Makeda, Robinson Randall

Makeda is a soaring, wrenching, and ultimately revealing glimpse into the roles within a powerful matriarchal family. . . . A must read for anyone who wants to appreciate history, the role of women, and the significance of transferring ideas, goals, and ambitions from one generation to the next.--Charles J. Ogletree Jr., author of The Presumption of Guilt

In Robinsons majestic prose and sweeping historical vision, the tongues of Virginia Woolf, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Toni Morrison blend to remind us that we can renew our souls in the eyes of ancestors who return to us in whatever way our lives demand.--Michael Eric Dyson, author of Know What I Mean?

Makeda Gee Florida Harris March is a proud matriarch, the anchor and emotional bellwether who holds together a hard-working African American family living in 1950s Richmond, Virginia. Lost in shadow is Makedas grandson Gray, who begins escaping into the magical world of Makedas tiny parlor.

Makeda, a woman blind since birth but who has always dreamed in color, begins to confide in Gray the things she sees and remembers from her dream state, and a story emerges that is layered with historical accuracy beyond the scope of Makedas limited education. Gradually, Gray begins to make a connection between his grandmothers dreams and the epic life of an African queen described in the Bible.

Part coming-of-age story, part spiritual journey, and part love story, Makeda is a universal tale of family, heritage, and the ties that bind. Randall Robinson plumbs the hearts of Makeda and Gray and summons our collective blood memories, taking the reader on an unforgettable journey of the soul that will linger long after the last page has been turned.