An American Marriage
Book - 2018
1616208775
9781616201340
1616201347



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CPL’s Most Popular Books of 2018
What were our most popular books in 2018? We've crunched the numbers and we're ready to share. Keep in mind that books published in late 2017 and early 2018 have an advantage because they've been around longer than those published later in the year, many of which will likely be on next year's lists. Adults The highest-ranking 2018 title on the most popular adult fiction list, at No. 2,… (more)
Top Picks: Oprah Winfrey
American icon, philanthropist and media queen Oprah Winfrey turns 65 on January 29, but that doesn’t mean she is retiring anytime soon. In fact, you could say Oprah is still in the prime of her career, as she continues to create, produce and star in television shows and films, podcast conversations, her signature magazine O and her wildly-popular book club, which has helped launch the… (more)
From Library Staff
A Well-Read Black Girl Book Club pick
Outstanding Literary Work, Fiction
From the critics

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I don’t believe that blood makes a family; kin is the circle you create, hands held tight.

There should be a word for this, the way it feels to steal something that’s already yours.

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Add a CommentThis was a good, fast, entertaining read.
I had heard rave reviews on this book, and found it mediocre. I couldn't love or get connected to any of the characters. Although the story line was great, it was just an average read for me.
One of the most compelling reads I have encountered. This book will have you frustrated at one moment and elated at the next. A great examination of race and marriage in the US.
"Love is not love/ Which alters when it alteration finds...O no! it is an ever-fixed mark/ That looks on tempests and is never shaken..." In my former life as a teacher, Sonnet 116 was my exemplar of figurative language and emotional intensity. The poem is beautiful to read aloud, its aspirations daunting, even unattainable.
Tayari Jones's love story [and social commentary] is tragic because the characters pursue Shakespeare's lofty ideals but are relegated to reality. After Roy is wrongly imprisoned, Celestial's letters convey her ongoing love and loyalty to him. As years pass, she must quietly grapple with her fading feelings, the shame of accepting the relationship's end, and the complications caused by Roy's early release.
Each character's perspective is relatable, authentic, and causes the reader to question whether love can and should always be born out "even to the edge of doom."
Racial injustice and false imprisonment test the limits of what a relationship can endure.
Beautifully well written and packed with emotion, heartbreak, and injustice, Jones invites readers to examine the marriage of Roy and Celestial, two newlyweds barely into their second year of marriage when they are ripped apart by an unjust legal system that deems Roy a criminal. Facing a 12-year sentence, Roy and Celestial struggle to maintain their relationship and are facing an uncertain future when Roy is released back into society seven years early. Rather than portray a rosy ending, Jones promotes realism, examining the ties that bind us and the choices that we all make
Innocent black jailed for rape. Not for book club
What happens to a relationship when someone is wrongly incarcerated? This powerful novel delves into the aftermath of such a tragedy, providing an unforgettable narrative and complex characters.
Tayari Jones does an excellent job of writing complicated characters. You'll find lots to discuss and ponder while you read this.
A twisty, turny, thoughtful book about marriage, love, race and how life rarely goes the way we plan. I burned through this in 2 days. I think this would be a great book club pick!