Nancy Rawles Knihy

To help her granddaughter accept the risks of loving, Sadie Watson mines her memory for the tale of the unquenchable love of her life, Jim. Sadie’s Jim was an ambitious young slave and seer who, when faced with the prospect of being sold, escaped down the Mississippi with a white boy named Huck Finn. Sadie is suddenly left alone, worried about her children, reviled as a witch, punished for Jim’s escape, and convinced her husband is dead. But Sadie’s will and her love for Jim animate her life and see her through.Told with spare eloquence and mirroring the true stories of countless slave women, My Jim recreates one of the most controversial characters in American literature. A nuanced critique of the great American novel, My Jim is a haunting and inspiring story about freedom, longing, and the remarkable endurance of love.Look for the Reader’s Group Guide at the back of this book.

Set against the backdrop of Los Angeles in 1984, the story follows Camille Broussard as she shifts from cooking for others to pursuing her own culinary dreams. After decades of hardship, including the impact of the 1965 riots and family challenges, Camille is determined to revive her community and reconnect with her family. With the help of her grandson Nicholas, neighbor Lester, and daughter Grace, she embarks on a journey to start a business, using cherished recipes from her Louisiana childhood to reignite her passion and hopes.