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A beautiful, arresting story about race and the relationships that shape us through life by the legendary Toni Morrison.
In this 1983 short story--the only short story Morrison ever wrote--we meet Twyla and Roberta, who have known each other since they were eight years old and spent four months together as roommates in St. Bonaventure shelter. Inseparable then, they lose touch as they grow older, only later to find each other again at a diner, a grocery store, and again at a protest. Seemingly at opposite ends of every problem, and at each other's throats each time they meet, the two women still cannot deny the deep bond their shared experience has forged between them.
Another work of genius by this masterful writer, Recitatif keeps Twyla's and Roberta's races ambiguous throughout the story. Morrison herself described Recitatif, a story which will keep readers thinking and discussing for years to come, as "an experiment in the removal of all racial codes from a narrative about two characters of different races for whom racial identity is crucial." We know that one is white and one is Black, but which is which? And who is right about the race of the woman the girls tormented at the orphanage?
A remarkable look into what keeps us together and what keeps us apart, and how perceptions are made tangible by reality, Recitatif is a gift to readers in these changing times.
In this 1983 short story--the only short story Morrison ever wrote--we meet Twyla and Roberta, who have known each other since they were eight years old and spent four months together as roommates in St. Bonaventure shelter. Inseparable then, they lose touch as they grow older, only later to find each other again at a diner, a grocery store, and again at a protest. Seemingly at opposite ends of every problem, and at each other's throats each time they meet, the two women still cannot deny the deep bond their shared experience has forged between them.
Another work of genius by this masterful writer, Recitatif keeps Twyla's and Roberta's races ambiguous throughout the story. Morrison herself described Recitatif, a story which will keep readers thinking and discussing for years to come, as "an experiment in the removal of all racial codes from a narrative about two characters of different races for whom racial identity is crucial." We know that one is white and one is Black, but which is which? And who is right about the race of the woman the girls tormented at the orphanage?
A remarkable look into what keeps us together and what keeps us apart, and how perceptions are made tangible by reality, Recitatif is a gift to readers in these changing times.
| ISBN-13 | 9780593556641 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10 | 059355664X |
| Weight | 2.31 Pounds |
| Dimensions | 4.70 x 0.33 x 6.83 In |
| List Price | $18.00 |
| Format | Paperback |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Pages | 128 pages |
| Publisher | Random House Large Print |
| Published On | 2022-03-01 |
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Dream Books Co.
Denver, CO, USA
Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting...
Free delivery by: 29 Mar 2026
Used, Good
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Blue Vase Books
Interlochen, MI, USA
Former library book with the usual stamps stickers and labels. The item shows wear from consistent...
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Used, Very Good
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Half Price Books Inc
Dallas, TX, USA
Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and ...
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Used, Very Good
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The Maryland Book Bank
baltimore, MD, USA
Used-Very Good.
Free delivery by: 29 Mar 2026
✨ Brand New
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Alibris
Sparks, NV, USA
Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 128 p.
Free delivery by: 29 Mar 2026