Not Logged in.
Book Jacket

The City


A coming-of-age tale of a jazz prodigy finding his way in 1960s New York City.
More about this book
Author Biography

Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

Created: 07/16/14

Replies: 12

Posted Jul. 16, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
donnac's Gravatar
donnac

Join Date: 03/26/14

Posts: 139

Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man? Does this custom (male authors writing in a woman's voice, etc.) ever give you pause? Does it influence your opinion of a novel?


Posted Jul. 16, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
alices

Join Date: 06/15/13

Posts: 11

RE: Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

NO. I do not feel that a person's race or ethic background effects their mind or emotions

Alice Q


Posted Jul. 16, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
rebeccar

Join Date: 03/13/12

Posts: 548

RE: Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

No, I never questioned this - and I have to admit that I have read many books in which a male author speaking as a woman or vice versa or a White author speaking as another race did NOT come across as authentic. I think Koontz 's voice comes across as authentic. I never had any pages on which I was jarred out of my enjoyment of the story by being aware of the author's race... or age.


Posted Jul. 16, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
terriej

Join Date: 07/28/11

Posts: 422

RE: Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

No, I assumed it was a black author.


Posted Jul. 17, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
harriettek

Join Date: 10/19/10

Posts: 38

RE: Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

No...I have found that some authors have a particular facility for inhabiting another's persona, such as a woman writing as a man or the reverse. It is tricky, but, in this case, I never questioned it. I did find that the child seemed especially perceptive for his age. I have questioned this in other writings and put it down to the adult looking at his life from a more mature age and recollection.


Posted Jul. 17, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
nanette s

Join Date: 05/06/12

Posts: 33

RE: Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

No, I usually do not think about the characters of a book and who is the actual author writing the story. I don't feel that it matters who the author is writing the story as long as it is a well balanced, well written story.


Posted Jul. 17, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
mariannes

Join Date: 12/17/12

Posts: 206

RE: Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

No, I didn't think about it, but maybe I should have. I did question the authenticity of the things the author had the kids say. I taught for many years and raised three children. None of the kids I was around were as perceptive as the ones in the book and didn't speak at the level Jonah and the others did.


Posted Jul. 18, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
christineb

Join Date: 10/13/11

Posts: 120

RE: Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

No I did not which I think is the mark of a good author. He was writing about the ethos of all of us no matter our color or background.


Posted Jul. 18, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
christinep

Join Date: 07/16/13

Posts: 45

RE: Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

I agree with Christineb in that Koontz was writing about the ethos of all of us no matter our color or background.


Posted Jul. 21, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
mystinamarie

Join Date: 12/19/12

Posts: 37

RE: Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

I agree with terriej, in that I assumed it was a black author. I did not question the voice, except like others pointed out that at times (more when Jonah was much younger) he seemed really perceptive for a child. But then I remembered that this is being spoken into a recorder from hindsight as an adult, so that helps explain that, too.


Posted Jul. 22, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
joannev

Join Date: 04/14/11

Posts: 68

RE: Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

No, not at all. Dean Koontz has a remarkable facility for inhabiting the thoughts and perceptions of young people - and I think this story really had little to do with race and more to do with the emotions and perceptions of a child as seen through the eyes of an adult.


Posted Jul. 22, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
cynthiaa

Join Date: 04/14/11

Posts: 112

RE: Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

Never even thought about it. So I guess the answer is no


Posted Jul. 24, 2014 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
jww

Join Date: 05/31/11

Posts: 166

RE: Did you at any time question the validity of a White author speaking as a Black man?

White, black, pink or purple...what does it matter if the author is a good one and writes with honesty? Never entered my mind. The book wasn't about 'race'. And when it was discussed it was so done so with dignity.


Reply

Please login to post a response.