Black Coffee discussion

Hey everybody! This month we are reading Daddy was a Number Runner.

"This beloved modern classic documents the lives and hardships of an African American family living in Depression-era Harlem. While 12-year-old Francie Coffin’s world and family threaten to fall apart, this remarkable young heroine must call upon her own wit and endurance to survive amidst the treacheries of racism and sexism, poverty and violence."

If you can't find it at your library, the kindle version is available for $10, and used versions of the book start at $1.34 on Amazon.

Let's start the read next week, and we'll spend two or three weeks discussing it, as it is a rather short read.

I've ordered mine and will join the discussion when it arrives. Thanks, Leona.

Hey everybody! Just wanted to check in and see how we were coming along with the book. Without giving too much away to those who haven't finished reading, let's just generally discuss James Coffin and his role in the family unit.

I'm halfway through and this is an easy read, in terms of Meriwether's writing style, and yet quite difficult as all of these creepy men fondle, etc. Francis and her friend. Being in Francis's head, as we are given the first-person narrative, makes her acceptance of this even more challenging to read.

James is the uber-traditional 1930s father figure, but with a streak of denial (and, hence, irresponsibility) that I find irritating in every novel where it is present. He's always risking the present for the low-odds payoff that hitting the big one represents. Proud and distanced from the daily struggle of feeding the kids and making ends meet. Doing the best he knows how, but putting each of his kids at risk because they must fend for themselves in their neighborhood, at a time when everyone is struggling, the best they can. The daily choices Francie and her brothers make, even when I'm holding my breath for their survival, make complete sense to me under the circumstances.

What did you think about James?

Is anyone else reading? I finished this last night and would love to hear others' thoughts on it.

Leona, are you still reading this book?

I ordered a used copy, still hasn't arrived, so I'm probably out of this discussion this month.