Four Spirits

This was an outstanding novel! Unfortunately, it is an accurate representation of the civil rights in Birmingham at that time. Birmingham had a dismal record of police brutality and indifference, far worse than most the south. Ms. Naslund does a fine job of balancing the story of a tragic time without the simplicity of finger pointing. I know other southerners who rejected this book as more violent that the times truly were. None of them were from Birmingham in the 60's.

Set in Birmingham, Alabama during the early 1960's FOUR SPIRITS is an engrossing novel of how the Civil Rights movement not only affected individuals residing in the city but also the city itself. Birmingham was one of the hotbeds of demonstrations, bombings, and protests during this era, and the lives of those living within the city were greatly affected. This novel focuses on individuals who are deeply affected by the events occurring around them. Written from the perspective of a variety of characters, this novel provides the reader with a multitude of glimpses of the violence embedded in their daily activities. Each character is brought to life, and the story is three-dimensional and highly textured. Embedded in the plot are notorious incidents (i.e., the death of the four young girls in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church) and grand figures (i.e., Martin Luther King, Jr.) but the novel remains authentic and real. FOUR SPIRITS is a well-written account of recent American history, and is worthy of all the praise it has received thus far. In spite of the cliché, this novel was certainly difficult to put down and I finished it in record time. Enjoy.

Having lived and grown up in Birmingham, AL during this period of its history, this book was of particular interest to me. Ms. Naslund has captured the flavor, the ectasy, the heartbreak of this time in a very ingenious manner, focusing on the lives of some ten to twelve individual people during this time of turmoil and heartbreak. Her chapters are short, which makes the book more compelling and difficult to put down, and the ending is truly magnificent. Ms. Naslund with her latest book continues to add to her reputation as a tremendously gifted and deeply sensitive writer. It is truly a breathtaking and unforgettable novel.

Naslund uses her sensuous language to bring alive events surrounding some of the most shameful events in our national history. Her telling of the story of the four little girls bombed to death in a Birmingham church concentrates on those who were there -- those affected by these tragic deaths in many different ways. In short and sparkling chapters Naslund brings these characters to life: Not only those struggling to right the wrongs, but those responsible for committing them. Should you read this book? Yes. If you were not alive during the tumult of the early sixties, you should read this book and think. Yes. If you were alive you should read this book and remember. Always remember. For it is ever true that those of us who do not remember our history will find a way to repeat it. Naslund, with unimpeachable skill, fictionalizes the horrors, creates recognizeable humans to populate her story, and makes an imperative of remembrance. Naslund's skill is formidable. She is a writer to pay attention to. She knows the human heart in darkness and in light.