Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s debut novel, We Cast A Shadow, is an incisive and necessary work of brilliant satire. We Cast a Shadow is a debut novel by Maurice Carlos Ruffin that takes place in the near future. Still plagued by racial discrimination blacks now have the option to achieve ultimate assimilation. Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s work evokes the clear vision of Ralph Ellison, the dizzying menace of Franz Kafka, and the crackling prose of Vladimir Nabokov. We Cast a Shadow fearlessly shines a light on the violence we inherit, and on the desperate things we do for the ones we love.
ABOUT WE CAST A SHADOW
A bold, provocative debut for fans of Get Out and Paul Beatty’s The Sellout, about a father’s obsessive quest to protect his son—even if it means turning him white.
We Cast A Shadow. Tuesday, February 19, 2019. By Tessa East Liberty. Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s novel asks its reader to consider whether the dystopia he describes. ABOUT WE CAST A SHADOW. A bold, provocative debut for fans of Get Out and Paul Beatty’s The Sellout, about a father’s obsessive quest to protect his son—even if it means turning him white. “An incisive and necessary work of brilliant satire.”—Roxane Gay “You can be beautiful, even more beautiful than before.
“An incisive and necessary work of brilliant satire.”—Roxane Gay
“You can be beautiful, even more beautiful than before. Casino movie live stream. ” This is the seductive promise of Dr. Nzinga’s clinic, where anyone can get their lips thinned, their skin bleached, and their noses narrowed. A complete demelanization will liberate you from the confines of being born in a black body—if you can afford it.
In this near-future Southern city plagued by fenced-in ghettos and police violence, more and more residents are turning to this experimental medical procedure. Like any father, our narrator just wants the best for his son, Nigel, a biracial boy whose black birthmark is getting bigger by the day. The darker Nigel becomes, the more frightened his father feels. But how far will he go to protect his son? And will he destroy his family in the process?
This electrifying, hallucinatory novel is at once a razor-sharp satire of surviving racism in America and a profoundly moving family story. At its center is a father battling his own demons who just wants his son to thrive in a broken world. Writing in the tradition of Ellison, Kafka, and Nabokov, Maurice Carlos Ruffin is a ferociously talented new writer whofearlessly shines a light on the violence we inherit, and on the desperate things we do for the ones we love.
The royal we plot summary. Wordtornado. Pre-order now below!
A funny, beautiful - and sometimes - horrifying - look into the future plus rockin' blues and cool, original tunes from Memphis
October 10, 2020 at 7 pm (CT) Mississippi Public Broadcasting; 9 pm (CT) Alabama Public Radio; 3 pm (ET) University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; Thursdays 6 pm (CT) University of Mississippi; Fridays 9 am (CT) WYXR Memphis Community Radio
Saturday, October 10, The Thacker Mountain Radio Hour welcomes this year’s John and Renee Grisham Writer-in-Residence at the University of Mississippi, Maurice Carlos Ruffin and his “energetic and acrobatic” novel, We Cast A Shadow. Our musical guests are Memphis Americana songwriter, Amy LaVere and rocking blues brothers, The Kinsey Report.
Hosts: Jim Dees and our house band, the Yalobushwhackers
Air times:
Saturday. October 10 – 7pm (CT) Mississippi Public Broadcasting
9pm (CT) Alabama Public Radio
3 pm (ET) WUTC – University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Thursdays 6 pm (CT) WUMS – University of Mississippi
Fridays 9 am (CT) On air only – WYXR Memphis Community Radio
Featuring
Author
Maurice Carlos Ruffin
The plot of Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s debut novel, We Cast A Shadow (One World Random House) concerns a future world when a procedure is offered to Black citizens that can radically alter their appearance. They can get their lips thinned, their skin bleached, and their nose narrowed. A complete demelanization—if you can afford it.
In this near-future, a Southern city is plagued by fenced-in ghettos and police violence, thus more and more residents are turning to this experimental medical procedure. Like any father, our narrator just wants the best for his son, Nigel, a biracial boy whose black birthmark is getting bigger by the day. The darker Nigel becomes, the more frightened his father feels. But how far will he go to protect his son? And will he destroy his family in the process?
This electrifying, hallucinatory novel is at once a keen satire of surviving racism in America and a profoundly moving family story. The novel is a New York Times Editor’s Choice.
“An incisive and necessary work of brilliant satire.”—Roxane Gay
A New Orleans native, Ruffin is a professor of Creative Writing at Louisiana State University, and the 2020-2021 John and Renee Grisham Writer-in-Residence at Ole Miss.
Music
Amy LaVere
Memphis Americana songwriter Amy LaVere’s latest album, Painting Blue (Nine Mile Records) was produced by her husband-guitarist Will Sexton.
Check out the cool video (with the Barnes Brothers) for Amy’s song, Girlfriends.
“… the subtleness of the album, from LaVere’s lyrics to her muslin-wrapped vocals, are what make this such an interesting record. It’s unpredictable but not in a jarring way. Instead, LaVere has crafted an album with the delightful surprise quotient of an antique store in a town undiscovered by hipsters.” – No Depression
We Cast A Shadow Book
“A richly rewarding album that deals with dark and personal issues.” – Americana UK
Her previous albums include, Halleluiah I’m A Dreamer (2015), Runaway’s Diary (2014 – produced by Luther Dickinson), Stranger Me (2011), Anchors and Anvils (2007 – produced by Jim Dickinson) and This World Is Not My Home (2005).
Featuring
Author
Maurice Carlos Ruffin
The plot of Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s debut novel, We Cast A Shadow (One World Random House) concerns a future world when a procedure is offered to Black citizens that can radically alter their appearance. They can get their lips thinned, their skin bleached, and their nose narrowed. A complete demelanization—if you can afford it.
In this near-future, a Southern city is plagued by fenced-in ghettos and police violence, thus more and more residents are turning to this experimental medical procedure. Like any father, our narrator just wants the best for his son, Nigel, a biracial boy whose black birthmark is getting bigger by the day. The darker Nigel becomes, the more frightened his father feels. But how far will he go to protect his son? And will he destroy his family in the process?
This electrifying, hallucinatory novel is at once a keen satire of surviving racism in America and a profoundly moving family story. The novel is a New York Times Editor’s Choice.
“An incisive and necessary work of brilliant satire.”—Roxane Gay
A New Orleans native, Ruffin is a professor of Creative Writing at Louisiana State University, and the 2020-2021 John and Renee Grisham Writer-in-Residence at Ole Miss.
Music
Amy LaVere
Memphis Americana songwriter Amy LaVere’s latest album, Painting Blue (Nine Mile Records) was produced by her husband-guitarist Will Sexton.
Check out the cool video (with the Barnes Brothers) for Amy’s song, Girlfriends.
“… the subtleness of the album, from LaVere’s lyrics to her muslin-wrapped vocals, are what make this such an interesting record. It’s unpredictable but not in a jarring way. Instead, LaVere has crafted an album with the delightful surprise quotient of an antique store in a town undiscovered by hipsters.” – No Depression
We Cast A Shadow Book
“A richly rewarding album that deals with dark and personal issues.” – Americana UK
Her previous albums include, Halleluiah I’m A Dreamer (2015), Runaway’s Diary (2014 – produced by Luther Dickinson), Stranger Me (2011), Anchors and Anvils (2007 – produced by Jim Dickinson) and This World Is Not My Home (2005).
The Kinsey Report
We Cast A Shadow Book Summary
The Kinsey Report are brothers, vocalist/guitarist Donald, drummer/vocalist Ralph, and bassist/vocalist Kenneth. They are known for their tours and records with their late father, Lester “Big Daddy” Kinsey, as Big Daddy Kinsey and the Kinsey Report. In more recent years, the band has expanded their sound beyond Chicago blues to include reggae, rock, funk, and soul.
Maurice Ruffin Books
Their albums include the EP, I’ll Be Standing.
