Sons of Mothers: Laymon, Moore, and Tubbs

It is a delightful reality of Life that something amazing is happening all the time. This time is no different.  Some of us have asked ourselves: What about our sons and grandsons raised by women?  In three recent books by the awaited offspring we have a remarkable and inspiring answer.  The books are Heavy: An American Memoir, by Kiese Laymon, No Ashes In the Fire, by Darnell L. Moore , and the hugely inspiring and important The Deeper the Roots: A Memoir of Hope and Home  by Michael Tubbs. * (A teacher/activist in my soul, I advise reading all three, at once, (within the same week to ten days) and discussing all in Council convened especially for our beleaguered but perpetually awakening communities.)

The Deeper the Roots: A Memoir of Hope and Home is a book not to be missed if we wish to understand how we might survive childhoods of missing fathers, inadequate home security, and endemic racism that is intended to stunt the agency and feeling of belonging that should be every child’s birthright.  It is a book of hope, because we recognize Tubbs as one of us who refused to bow to diminishment, whether from racist outside forces or inner demons of self-doubt.~aw