The Street: A Novel
With a new introduction from New York Times best-selling author Tayari Jones, The Street was Ann Petry's first novel, originally published in 1946 and hailed by critics as a masterwork.
The Street tells the poignant, often heartbreaking story of Lutie Johnson, a young black woman, and her spirited struggle to raise her son amid the violence, poverty, and racial dissonance of Harlem in the late 1940s.
Lutie is confronted by racism, sexism, and classism on a daily basis in her pursuit of the American dream for herself and her son, Bub. Lutie fully subscribes to the belief that if she follows the adages of Benjamin Franklin by working hard and saving wisely, she will be able to achieve the dream of being financially independent.
The first novel by an African-American woman to sell more than a million copies, its haunting tale still resonates today.
"Petry is the writer we have been waiting for; hers are the stories we need to fully illuminate the questions of our moment, while also offering a page-turning good time. Ann Petry, the woman, had it all, and so does her insightful, prescient and unputdownable prose."--Tayari Jones, New York Times Book Review
The Street tells the poignant, often heartbreaking story of Lutie Johnson, a young black woman, and her spirited struggle to raise her son amid the violence, poverty, and racial dissonance of Harlem in the late 1940s.
Lutie is confronted by racism, sexism, and classism on a daily basis in her pursuit of the American dream for herself and her son, Bub. Lutie fully subscribes to the belief that if she follows the adages of Benjamin Franklin by working hard and saving wisely, she will be able to achieve the dream of being financially independent.
The first novel by an African-American woman to sell more than a million copies, its haunting tale still resonates today.
"Petry is the writer we have been waiting for; hers are the stories we need to fully illuminate the questions of our moment, while also offering a page-turning good time. Ann Petry, the woman, had it all, and so does her insightful, prescient and unputdownable prose."--Tayari Jones, New York Times Book Review
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Community Reviews
Ann Petry's The Street tells Lutie Johnson's story, a young single Black mother in 1940s Harlem trying her best to provide the best life for her and her son Bub, but "the Street" had other plans. Lutie knew about the Street's influence but she planned to "fight against it", but the Street was too strong and has a lot of methods to trap the people who find themselves residing there. All types of characters (Black and white), all types of values (love of money, racism, misogyny) are on the Street sucking "the humanity out of people". The Street is not only a location, it also is an ecosystem of different parts all with the same dark and sordid goal, a place not suitable for Lutie and Bub, the Street changed them. This is a tragic story, one where the less you know about the book going in the more powerful it will be when you finish it. The characters in this book are unforgettable, they are so different and interesting that at times you want a book just about each of them. This book will stay with you for a while. It may even cause you to ask after almost 80 years since its publication, what has truly changed. Go read this classic.
Wow, just wow! Amazing storytelling, amazing scene building. The way she lets you know exactly what's going on in the minds of every single character is also amazing.
I read this novel attempting to guess the end the entire way, and I was 100% wrong on each one!! lol Ann Petry gets to the end of the book, and just slaps you in the mouth with realness.
This book just made it into my top 10 of all time, and it was published decades ago! Amazing work of art.
I read this novel attempting to guess the end the entire way, and I was 100% wrong on each one!! lol Ann Petry gets to the end of the book, and just slaps you in the mouth with realness.
This book just made it into my top 10 of all time, and it was published decades ago! Amazing work of art.
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