A Drop of Patience was an interesting read. I really enjoyed it for the most part, but it felt like it didn't really go anywhere. I expected some drastic character development for Ludlow, though I understand why the author didn't include it. I would have loved it to be longer as I wanted to find out more about Ludlow and his story.

I'm a fan of jazz music and have always wanted to learn the history of it and I feel like I learned a lot from this book. I could not imagine how tough being a black - and blind - jazz musician at the height of its popularity and facing racism. I thought Ludlow's story was intriguing and it has inspired me to research more into real jazz musicians and learn about them.

I highly recommend this story to jazz enthusiasts looking for a raw and unique story.

It's a fascinating read that aged well and kept me hooked till the last page.
I found the theme fascinating and the plot engrossing. The cast of characters is not always likeable but they're all well written and interesting.
It could be a very long review as there's a lot of themes in this novel and all of them are important but I prefer to keep it simple.
An excellent read, highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The story of a blind, black, jazz musician, A Drop of Patience (first published 1965) centres around Ludlow Washington, who learns to play his instrument after his father abandons him, aged 5, at an institution for the blind. Leaving the Home at 15, he plays for a new master, in a down-at-heel jazz club where he hones his skills and awakens to the world around him. 

     Reflecting on her husband's state of mind when writing the novel, Kelley's wife observes, "He excavated his soul bringing Ludlow Washington to life-the blind child left behind; the aching patience of the small boy waiting. Waiting; that knowing came from the deepest recess of his being. From not knowing his mother for the first five months of his life...A Drop of Patience plunged into his depths." And it is that sense of bewilderment that the protagonist exudes throughout as he attempts to make sense of a world that operates around systems, rules and expectations that relate to the colours that he himself cannot see. As Gerald Early observes in his 1996 introduction, the novel suggests "race is an illusion that blinds people who can see." (Btw, avoid reading said intro until you have completed the book, unless you wish to discover the entire plotline before you even begin!) 
     At one point, Ludlow remarks to a fellow musician and friend, "What do you think white folks want from us?" and Reno's reply speaks volumes, not only about race, but also about human interactions and insecurities as a whole, "They want us to be what they think we are."

     William Melvin Kelley's wife remembers that, "he wanted to experience blindness as we travelled around New York by subway; he would close his eyes, hold my elbow, listening to the rumble of the train, the babble of voices, subway doors opening and closing with a ding." For me, it is this attention to the sounds of a life lived in darkness, that is most remarkable. Kelley does not tell of squeaking hinges and warm breezes; wastes no words on facile nods towards the scent of blossoms or tweeting birds; instead he paints a world constructed of layers and textures which, those of us lucky enough to have sight,  too easily ignore;
     "His father approached him dragging his heavy shoes. Ludlow smelled dust in the air. Then his father's hand lifted his own and Ludlow hopped to his feet. His father led him to the road. They went to the right. The dirt on the road felt so powdery and dry it felt like hot water. Ludlow complained and his father lifted him up, his arm under Ludlow's thighs like a seat. Ludlow put his arm around his father's neck. Whiskers pricked his fingertips...The ground under his father's feet turned hard; Ludlow felt the shock all the way through his father's body. they were on a pavement now. A car chugged by, blowing warm air against his face."

     As relevant and poignant today as it was when first published, 'A Drop of Patience' is a compelling read and I am grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for sharing an advanced copy with me in return for my honest opinion.