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A parallel could be drawn between
Manchild and any book written by Iceberg Slim or Chester Himes.
It's easy to write them off as insignificant ‘pulp fiction’ writers, but
the truth is they present realistic and clear examples of what their
life was. Whether you like that life or not it's a part of African
American history.
As long as there have been African
Americans in New York City, there has been an experience unique to
African Americans in New York City. Being one of the millions, Mr. Brown
not only captures that experience between the pages of Manchild
but also proves that not much has changed in the nature of that
experience. Brown illustrates the impact that Black communities have had
on New York and the social pressures the city created to deal with this
part of its population. It's as though Brown’s life is an experiment
where some sociologist poses the question, “How does an urban city like
New York raise it’s poor black folk?”
The answer is funny, ironic,
shocking and often times painful, but more importantly it’s honest.
Instead of that sociologist writing some scientific report that talks
about how young Claude was a victim of the economic repercussions of
post-World War II New York, Claude Brown just tells it how it was and
leaves the analysis and rationalization to you.
This is a very New York book, from its
setting to its mannerisms, and although others might argue that it’s applicable to
the Black experience in all urban settings, I’d say the full impact is lost if you
haven’t lived or at least spent some time in New York. If you live here, please read
the book twice. It’ll make you smile more when you walk around the streets of this
city. If you’ve never been here, what’s a better excuse to plan a vacation than
for some literary/historical enlightenment and what’s a better place to do that than
in New York while reading Manchild. Wherever you live please pick up Mr. Brown’s
book, you’ll thank me later.
M
October 1999 |
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