Such Sweet Thunder

By Vincent O. Carter

Book Overview

"Astonishing ... an uncommonly rich picture of Black American family life in early 20th century Jim Crow America." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

This "vibrant portrait of African American life" in Jazz Age Kansas City captures the magic of childhood and parental love through the eyes of a remarkable boy (New York Times)

This must-read rediscovery, published in an elegant and unabridged paperback edition with a new foreword, is a literary masterpiece poised to take its rightful place in the American literary canon.

Such Sweet Thunder immerses readers in the life of a precocious infant, Amerigo Jones, and then tells the story of his first 18 years as he becomes aware of the adult world, from racism and crime to falling in love. All the while, in one of the most moving homages to parents ever to appear in literature, Amerigo is protected by Viola and Rutherford, who are loving and, mostly, even-tempered, but also desperately young -- teenagers themselves when Amerigo is born -- and poor.

When it was finally published in 2003, 40 years after Carter completed it and 20 years after he died, Critics hailed the novel's "unflinching condemnation of a society that rejects bright, eager Black children" (The Cleveland Plain Dealer).

This "colossal work of fiction" (The Kansas City Star) and "vibrant portrait of African-American life" (New York Times) is set in an era marred by racial segregation and relentless, daily injustices and yet renders with deep appreciation and artistry a time and place enriched by a widely influential African American culture and a fierce feeling for family and community.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 180533266X
• ISBN13: 9781805332664
• Release Date: February 2025
• Publisher: Pushkin Press Classics
• Length: 652 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 5.2" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Captivating Coming of Age Story

SUCH SWEET THUNDER is a posthumously released novel written in 1963 by Vincent O Carter. Several publishers rejected Carter?s orginal manuscript and Carter died before he could see his work published. However, the manuscript was found 30 years later by Herbert Lottman in the possession of Carter?s girlfriend. Lottman writes the foreword for the reborn manuscript and the only changes he made to the novel was the name from its original title ? The Primary Colors.?SUCH SWEET THUNDER begins in 1944 when the reader meets Amerigo Jones who is a solider fighting in World War II. He is visiting a French prostitute and in her eyes, Amerigo envisions a woman from his youth. The story from this point is lyrical flashback to a segregated Kansas City of the 1920 and 30. The reader sees life from Amerigo?s perspective as he deals with independence, love, sexuality and respect. Amerigo is a dreamer who realizes many of dreams will be unfulfilled because of his skin color. SUCH SWEET THUNDER is a captivating coming of age story. It is well written and the novel enthralls the reader with the vivid descriptions of a young man?s life. I am glad that Mr. Lottoman found the manuscript and completed the process that Carter started 40 years earlier.Reviewed by Robilyn Heath of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers