A very tasty, tasteful,moving story of love, perseverance and tenacity in the early days of the 20th century. Reminded me of my family's dependency on the negro press growing up in Georgia, Indiana, Florida, Kentucky, and Texas.The most consistent things though all the moves was my parents everlasting love for each other, the church, and the Negro press. Newspapers came through the mail, regardless of where we lived. I remember most the Pittsburgh Courier, Norfolk Journal and Guide, and the Kansas City Call. We read about Joe Louis and his wives: Rose Morgan and Marva. I loved reading George Schuyler's column. This novel reminded me of the joys of the newspaper. When my mother and grandmother realized I could read it was a newspaper, the Indianapolis Star. I was 3 and a half years old. So I share Ivoe's love of newspapers from my earliest recollections. I read about lynching in the newspapers, and learned early on not to comment on what I read, because I wouldn't be allowed to read unacceptable materials. So I just keep my ears open and listened to adults talking while I was supposed to be napping. I shared Ivoe's curiosity and secrecy about reading adult business. I was always around books, newspapers and the radio. We all read in bed, on the porch, in the bathroom, in the kitchen and dining room after dinner. I feel humbled knowing how blessed I was, not like Ivoe,who had to take advantage of discarded newspapers. Reading transported me to foreign places like the Pacific theater, where my father was stationed in the army. This novel articulated so many of my feelings about reading and writing and being an African American woman in racist, prejudiced, America, Land of the free. Thanks be to God for Dr. Barnett's tribute to the human spirit.