The cover is really beautiful, but the content is not for me.
I don't relate to the story.

Thanks NetGalley and the author for the ARC!

This book was so thought provoking and meaningful. Each essay had something to say and made me think and feel in new ways. I will read for the rest of my life and never find a book like this again.

In Autumn Song, Patrice Gopo has presented a collection of essays which reflect her searches and researches in life: her early like as a black girl in Alaska; her finding her now husband in Cape Town; her now home in Charlotte, North Carolina; her life as a mother to two daughters; and running through all of this, her identity as a black woman and writer in a 21st century United States that continues to have major racial issues and difficulty in facing and dealing with them. Her essays are deeply personal while also being very relatable.

One of my favorite essays is “Understanding A Brief Statement on Grace.” In this essay, Gopo describes some of her podcasts and interviews on race and how she reacts to those who ask questions or respond to her. As she provides multiple definitions of grace, she ponders how “gracious” she has been in her interactions and the results of that grace. Truly an interesting and thought provoking discussion of the meanings of grace and how it’s impact on her through her upbringing might impact her work now.

I found much to contemplate as I read and, as a white woman, I wished for an opportunity to be in the audience for one of Gopo’s talks. Better yet to sit and talk with her. She is an observer of nature, of people, of the world around her and is able to create portraits,large and small, of life that I enjoyed reading. The essays run the gamut of subjects but home, family, fulfillment and self knowledge seem to be the center of all. After a few at the start that were slower to engage with, the rest of the collection soared.

Recommended for readers of essays.

Thank you to University of Nebraska Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This collection of essays is beautifully written and reads, at times, like poetry. I felt some of the time ideas dragged a bit, but otherwise it was an enjoyable read.

The essays are somehow very endearing to read. Very descriptive, very charming, and I enjoy to learn about the essays as I went on. However sadly, this book seems like it is not for me.

Thank you, NetGalley and University of Nebraska Press, for giving me access for this ARC!

I loved the cover of this book, but I didn't request it at first, as the description just did not grab me. On my second trip through I decided to request it. However, it was not for me, I just did not connect with the writing. I am surprised at this as some of the things she writes about are things I hold dear. I thank NetGalley and University of Nebraska Press for the chance to read it.

Thank you, NetGalley for the eArc copy of the book!

5 Stars (A full review incoming at a later date)

This was a collection I didn't expect I would enjoy. I gained a tremendous amount of insight and valuable takeaways. Gopo's writing kept me sticking for more and it was beautiful. This is a book I do plan on purchasing in the future. The amount of lines I jot down was too many! There were certain essays where I could relate and there were some that made me think a bit more (which I enjoy).

5 Stars - Autumn Song by Patrice Gopo - Each essay I read left me feeling thoughtful and inspired, like I do when I have coffee or a drink with that one friend who inspires me to go home and write, or paint, or make something with my hands.

If you have never explored a collection of essays, "Autumn Song" should be your first. If you love essayists, Patrice Gopo is an author to add to your favorites. The descriptive language was lush and enjoyable to explore and the pacing and sectioning of each piece felt carefully crafted, adding to the reading experience. The authors experiences and perspective were relatable and emotionally rich, but also explicitly and uniquely rooted in her sense of self and her experiences as a black woman in America, Reading each essay was an exercise in self-reflection. The very personal final essay had me silent sobbing on the couch so as to not wake my kids. Not being a frequent book crier made this particular collection an easy addition to the very short list of 5 star reads on my 2023 list.

Lastly, that cover art! It is gorgeous and rich and I'm always guilty of secretly liking a book just a little bit more when the cover is pretty.