Red River

Starred review from December 18, 2006
Four generations of African-American Southerners claw their way up from the ruins of Reconstruction in this engrossing family saga by the author of the bestselling Cane River
. Tademy begins with a harrowing recreation of the notorious 1873 massacre at Colfax, La., where 150 blacks, gathered in defense of local Republican officials—and their own citizenship—were killed by white supremacists. Her narrative continues into the 1930s with a fictionalized chronicle of her forebears in the Tademy and Smith clans as they struggle against poverty, buy land and pursue their dream of starting a school for African-American children, their progress challenged by floods, hunting accidents and the Ku Klux Klan. It's an unabashed story of racial uplift (sample dialogue: " 'We getting old, and it up to us to move the race forward'"), but there's plenty of drama and grit to keep it from becoming cloying. Through her characters, the author paints an indelible portrait of rural life under Jim Crow, built around backbreaking farm labor, blood ties that bind and chafe, and the omnipresent fear of a capricious white racism that can undo in a moment the work of a lifetime. Combining family anecdotes with historical research and a rich imagination, Tademy crafts another American epic. Photos.

November 1, 2006
Following her "New York Times" best seller, "Cane River", Tademy continues to mix fact with fiction in a historical novel about freed slaves, voting for the first time in Colfax, LA, who elect a Republican sheriff but face opposition from a group of ruthless white citizens.

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2006
Tademy, author of the highly acclaimed " Cane River " (2001), revisits her fascinating family history in this fictionalized account of the family\'s survival of a riot in 1873. Colfax, Louisiana, was the site of a massacre of more than 100 black men by white supremacists determined that the voting rights of former slaves not be honored, keeping in place political officials who upheld the racial hierarchy of slavery even during Reconstruction. Tademy family legend credits Sam Tademy with reclaiming the closest phonetic pronunciation of his original African name following the Civil War, and passing it along in the family. Sam is a major figure in this recollection of the events leading up to the massacre and the struggle thereafter. Tademy draws on family legend, official documents, and newspaper accounts to chronicle the determination of the Tademys, the Smiths, and other black families to take a stand against rising racial brutality in the years following slavery. The Tademys were among the black families who sought to make a place for themselves in the town, buying land, opening a store, starting a school, braving continued attacks by racists, marrying, and continuing their family lines. Tademy brings drama and pathos to an epic account of her family history and a shameful account of our nation's history. Tademy is establishing herself as a compelling chronicler of the complex history of slavery and race in America. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)

February 26, 2007
Blending historical fact and fictional narrative, Tademy portrays an endearing generational family saga of her ancestors as they embraced the potential freedoms afforded by Reconstruction and struggled through the backlash of white supremacy in Colfax, La. Despite losing their rights, property and lives, the Tademy family perseveres, carrying a legacy of strength, determination and prosperity to each new generation. Gammy Singer introduces listeners to the story in the brittle yet wise and aged voice of the oldest surviving matriarch, Polly, who witnessed four generations of Tademys from 1873 to 1937. Tim Cain provides the crux of the performance embodying the dynamic members of this family and delivering the narrative in a solemn and deep tone that grips its audience. He remains consistent and distinct with his vocal characterizations while also allowing for some similarity among family members. Inspiring musical interludes announce the end of a CD or the transition of time within the story. Though the abridgment feels evident, listeners don't necessarily feel shortchanged by the production. The author's note read by Tademy at the end also resolves certain questions listeners might have about the story's validity. Simultaneous release with the Warner hardcover (Reviews, Dec. 18).

Starred review from November 15, 2006
A successful black female executive, Tademy left corporate America to explore her family's roots. "Cane River", the first novel to result from her genealogical research, was a 2001 Oprah's Book Club summer selection and a "New York Times" best seller. Here, the author tackles a different branch of the Tademy family tree, skillfully portraying the repercussions of what became known as the Colfax Riot. In 1873, during Reconstruction, black voters in Colfax, LA, many of whom were freed slaves, took up arms to install the legally elected white Republican Party sheriff, who was seen by angry whites as a hated carpetbagger. A violent standoff at the town courthouse resulted in great loss of life and ushered in a new era of intimidation and discrimination that many Southern blacks had hoped was ending with Reconstruction. This engrossing and eyeopening emotional family saga spans several generations while bringing an African American perspective to a very painful time in U.S. history. Strongly recommended for all fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 9/15/06.]Laurie A. Cavanaugh, Brockton P.L., MA

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.