Susann Williams > Recent Status Updates

It doesn’t matter which stage of history, the old adage “youth is wasted on the young“ applies. I can see this young woman, just as England is entering World War II, about to make a dumb decision and I’m thinking – Nooo girl!

The mistrust or rather distrust of the medical field runs deep with Black people. It’s amazing to me that though public reports of experimentation on Black people was not widely known, we knew.

“ Though the American Medical Association had issued rules protecting laboratory animals in 1910, no such rules existed for humans until Nuremberg [in 1947].” I don’t even have a response to that except that it is absolutely startling.

I’ve only read a few chapters and I’m already conflicted by this true story. While eternally grateful for every scientist involved in cancer research–my son is a cancer survivor–the Black woman in me is angered that no one even ASKED Henrietta or her family if it was OK to use the cells. This type of disrespect for Black bodies historically repeats itself, and is beyond frustrating.

I’ve only read a few chapters and I’m already conflicted by this true story. While eternally grateful for every scientist involved in cancer research–my son is a cancer survivor–the Black woman in me is angered that no one even ASKED Henrietta or her family if it was OK to use the cells. This type of disrespect for Black bodies historically repeats itself, and is beyond frustrating.

Whoever the readers are for this audiobook does a great job. Though this book isn’t filled with the intense action that I generally enjoy, I really like these characters and find the story endearing.

Just because the summer is about over doesn’t mean that this open attitude the main character took on can’t be done. Her saying yes to new things allowed her to be open to new challenges and to say “yes” to herself. What a humorous, thought provoking, and beautiful book! So worth it.

So far I think the book is gripping. I’m anxious to hear Sylvia’s story.

Cornell’s Pop-pop is hilarious without trying to be. “You don’t know what you don’t know.” So true—little boys don’t know what should smell good. If they did their bedrooms wouldn’t smell like locker rooms! Lol. He makes me wish my dad would have lived to meet his grandsons.

“Joy is a fragile thing, my boy, and must be treated as such. Too harsh and it disintegrates. Rush, and it disappears. So we cokes at fourth. Feed it, like Kenley to a fire.“

I’ve never thought of joy being fragile. This gives me something to think about.

It was a nice read.

“You know some folks say that God doesn’t give us more than we can handle. I don’t believe that’s true. He doesn’t give us more than He can handle.” Now that is powerful!

Oh my goodness! I know this is fictitious but I want to scream at the in justice of what Black people have gone through.

I’m not sure if I agree that he knew. I think he was just an honorable man.

“A hero is never who he was. It is who he becomes.” Aunt Lavinia

Profound

This book surprised me already! I thought it would be a book about a Black woman who became a librarian for a famous white man—just tell her story…

Oh but there’s so much more to it than that! I hope this book is as good as it’s stating out to be.

“Their goal wasn’t to stand out because of their differences; it was to fit in because of their talent. Like the men they worked for and the men they sent hurtling off into the atmosphere, they were just doing their jobs.”

There are so many layers to this statement.

“The power of the history of NASA‘s black computers is that even the firsts weren’t the onlys.“

So many Black women. So many women period who were overlooked.

“Negro life in America was a never-ending cycle of negotiations.”

So true.

“ It’s almost as if the day has forgotten that it has stolen my father.”

I know exactly what that feels like but have never been able to word it this way. I mean how can the sun go on shining and kids keep doing kid things while he is gone? I was just a little older than this character when the day stole my father. Yeah.

I’m too nervous to read any more of this book. These main characters are playing a dangerous game.

This is a tough read even though it is fictional. There are some real life questions I have that pertain to history and to this book: I wonder how people who enslaved others could be so cruel and think that by being kind to “some” of the enslaved people they are justified? How could anyone happily watch someone being beaten? Or lynched? How could someone dress their children up for the occasion?

Arlington National Cemetery was a plantation? We’ve got to do better with teaching our history America.

I’m so angry about how she was treated on the plane—how no one came to her aid. I kept thinking of all of the women during slavery who were violated because of their position as enslaved and because they were women. Caste seems to be related to class, ethnicity, AND gender.

OK the diligence that the Germans went through to prove that they were indeed Aryan, to find out if there was any Jewish blood in their DNA should not surprise me. It reminds me quite a bit of black Americans In the US Who were labeled as mulatto, quadroons, octoroons, etc. based on which relative had black blood.

“Of courses you know there are no Black people in Africa?”

Wow. Of course there aren’t. I’ve never even considered it.

So “Negros“ from Africa have arrived in the new colony. It is 1619 and they have been bought with victuals. They bought them with food!?