The only child of a Black barber and a hairdresser, Claudia Patterson was born in 1940 in a Mississippi town founded by freed slaves. When she was twelve years old she came across a battered white boy and one might say this one event shaped her future. TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME by Rochelle Alers tells Claudia's story spanning seven decades and two continents.
Claudia is a powerful protagonist who came from a family of strong women who influenced her life. With their help, she became multilingual and well-educated. Through them, she was able to broaden her horizons and her confidence grew. As the decades passed four men played an important role in her life, each for a different reason. Just as important is what she learned from each relationship. No matter what her age was, she never stopped learning.
TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME is packed with history and the role it played in Claudia's life. The secondary characters are well drawn and a varied group, each with their own interesting story. The story does not shy away from sensitive issues and it is packed with emotions. The theme of the importance of family is evident throughout the entire book. As for the conclusion, I will say only that author Rochelle Alers left me smiling. Highly recommended.
From a cloistered 1950s Mississippi town founded by freed slaves to the striking diversity of Paris and Rome in the 1960s and 70s, through Wall Street’s glittering Roaring 80s to the present day, this sweeping, unforgettably moving novel from the national bestselling author chronicles one southern Black girl’s remarkable journey through some of history’s most turbulent decades—and the four men who challenge her to fight for happiness.
Freedom fighter, brilliant businessperson, devoted wife, master of languages, and ultimately, savior of a European dynasty. Claudia Patterson would become all of these—spurred on by the fiercely powerful loves and losses along the way . . .
Denny Clark. An abused thirteen-year-old white boy whose life twelve-year-old Claudia saves—complicating her own life for years to come.
Robert Moore. A young Black lawyer who becomes Claudia’s beloved husband and partner on the explosive front lines of the Civil Rights Movement. Amid the violence of the Ku Klux Klan, Claudia has a shocking personal encounter—with unimaginable consequences.
Ashley Booth. A Wall Street executive who brings the glamour of New York alive for the now-widowed Claudia, introducing her to an elite circle of Black peers. But their long yet uncommitted romance leads Claudia to move on—to an overseas assignment at an Italian bank.
Giancarlo Pasquale Fortenza. An Italian automobile industrialist, once enamored of a young Claudia—handsome, worldly, and twelve years her senior. A man with whom Claudia reconnects, bringing her life full circle in the boldest, bravest, and most unexpected ways . . .
Rich with history and timeless emotion, here is an epic tale of rising through poverty, racism, and heartbreak—and the awesome role of our most significant relationships throughout our lives.
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