Praisesong for the Widow

From the acclaimed author of Daughters and Brown Girl, Brownstones comes a “work of exceptional wisdom, maturity, and generosity, one in which the palpable humanity of its characters transcends any considerations of race or sex”(Washington Post Book World).
 
Avey Johnson—a black, middle-aged, middle-class widow given to hats, gloves, and pearls—has long since put behind her the Harlem of her childhood. Then on a cruise to the Caribbean with two friends, inspired by a troubling dream, she senses her life beginning to unravel—and in a panic packs her bag in the middle of the night and abandons her friends at the next port of call. The unexpected and beautiful adventure that follows provides Avey with the links to the culture and history she has so long disavowed.

“Astonishingly moving.”—Anne Tyler, The New York Times Book ReviewPraise for Praisesong for the Widow

“A strikingly beautiful tale...an eloquent and heart-wrenching portrait.”—New York Daily News

“There is no limit to the kind of readership to which this novel will appeal.”—Booklist

“Marshall is one of our finest American novelists....[Her] stature is due not only to her exploration of significant themes but also to her ability to create complex characters within the context of their culture.”—San Francisco Chronicle

Paule Mashall was the author of Brown Girl, Brownstones; The Chosen Place, the Timeless People; Praisesong for the Widow; Soul Clap Hands and Sing; Reena and Other Stories; Merle; The Fisher King; Triangular Road; and Daughters. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, she was Professor of English at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. She passed away in 2019.