On Beale Street by Ronald Kidd

On Beale Street by Ronald Kidd

Rating: PG

Score: 5 stars

Living in Memphis, 1954, Johnny Ross' life is pretty much what you'd expect in the time and place. A black-and-white life with his friends and family just trying to live their lives as normally as possible. Until Johnny somehow finds his way onto Beale Street, and everything changes. There's music he's never allowed to listen too, people singing and dancing at the clubs and on the wrong side of the tracks. But Johnny can't pull himself away from the blues, the music he so desperately craves, especially when he starts working for Sam Phillips at Sun Records. And not only that, but when a new up-and-coming artist named Elvis records his first song, it's something no one has ever heard before and Johnny can't get enough of it. With the making of history right before his eyes, his life starts changing along with the rest of the world. As secrets from Johnny's past start threatening to tear apart his black-and-white life, he can't help but see how the power of music brings people together. A country divided by race united by Rock 'N' Roll.

Review:

Pros:

1. The story is about division, conflict and most importantly, music. If you're a music lover like me, you will definitely want to pick up this book and start reading. The story is about a young teenage boy who's just looking for a passion of his and once he finds it, he won't let anyone or anything stand in the way.

2. I love how the story deals with a time when people were divided among race and how things like music brought people together. It deals a lot with acceptance and how even your friends that you thought would stay with you forever are no better than strangers who choose to judge without knowing you.

3. The book is also about finding new friends in the people you were raised to stay away from. In this case, blacks don't mix with whites. Johnny learns that race doesn't matter when it comes to friendship and that sometimes a good change can be controversial to others.

4. This book is definitely one of my favorite books of all time and I am proud to have a copy on my bookshelf. This book deals with certain issues that are important to know and realize. It's definitely an eye opener to the real world and what music is actually capable of doing.

Age Recommendation: 13+

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