Nineteen Fifty-Nine

I just finished 1959, and I was a bit dissapointed with the characters. It rhought that the author could have developed their personalities more thoroughly and in greater detail. I loved the plot line and the way the conflict was developed. Willie Tarrant is a 12 year old African-American young lady growing up in the end of the civil rights era. She is innocent, sometimes even oblivious to the conflict between the white people and the black people of Turner Virginia, her home town. By the end of the novel, Willie has experienced the effects that racism has on a her society, just from growing up in the middle of it. The black people of Turner, throughout the whole novel, are fighting for a simple integration in schools .They were fed up with not being able to shop in certain stores, or eat at certain lunch counters because of the colour of their skin. This is how they came up with the idea of integration. The whites of Turner continuously ignored their request so it led some of the local collage students to lash out and fight for their rights. I was impressed with the development of the conflict, but a bit dissapointed with the characters. I felt it was a bit hard to keep them straight

I use this novel every time I teach my Literature of the Civil Rights Movement course. I can't believe it's out of print! Since it's mostly told from a 12 year old's perspective, it gives great insights into what the Movement must have been like for its non-famous participants. It's also beautifully written.

The book 1959, was well written and interesting. Willie was a well thought out charactar, and I was almost convinced that the story was real. Good job Davis.

I was born in 1959 and was immediately attracted to this book. I was captured by the author's style of writing. I was transported in time to live and feel what life was like for those involved in the civil rights movement. I am most impressed with the author's ability to have the reader feel the happy-go-lucky feeling of being a child yet experiencing the fear of death and judgement. This book is the best I have read this year. Members of my book club will enjoy it also.