Mama Ruby

By Mary Monroe

Book Overview

New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe presents an unforgettable tale featuring the rebellious early years of Mama Ruby, the indomitable heroine of her acclaimed novel The Upper Room. Growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, Ruby Jean Upshaw is the kind of girl who knows what she wants and knows how to get it. By the time she's fifteen, Ruby has a taste for fast men and cheap liquor, and not even her preacher daddy can set her straight. Only Othella Mae Cartier, daughter of the town tramp, understands what makes Ruby tick. When Ruby discovers she's in the family way, she's scared for the first time in her life. After hiding her growing belly, Ruby secretly gives birth to a baby girl at Othella's house. Othella talks Ruby into giving the child away-and with the help of a shocking revelation, convinces Ruby to run off with her to New Orleans. But nothing can erase Ruby's memories of her child-or quell her simmering rage at Othella for persuading her to let her precious baby go. Someday there will be a reckoning. And Othella will learn that no one knows how to exact revenge quite like Ruby Jean Upshaw...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0758238622
• ISBN13: 9780758238627
• Release Date: February 2012
• Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.27 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

I Loved It!

Now I Know Why Mama Ruby Acted The Way She Did All Her Life She Went Through So Many Trails And Tribulations Pluse The Fact Her Whole Life She Felt Ugly And Unwanted & The Only One Desire To Have A Daughter. Another Page Turner Mary Monroe Is A Great Writer Loved Reading This Book!!!

My personal thoughts

I read The Upper Room first was like, "who is Mama Ruby? what does she act like this?" But it all makes sense now. She has been through it all. This book really paints a picture of the pass and how Blacks were treated and had to overcome so much. She was fearless though. We all have a Mama Ruby inside of us, and I could relate to her being negatively labeled by her looks and feeling like her friend was so much better.