Scottsboro: A Novel by Ellen Feldman- Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: W.W. Norton & Co.; 1 edition (May 20, 2009)
- ISBN-13: 978-0393333527
Back-of-the-Book Blurb: Alabama, 1931. A posse stops a freight train and arrests nine black youths, ranging in age from thirteen to nineteen. Their crime: fighting with white boys. Then two white girls, dressed in men’s overalls, emerge from another freight car. Though they show no signs of abuse, fast as anyone can say Jim Crow, the cry of rape goes up.
One of the girls sticks to her story. The other changes her tune, again and again. While the NAACP and the Communist Party vie to save the boys’ lives and make political hay, and a wily criminal lawyer renowned for defending underworld characters battles age-old prejudices, a young journalist fights to rescue the nine youths from the electric chair, redeem the girl who repents her lie, and make amends for her own past.
Intertwining historical and fictional characters and stirring racism, sexism, and anti-Semitism in an explosive brew, Scottsboro is a novel of a case and a cause that roiled the nation for almost half a century. No crime in American history, let alone a crime that never occurred, resulted in as many trials, convictions, reversals, and seminal Supreme Court decisions. It destroyed lives, forged careers, and brought out the best—and the worst—in the men and women who fought for the cause.
She is Too Fond of Books’ review: Are you at all interested in American social history? Civil rights? Social justice? I’m going to go out on a limb and tell you that Scottsboro is one of the best books dealing with a re-imagined historical event that I’ve ever read. Ellen Feldman addresses the facts of “the Scottsboro Boys” and their many trials and tribulations, while analyzing them in the mind of her fictional Alice Whittier, a reporter for the equally fictional The New Order, a magazine with Communist leanings.
I base much of my appreciation for the novel on its historical accuracy; as the author indicates in the Acknowledgements:
Setting fictional characters loose among the ghosts of history is a dicey matter. I have tried to be true to the facts of the Scottsboro case and faithful to the spirit of the time and the significance of the events.
Further, “Much of the trial testimony in the book is taken verbatim from the trial records.” Feldman cites her sources, and makes clear which parts of the novel are imagined (namely, Alice Whittier and her co-worker Abel Newman, and the relationship between Ruby and Alice), and which are historical (all of the “boys”, the female accusers, the lawyers, etc.)
Feldman takes the facts of the case, the contrasts and tensions that still ran deep between the South and the North, and gives them life and personalities by imagining conversations and creating scenarios that might have played out.
Toward the beginning of the book, Alice Whittier travels to Scottsboro hoping to meet and interview the nine boys shortly after the first of their many trials. Read how Feldman gives personality and cunning to the town itself, hiding behind a fleeting disguise of early haze:
I stepped down from the train into the morning mist. Greening live oaks and white clapboard buildings came shimmering out of it like a mirage. The town was prettier than I had expected, but I would not be taken in by that. I knew the smugness and boredom that could spread like mildew across the deep lawns and climb the sleepy trees. I was on intimate terms with the mean-spiritednesss and duplicity that could lurk behind freshly painted facades. A few rays of sunshine were already piercing the haze. The mist would burn off as the day ripened, leaving the town standing sharp and clear in the sunlight. That was what I was waiting for.
Over the course of the novel, Alice befriends Ruby Bates, one of the two women (girls, really) who accused the Scottsboro Boys of rape. Ruby and Victoria Price are victims of poverty, minimal work opportunities, and a collective history of being “loose.” Ruby’s story flip-flops (as it did historically), and she soon admits that she only repeated Victoria’s accusations in order to protect them both from any repercussions from riding the rails illegally.
The novel is told in the first person, in both the voices of Alice and Ruby. Alice’s portions are the majority, offering her analysis of the implications of the many trials, the horrendous prison conditions, and the political benefits to those representing the Scottsboro Boys. Historically, this case put many men in the limelight and was a stepping stone for several careers.
The accurate historical framework makes Scottsboro and excellent pick for those wanting to learn more about the period in general, and the Scottsboro story specifically. It would be appropriate for a high school student studying the events, as long as they understand the line between fact and fiction. Many of the themes are still relevant today; personal stories and the Reading Group Guide included in the Norton paperback make it a good choice for a book discussion group.
Scottsboro was shortlisted for the 2009 Orange Prize for fiction. Author Ellen Feldman also wrote The Boy Who Loved Anne Frank and Lucy, two other works of re-imagined history, based on known historical documents. I’ve added both to my wish list.
I have heard wonderful things about this book! The one thing that seemed to confuse people, though, is that it is fiction that is written like its not. Another observation is that the cover is different from the other reviews I’ve seen (I think the other reviews have been British). That cover features a young black girl. This causes me to reflect on the topic that Amy @ My Friend Amy brought up recently. Why did they change the cover? Apparently there are publishers out there that feel a book’s sales will suffer if there is a minority on the cover. I’m wondering if this is one of those cases…
Sandy – I would definitely caution a reader to know what is fact and what is fiction before starting the book; the author’s acknowledgements might be better placed in the front of the book
I don’t know about the cover. Ruby and Victoria were white women, falsely accusing the 9 black men of rape. I wonder why the other cover showed a black woman (?). I’m going to google the various covers now …
Believe it or not, I know quite a bit about the Scottsboro case because it comes up very frequently in the books I edit. I mean, don’t ask me to spout off the facts, but I am familiar with the situation from the factual side. Thus I am really curious about this novel and to have what I know fleshed out by a story. I’ll have to track this down in print or audio…
I also read and wrote a review in June on my blog Bookworms Dinner.
Here is an interview I did with Ellen about her book. I was able to speak with her during a phone conversation and I can’t tell you how interesting it was.
http://bookwormsdinner.blogspot.com/2009/07/interview-with-ellen-feldman-about-her.html
http://bookwormsdinner.blogspot.com/2009/07/interview-with-ellen-feldman-about-her.html
I think it’s really important too to read the extra matter first so you know which parts are true. If you want to see real pictures of all of the participants, there is a website here:
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/scottsboro/SB_imag.html
Thanks for the review! This has been on my To Read list for a while, ever since I read The Help (which I’m sure takes a much gentler approach to social issues).
I love this cover, too.
Thanks for reviewing this one. . .it looks fascinating! I’ll want to hear more about the cover. Very interesting.
I know very little about the Scottboro Boys, so I think this would be fascinating. I’ll try to remember to read the author’s note first if I have the opportunity to read this book.
Now that I go back and look, I guess it could be a black boy. Which would make a little more sense, wouldn’t it? My eyes are failing!
Beth – I really loved it! My major was “history of American civilization” with a focus on American Social History, so it was right up my alley. I only knew the case in passing, and found the courtroom proceedings fascinating.
Wisteria – thanks so much for the links to your review and interview! It must have been interesting to talk to the author.
rhapsody – thanks for the link to the pics. One of the points made by the fictional Alice is that many newspapers referred to the accused men as “the boys” often neglecting to name them. This, of course, furthered the notion that they were all lumped together and less worthy than whites.
Kari – Yes, read it! I haven’t yet read THE HELP … that one’s on my list
Amy – I think it was a case of mistaken identity … the British cover portrays an African American male, probably referring to one of the Scottsboro Boys
Kathy – in my Norton paperback copy, the acknowledgements are in the back (and don’t contain any spoilers, as far as I remember)
Sandy – you got us all riled up!
I know I’m sensitive after this week’s bruhaha with that *other* cover!
Another great review for this book. I resisted putting it on my list before, but you fellow book bloggers are forcing my hand. I can only read so many glowing reviews before I break down!
Looks like one not to be missed! Thanks Dawn!
Adding this one to my never-ending to-read list. Sounds like a great read.
Great review.. I have this one in my pile. I can’t wait to give it a shot.
Stacy – it’s so hard to resist the siren call of good books waiting to be read!
Amy – I’m going to suggest it to my CT book group (we still read a lot of the same books, even though I’ve moved 2.5 hours away)
Anna – move it up near the top
Toni – I’ll look for your review … I think you’ll like it.
I had never heard of this incident, but the book sounds like it really gives an accurate and well thought representation of it. I don’t read many books in this vein, but I think that I might just put this on my wish list, as it sounds very interesting. Thanks for the great and thoughtful review!
I LOVED “Lucy” and am so glad to know Ellen Feldman has another book out. She’s a wonderful writer. Thanks for the review!
(Can you tell I am still catching up on blog posts from when I was on vacation two weeks ago? I don’t want to miss a thing.