Editorial Reviews
From 500 Great Books by Women; review by Suzanne Leslie Simmons
Ann Petry puts forth a painfully honest treatise on black/white relations in The Street, and while it was written nearly fifty years ago, her unblinking insights and powerful commentary on the dynamics of race in the United States remain accurate today. Lutie Johnson, an intelligent, strong, and beautiful black woman, is the vehicle for Ann Petry's message. Separated from her husband, Lutie is doing her best to raise an eight-year-old son, achieve independence from her father, advance in her job, and work her way out of the Harlem streets, which she calls "The North's lynch mobs ... the method the big cities use to keep Negroes in their place." Streetwise, she is able to avoid being conned and to exploit a con artist to get ahead. Though her self-knowledge is thorough, it can't stop her entanglement in a tradition of oppression and an upbringing which blames whites for present afflictions. Her goals and values are her strength, enabling her to make decisions when there is no apparent choice and to face a justice system fraught with injustice. She ultimately escapes, but not without a sacrifice that rips apart any woman's heart. -- For great reviews of books for girls, check out Let's Hear It for the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
The Los Angeles Times
"A major literary invention . . . A truly great book." --
The Street
The Street,Ann Petry,Mariner Books,0395901499,Classics,Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General,Fiction,Fiction - General,Literary,Literature: Classics,Petry, Ann - Prose & Criticism,Fiction / Literary,Modern fiction
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