The Water Dancer
September 24, 2019 4:52 PM - by Ta-Nehisi Coates - Subscribe

From Ta-Nehisi Coates, the National Book Award–winning author of Between the World and Me, a boldly conjured debut novel about a magical gift, a devastating loss, and an underground war for freedom.
posted by Etrigan (4 comments total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
There was an excerpt from the book, titled "Conduction," that was published in the New Yorker recently. Based on that, I'm definitely looking forward to reading this.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:56 AM on September 25, 2019 [1 favorite]


Ta-Nehisi Coates on writing fiction (The Atlantic, 9/29/19)
Book Tour Dates (ta-nehisicoates.com)
Ta-Nehisi and Oprah, in conversation at the Apollo Theater on 9/23/19: During the almost hour-long conversation, Coates revealed that his first novel, The Water Dancer, which was chosen to relaunch Winfrey’s book club with Apple TV+, took 10 years to write. (The Root)
The evening's conversation also served as Coates’ first program as Apollo Theater’s inaugural Master Artist-in-Residence. The three-year initiative will include events on the Apollo’s iconic stage and in the Apollo’s new spaces in the Victoria Theater opening in Fall 2020. (Apollo Theater)

[Cobbling together an FPP on Coates isn't working out. Sleep is for the weak, and I sorely wish some musclehead would kick sand in my face.]
posted by Iris Gambol at 1:42 AM on October 1, 2019


I loved reading this - particularly the description of conduction as practiced by "Moses." The spiritual call and response of a whole family reliving memory and it transporting them, the deep welling power of memory as an escape, as both a metaphor and a plot device, was so moving. I assume he was very influenced by Toni Morrison, though it didn't feel as rooted in reality as, say, Beloved. And I found it very similar in some ways to Colson Whitehead's Underground Railroad.
posted by Isingthebodyelectric at 2:19 PM on October 29, 2019 [1 favorite]


Reading this now, am extremely into it but so far haven't worked out what if anything to say about it.
posted by asperity at 10:24 AM on December 17, 2019


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