David a Weiss

Bookmarks David a Weiss

I'm a fan of all of David Weiss's novels, but Bookmarks is my favorite. It is his most ambitious story, the one with the widest vision. Mican Reinbow is an engaging character about whom the reader cares deeply. We experience his triumphs and failures, his efforts to overcome the racial disadvantages that might have destroyed or embittered another person. The novelist's passion for equality and social justice is strikingly evident on every page. The novel is tightly constructed, and the many settings are fully realized: Fort Myers, St. Augustine, Savannah, Columbia, and Schenectady. The minor characters are also memorable: Abbey, Grover, Walter, Noah, Mr. Wright, Hopkins, Lucinda, Izzy, Edison, and Steinmetz. In addition, the novel is meticulously researched and informative: I learned so much about nineteenth-century and early-twentieth-century American history, especially Reconstruction and the Jim Crow South. Even the footnotes are fascinating, a treasure trove of knowledge. Bookmarks is a treat, a story about love, loss, and resiliency.

-- Dr. Jeffrey Berman

Distinguished Professor of English

University at Albany-SUNY