These Low Grounds

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"Forceful and blunt in its impact, and is as real as good rich black earth." -- Ralph Ellison. A lost classic, this 1937 novel was a forerunner to family history legacies such as Roots. Recounting the lives and struggles of four generations of an African American family, the tale begins with Martha, a freed slave, and concludes with her great-grandson Jimmy, an athlete and aspiring teacher. "A fine and important book, dramatic and exciting." -- Edna Ferber.