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mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
3.0
The Tragedy of Brady Sims is a decent book though somewhat oddly executed. I get the idea of a character study of a controversial figure told from the perspective of everyone except that figure. But, I thought it was pretty limited in scope. You could argue that it's part of the tragedy that no one knows the full story of Brady Sims. And I would honestly agree with you, but the caveat is that even if no one knows the entirety of Brady Sims there is room for a more in-depth examination in spite of the outside point of view.
The characters in the barbershop start off Brady Sims life essentially from the synopsis where it is stated that he was selected to be an enforcer for the Black community to keep everyone's children in line to avoid white retribution. The irony being that he could not save his own child from his fate and chose to kill him rather than leave him open to white subjugation. It reminded me a lot of Beloved by Toni Morrison. Murder can be love if the circumstances are right.
I would have appreciated if more of what led to Brady Sims choices were explored. The story as it is relies a lot on the reader to fill in holes and draw conclusions on their own. I don't need every aspect of his life from birth explained. I just would have liked to dig deeper into what else occurred in his life to lead him down this path. Particularly when it is revealed that he and the sheriff were apparently good friends to the point that the sheriff gives Sims the 2 hours he requests before Sims will turn himself in and is demonstrably upset about needing to arrest him.
It's a decent enough character study I feel hindered by its shorter length. I liked what was there. But, I feel the takeaway from this is in what Gaines chose to allude to or exclude altogether rather than what he officially put on page in-text.
The characters in the barbershop start off Brady Sims life essentially from the synopsis where it is stated that he was selected to be an enforcer for the Black community to keep everyone's children in line to avoid white retribution. The irony being that he could not save his own child from his fate and chose to kill him rather than leave him open to white subjugation. It reminded me a lot of Beloved by Toni Morrison. Murder can be love if the circumstances are right.
I would have appreciated if more of what led to Brady Sims choices were explored. The story as it is relies a lot on the reader to fill in holes and draw conclusions on their own. I don't need every aspect of his life from birth explained. I just would have liked to dig deeper into what else occurred in his life to lead him down this path. Particularly when it is revealed that he and the sheriff were apparently good friends to the point that the sheriff gives Sims the 2 hours he requests before Sims will turn himself in and is demonstrably upset about needing to arrest him.
It's a decent enough character study I feel hindered by its shorter length. I liked what was there. But, I feel the takeaway from this is in what Gaines chose to allude to or exclude altogether rather than what he officially put on page in-text.
anya_marquardt's review against another edition
4.0
I definitely found The Tragedy of Brady Sims to be one of the more unique books I’ve read, and I’m seeing that this has been a recurring theme with the novels we have been reading in this course. The book was unique to me in multiple ways, but I found the main reason to be how more than half of the novel was told in complete flashbacks explaining Brady Sims’ life. I also liked how the point of view of most of the novel was on Luis Guerin, the journalist. As a journalism minor and someone who has had to write “human interest” stories like this, I really enjoyed getting to read a novel from that point of view.
I think that this book can definitely be taught in the classroom. It has inherent themes of racism, and I think Sims’ role as an “enforcer” on many of the boys in the town will be very eye opening to students. I also think that multiple points of view can teach students a lot from the technical aspect of novels, as each point of view in the novel brings something different to the table, from Guerin’s journey to write the human interest article to Mapes’ disdain at having to arrest a friend of his. Overall, I think this is a novel that could give important and unique insights to students, from both a social aspect and a technical aspect.
I think that this book can definitely be taught in the classroom. It has inherent themes of racism, and I think Sims’ role as an “enforcer” on many of the boys in the town will be very eye opening to students. I also think that multiple points of view can teach students a lot from the technical aspect of novels, as each point of view in the novel brings something different to the table, from Guerin’s journey to write the human interest article to Mapes’ disdain at having to arrest a friend of his. Overall, I think this is a novel that could give important and unique insights to students, from both a social aspect and a technical aspect.
lizaroo71's review against another edition
3.0
Update:
I started reading this again and only realized I'd already read it when I logged in here to add it to my Currently Reading! Wow. That hasn't happened in years.
A quick enough read that is the story of Brady Sims narrated by those around him. Brady Sims is a decidedly difficult man, but one that earns the respect of those around him by his pure brazenness.
This is a quick read that is mostly told in dialogue between friends at the barbershop. Although short, it touches on racial tensions of the South.
I started reading this again and only realized I'd already read it when I logged in here to add it to my Currently Reading! Wow. That hasn't happened in years.
A quick enough read that is the story of Brady Sims narrated by those around him. Brady Sims is a decidedly difficult man, but one that earns the respect of those around him by his pure brazenness.
This is a quick read that is mostly told in dialogue between friends at the barbershop. Although short, it touches on racial tensions of the South.
astoldby_cece's review against another edition
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
usbsticky's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of the most different and interesting books I've read in a while. I got this from the crime/thriller section but it's definitely not one of those. If I had to pigeonhole this book, I would say it's in the human interest category. At 114 pages, it was a quick read and I finished it in a day.
The whole story takes place in the deep south of rural Louisiana. Most of the book takes place in a barber shop. A father shoots his son and the locals gather in the barber shop to discuss the event. The descriptions, the setting, the characters are great. The prose is authentic and the author did a great job of putting the reader there. Not only did I feel like I was in the barber shop, I felt like I was one of the customers and belonged there. If one of the characters had turned to me and asked a question, I would have answered it in the same drawl that all of them were speaking in. People say that words can come alive and these certainly did - for a brief moment in time I was an ancient Louisiana sharecropper and I enjoyed.
I got this as a free ARC.
The whole story takes place in the deep south of rural Louisiana. Most of the book takes place in a barber shop. A father shoots his son and the locals gather in the barber shop to discuss the event. The descriptions, the setting, the characters are great. The prose is authentic and the author did a great job of putting the reader there. Not only did I feel like I was in the barber shop, I felt like I was one of the customers and belonged there. If one of the characters had turned to me and asked a question, I would have answered it in the same drawl that all of them were speaking in. People say that words can come alive and these certainly did - for a brief moment in time I was an ancient Louisiana sharecropper and I enjoyed.
I got this as a free ARC.
mslaura's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
shannanh's review against another edition
5.0
This was the first book of Mr. Gaines that I read and I enjoyed it. It was a short, but jam packed read.
librarian_lisa_22's review against another edition
4.0
Gaines evokes a powerful atmosphere and mood. Most of the plot moves forward in a barbershop through gossip and story telling, leaving the outsider in the dark but letting the reader in. Gaines is a master.
booksbythecup's review against another edition
In the pages of this novella, we learn about a man named Brady Sims. Moments after the trial and sentencing of his son, outside of the courthouse, Brady walks up and shoots his son dead. The deputies who had Brady:s son in custody are terrified. Brady tells the deputies to tell Mapes, the sheriff, to give him 2 hours before coming to arrest Brady.
If that's not a sit up in your chair and almost drop your tea cup, you tell me what is. It's been years since I've read Gaines, but I always remember feeling a memorable connection, brutal and raw depictions about life, especially life for black people in an unfair and unjust society. In this book, things are no different. Instead of hearing from Brady, we listen to the local community, black men in the barbershop, to find out about who Brady Sims was.
If that's not a sit up in your chair and almost drop your tea cup, you tell me what is. It's been years since I've read Gaines, but I always remember feeling a memorable connection, brutal and raw depictions about life, especially life for black people in an unfair and unjust society. In this book, things are no different. Instead of hearing from Brady, we listen to the local community, black men in the barbershop, to find out about who Brady Sims was.