues feeling full of hope for the characters. As a community, they come through their trials, burnished and strong, full of faith and plans for the future. Nice, little book.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of short stories that relate so I was thrilled to find this book by an author unknown to be. The characters are written so well then come to life and fill the pages and the reader can feel a little bit of what they must have felt during such a chaotic time in history. Some of the stories were giving me a hard time, I just felt like they jumped around and made me lost for a paragraph or two. This could be my fault though and something that a second reading would prove valuable. Asim is a very talented writer and I really enjoyed this book.

[Mahoghani 23 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was funny and real. In the day this book was written, it depicted life and how it was. It's amazing how people choose to judge each other based on the color of skin. Rose with the beautiful voice but the abusive husband. Pristine with the loving husband but no backbone to stand up to her mother-in-law's treatment of Crispus. Paul the abusive husband but gambling their money away. Gus, a killer with a soft spot for banana pudding. Charlotte can sense danger but barely escape it. Good story.

[BiblioGeek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, in my opinion. There were some voice issues (like, the tone and formality changed a couple of times, but it wasn't clear if there was a different narrator or not), but it was good. His recounting of the two "good ol' boys" who crash the barbecue was HARROWING - it was so realistic, I almost skipped past it. This is a great book club selection, because it's a fast read, with just enough depth in it to spark discussion, but not so much that it loses the reader.

[Mistinguette Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, light evocation of growing up in the 60s as the Black Power movement emerged. But it also features young men coming of age in a dangerous time, and how closely danger, corruption and death are intertwined with sweetness and community. Great beach read, esp if you are 40something and the references to hairstyles and commercial products evoke strong memories of your own childhood.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

very enjoyable book of connected short stories. They describe the different characters in an African-American community and how they all interact - knowingly and unknowingly at times. Lots of warmth on a personal level against a back ground of the unrest and tension of the late 1960's. I strongly recommend this book!

[Gyanni Pate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. The stories all told the story of the members of a small black town during the civil rights era. The stories all center around a family and the people in their community. I loved this family. They made me laugh, cry and wish for the best for them. They were very well rounded without being too perfect. Definitely recommend it.

[Nea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book a higher rating, but it simply didn't suit my reading tastes. It felt disjointed, totally lacking the cohesiveness and smooth transitions that I prefer. Still, there were interesting stories within it, plenty of historical references and characters that rouse the emotions. Not a bad book- just not for me. 2.5 stars.