| Leaving Cecil Street Contributor(s): McKinney-Whetstone, Diane (Author) |
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ISBN: 0060722894 ISBN-13: 9780060722890 Publisher: Harper Perennial OUR PRICE: $13.49 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: April 2005 Annotation: This riveting tale of tragedy and hope set in late sixties Philadelphia is from an author who "ought to be classified among the best of all contemporary fiction writers period" ("Detroit Free Press"). |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Fiction | Literary - Fiction | African American - Women - Fiction | Women |
| Dewey: FIC |
| Series: P.S. |
| Physical Information: 0.77" H x 5.3" W x 8.06" (0.57 lbs) 320 pages |
| Themes: - Sex & Gender - Feminine - Chronological Period - 1960's - Cultural Region - Mid-Atlantic - Ethnic Orientation - African American - Geographic Orientation - Pennsylvania - Locality - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Accelerated Reader Info |
| Quiz #: 86053 Reading Level: 6.4 Interest Level: Upper Grades Point Value: 15.0 |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: A riveting tale about a back-room abortion that has devastating consequences for two teenage girls on a close knit Philadelphia block circa 1972 Block parties were king in this West Philadelphia neighborhood, especially the year Cecil Street decided to have two. These energetic, sensual street celebrations serve as backdrops to the story of best friends Neet and Shay and their families. When Neet becomes pregnant by one of the corner boys, Shay arranges an abortion that goes terribly awry when Neet begins to hemorrhage. Neet is left unable to bear children and to Shay's horror slips under the spell of her mother Alberta's severe, esoteric religious beliefs. Shay is left to struggle with the grief of losing a cherished friendship, while she also bears witness to the the disintegration of her parents' marriage. The story climaxes during the second block party, during which time it is discovered that Neet and Alberta have disappeared from Cecil Street--the holy-roller mother, Alberta, having finally been set free from the shackles of her church by none other than Shay's father. |
Contributor Bio(s): McKinney-Whetstone, Diane: - The author of the critically acclaimed novels Tumbling, Tempest Rising, Blues Dancing, Leaving Cecil Street, and Trading Dreams at Midnight, Diane McKinney-Whetstone is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Black Caucus of the American Library Association's Literary Award for Fiction, which she won twice. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband. For more on Diane McKinney-Whetstone please visit www.mckinney-whetstone.com or follow her on Twitter @Dianemckwh. |