A work of such complexity and interest, it begs to be read more than once

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Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi is a genealogical tsunami of a book teeming with life rich in detail, a fecund soil conjuring images of humanity’s best and worst, a crucible fused from trials and anger where a legacy of strength is forged for those who follow in their succession. Quickly and deftly weaving the history of generations back and forth, an indelible pattern emerges from the narrative’s fibers, of men and women suffering, surviving, enduring, taking joy in each other’s company, yearning for freedom and children to love and raise, aspiring to the highest altitudes their gifts, talents, strengths, and ambitions can take them, while overcoming the cruel constructs of others. It is about dreams in a world where the lights have been extinguished, invoking an inner stamina required to prevail against all odds, reaching out to lift others along the path. It is a story of global disparities told in such a way it speaks to the core of humanity’s heart. It is a song of origins extolling power, strength, courage, intelligence, instinct, and nobility of a people whose lives intertwined over generations with skeins of many colors, producing a tensile strength sufficient to lift the souls of all mankind. It is a love story written to the human race, an open house without doors reminding us how to come home, an affirmation of the human spirit, a book you feel inside of you, and a work of such complexity and interest, it begs to be read more than once.

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