Mysteries by Black Authors

https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/135

We discussed: 01:25 – Nekesa shares why she selected 1920s Harlem as the setting for her mystery 03:03 – We learn how Nekesa's sleuth Louise Lloyd was created 06:22 – We talk about how the reader will gain a new insight into Harlem and the 1920s 07:36 – Nekesa share more on the events that have had an early effect on Louise 10:35 – We learn the sources of Louise's courage 13:34 – Nekesa gives us insight in Louise Lloyd's life when she is not on a case 16:19 – The Zodiac club plays a key role in the story and Nekesa shares the vivid image she has for this club. 18:27 – We discuss the wonderful relationships between the characters in Dead Dead Girls 22:54 – Nekesa Afia shares insight into her writing process

Published in 1942 in The American Mercury

The original version of this story is titled "Now You Cookin' with Gas

Includes a "Glossary of Harlem Slang" which was originally call "Harlem Slanguage

https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/zora

The narrator begins telling us about Jelly. A young man who is a pimp. Now in 1942 the team pimp did not mean what it means today. A pimp in this story was a man who lived off the kindness of women due to his ability to romance and seduce them. I guess we would use the term Gigolo now.

The story starts with Jelly realizing that it has been a day or so since he had a free meal and his stomach was growling. As Jelly is on his way to find a working woman to gift him with a meal, he runs into a fellow pimp named Sweet Back on 132nd street.

The two men engage in a battle of words and bluffs powered by egos that were not backed up by strength or money. The exchange between the two men is funny and tragic at the same time. The humor comes from the rhythm and poetry of the slang. The way they push up against the edge of a real confrontation while knowing that neither of them wants to really fight. Also, you realize early on that these two men are telling bigger lies that anyone ever told on the porch of Joe Clark's store.

The tragic part of the story is the fact that these two men are unable to live a life half as big as their egos. The fact that they plan to live off the kindness of women has its own serious issues, but the fact that they seem to be executing their plan so poorly adds another level of sadness to their lives.

Hurston captures all this through the dialog between Jelly and Sweet Back. It really becomes apparent when they try to persuade a young lady who is passing by to join one of them for a meal. Of course, they needed her to pay for this meal. As you can expect, both men strike out.

Sweet Back tries to save face by implying that the young woman was not worthy of him. Jelly on the other had has a moment of reflection about his former life down south and his life choices in Harlem.

Both versions of this story are in "The Complete Stories" along with the two versions of the glossary. The glossary is a treasure to read on its own. While it was easy to grasp the meaning of the slang as you were reading, there were some words and phrased that stumped me. The glossary comes in handy.

I loved this story, and I preferred the original over the published version. Hurston captured the life and energy of the sporting life men of Harlem in her dialog. While neither Jelly nor Sweet Back were noble men, you still feel slightly sorry for them. Very slightly.

When reading this story, I could visualize these two men blowing smoke at each other knowing full well that they both had nothing to back it up. We see the same scene played out often in life when people will go through extraordinary measures to save face and protect their egos.

I can recommend this story if you can put your 2021 mind on pause and see that Hurston is poking fun at male bravado. You will laugh at some parts and roll your eyes at others, but you will have an enjoyable read.

This week's featured mystery author is Alexia Gordon.

The author of the Gethsemane Brown Mysteries.

https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/133

This week I feature mystery author Rachel Howzell Hall. An award-winning mystery author.

https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/132

https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/interviews/talking-with-mystery-author-tracy-clark/

We discussed:

02:00 - We learn about Tracy's sleuth Cass Raines

04:10 - We learn why Cass Raines entered the police force

06:30 - We talk about the source of Cass' courage

08:41 - Tracy shares why her stories are set in Chicago

12:14 - We learn what Cass' life is like when she is not on a case

15:42 - Tracy describes what type of sleuth Cass is

17:51 - Tracy shares how the weather of Chicago plays a part in her books

20:13 - We talk about how the villains in Tracy's books are portrayed

22:00 - We talk the unique challenges Cass faces in "Runner", Tracy's latest book

25:12 - We discuss the growth of Cass through the books in the series

27:56 - Tracy Clark gives us a preview of her next book

31:27 - Tracy describes her writing style and sources of inspiration

My discussion of the Hurston short story, "Cock Robin Beale Street".

This week's featured mystery author from The Black Mystery Authors Directory is Krys Batts. The author of "What's Done in the Dark".

Krys Batts - Black Mystery Authors - I Found This Great Book

My bookish friends, Marci and Ako from The Colored Pages Book Club join me for a fun and insightful discussion of the first novel by Jessie Redmon Fauset, "There is Confusion". Jessie Fauset was a pivotal person from the Harlem Renaissance. She was the editor of "The Crisis", the publication of the N.A.A.C.P. She edited many of the famous writers from the Harlem Renaissance.

Published in 1924, "There is Confusion", follows the coming of age of a group of friends who are the first generation not touched directly by slavery. Fauset paints an intriguing and insightful picture of young Black people in the middle-class world of New York and Philadelphia.

Learn more about Jessie Redmon Fauset at www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/jessie

A discussion of what I believe is a wonderful horror story by Hurston.

This week I am featuring mystery author R. Lanier Clemons. She is the author of the Jonelle Sweet mystery series.

https://www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/126