Push by Sapphire (November BOM)

Written by RAWSISTAZ · November 1, 2009 · 1,270 views

November 2009 Book of the Month

Push by Sapphire

Push by Sapphire

PUSH by Sapphire
Vintage, April 1997
192 Pages, Paperback, $13.00
ISBN-10: 0679766759
ISBN-13: 9780679766759

BOOK DESCRIPTION

An electrifying first novel that shocks by its language, its circumstances, and its brutal honesty, Push recounts a young black street-girl’s horrendous and redemptive journey through a Harlem inferno. For Precious Jones, 16 and pregnant with her father’s child, miraculous hope appears and the world begins to open up for her when a courageous, determined teacher bullies, cajoles, and inspires her to learn to read, to define her own feelings and set them down in a diary.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sapphire was born in 1950 and spent her first twelve years on army bases in California and Texas. As a teenager she lived in South Philadelphia and Los Angeles. She graduated from City College in New York and received an MFA from Brooklyn College. From 1983 to 1993 she lived in Harlem, where she taught reading and writing to teenagers and adults. Sapphire is a performance poet and the author of a collection of poetry and prose, American Dreams. She lives in New York City.

Also check out the movie, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, in select theaters November 6th – http://www.weareallprecious.com

Also, check out  Cast Interviews by Jeff Bayer at The Score Card Review

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RAWSISTAZ Literary Group was founded in 2000 to support and promote the work of African-American authors. The groups, on and offline, represent close to 600 readers, writers, aspiring writers, and others interested in literacy and the impact on our communities.

Comments

4 Responses to “Push by Sapphire (November BOM)”
  1. Tee C. Royal says:
    November 1, 2009 at 6:00 pm

    This is the main book of the month for us (RAWSISTAZ) for November and our theme is THE CLASSICS, so I hope you’ll join us for the discussion, which will be held at the end of the month on the site. (As an FYI, we’re bumping this one up a week as not to conflict with our online conference.) So, everyone…get you book & then hit the theaters. I can’t wait to discuss this one!

    -Tee

  2. Dee Stewart says:
    November 1, 2009 at 8:39 pm

    Getting it tonight, dear! lost my old copy or it’s in storage and I’m not going to Suwanee to get it. lol

  3. Kim Wilson says:
    November 3, 2009 at 12:13 am

    I will be reading the book in a few days then going to see the movie.

  4. lenearc1 says:
    November 3, 2009 at 12:14 pm

    It’ll be interesting to see how the book translates on film. The book is VERY graphic. I know a lot of people who found elements of the book so disturbing they couldn’t finish it.