One of Toni Morrison's best novels

With passion and a voice that sings with beautiful detail and magic, Toni Morrison's third novel, published in 1977, is a powerful tale that follows the lives of a black family and their friends living in a Michigan city. In 1931, Macon Dead III, later nicknamed Milkman, is prematurely brought into the world, the first black child born in Mercy Hospital, just after his mother witnesses the brief flight of a man determined to fly from the cupola of the hospital. Although the novel revolves around Milkman, the stories spun out from him embrace a wide variety of characters and experiences. Morrison explores the lasting stamp of slavery through the name of Macon Dead; the intimate culture of women through Pilate, Reba, and Hagar; the hunger for property and respectability through Milkman's father; the idea of one's "people" through those in the South who have not forgotten connections; the violence of civil rights through Guitar; and many more issues facing blacks of the times and today. Despite the resonance of history, this novel is ultimately about its people and their eagerly lived lives. Morrison plunges her readers into their hearts with a humanity and skill too few novelists possess. The result is a remarkably emotional and intelligent story that will stay with you for a long time.

Readers should not be intimidated by Morrison's Nobel Prize Winner status, as this novel, like most of her others, is written in startling but accessible language. You don't need an advanced degree (or even a specific race or gender) to slip into her magical prose. Her characters are real and fully realized, and feel like friends, even when you might want to shake them to their senses. Although some readers will be puzzled by the end, wanting perhaps the next sentence that explains it all, Morrison has included by her omission the real meaning of her book. Visit with it for a few moments before closing the cover.

I highly recommend this book for a wide range of readers, from high school students to adults. Even though it was written in the 1970's, its themes and characters still have relevance today. Morrison is one of the world's literary gifts, and should not be missed. THE SONG OF SOLOMON is one of her best novels.

Beautiful, memorable characters

This was the first Toni Morrison book I've read and it's made me a fan. The characters in this book are each so fully developed, you feel like you know them personally and you understand their motives for their actions. There is no one-dimensional character in this book and the plot is totally driven by the characters' flaws and aspirations. I learned so much about early 20th century Black history from reading this book. I really think it should be assigned reading for any student of American history and/or literature. I especially enjoyed the dialogue of the book, it's written in such a real and lively way that I could actually "hear" the different voices of the characters. The style of the book, in that it has elements of magic realism, reminds of the books by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, such as One Hundred Years of Solitude. It's a book you have to think through, it's not what I would call light, summer reading. But if you are willing to put in a little more time and energy, you will be rewarded with a well-crafted story that spans several generations.

A Morrison Classic With Fewer Tears

Song of Solomon fits well into the classic Toni Morrison genre of heart-wrenchingly poetic and painfully beautiful stories, but it is a bit different from her other works at the same time. The main character of this novel is a male, but the deeper thematic undercurrents channel strongly towards feminism (or in this case womanism, black women's feminism). It's a story of finding yourself and your roots, your true name. The story follows a North to South journey for a young black man. Filled with symbolism and mythology, the novel is rich and engrossing. The motif is based on old stories of African American slaves who shed their bonds and flew back to Africa. Your interpretation of this novel will lead you in one of two directions: did they fly or did they perish? The novel poses this question to you in an eloquent and beautiful way. In the end, your interpretation of this novel may tell you something about yourself and what you believe in.