Official Review: Alien in the Delta by Thankful Strother

[BookBuffoonery]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Alien in the Delta" by Thankful Strother.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Alien in the Delta by Thankful Strother is a memoir of notable events and observations from the author's life. It is a short, yet entertaining book which gives readers a glimpse into a particular period of American history.

Thankful Strother shares a series of memorable events from throughout his lifetime. Some of them feature well-known events, such as his reaction to JFK's assassination, while others are personal memories. The stories run the gamut from early home life to first kiss, from a stint in the US Air Force to the purchase of income property. The combination of facts and the author's thoughts and feelings, make for interesting reading. Several personal photos are scattered throughout the book.

I really enjoyed reading about Thankful's life. He is a good storyteller and has a knack for sharing the lessons he has learned in life. I could not believe some of the things he experienced, such as the escapades he had in Europe (inappropriate for younger readers). Also, it was quite interesting to learn about his experiences as a black man in the South, in the U.S. Air Force, in Europe, and marrying a German woman. I was gratified by how much Thankful was able to accomplish in his life, despite the obstacles present to black men during that time period in the U.S.

The format of this book is somewhat unique. It does not follow the typical chapter model, but is divided into topical sections by headings. Each section is fairly short. The concise sections make this an ideal book to read in small increments. The writing style could be classified as conversational. It is as if the author is simply telling readers a series of life stories. Unfortunately, there were several errors in the text, including incorrect word usage, missing words, and misspellings.

I would rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I didn't give this book a 4, because the writing could have used more editing and there were a fair number of errors. Thankful's life story is an interesting and colorful narrative of what life was like for one black man during the Civil Rights era. The story is aimed at adults because of themes having to do with sex, alcohol, drugs, etc. There is also a sprinkling of swear words. I would recommend it to people who enjoy historical memoirs or first-hand accounts of life during the Civil Rights era.

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Alien in the Delta
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[kimmyschemy06]

Sounds like a very interesting and inspiring book. I, too, am gratified by 'how much Thankful was able to accomplish in his life, despite the obstacles present to black men during that time period in the U.S.' I have read several books about that time in US history and almost all of them are about prejudice against Black Americans. Too bad about the errors. Great job on the review.

[BookBuffoonery]

Thanks for your reply! Yes, I'm fascinated by that period of U.S. history, too. Another interesting book that you might want to check out is Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin.

[Kdonegan91]

Great review! Sounds like an interesting book. I will add it to my list.

[gali]

A memoir recounting the author's life in the 1960's south sounds intriguing. It seems like the author had quite a lot on his plate and it is good he managed to overcome the obstacles life laid in his path. The division into sections does sound unique. I am not into memoirs, but I am glad you enjoyed the book. Thank you for the nice review!

[BoyLazy]

I dont like books with lot of swear words. Thanks for the review

[Stephen23]

This book takes me back to the time when John F Kennedy was killed during an assassination. I must read it

[mindyg123]

Good review. Normally I don't read memoirs but from what I've read I'll definitely be checking this out. The story of a black mans life in the years of segregation and onward sounds interesting, especially with the style more conversational than storytelling. Congrats on being BOTD.

[AnMari]

I normally don't read memoirs, but this sounds interesting. I particularly like the idea that the book is written in small sections. Perfect for a busy mom this time of year! Hope I can sneak in a couple of pages.

[Mercelle]

This is a story worth sharing. Thankful's life history could inspire many who feel like outcasts.

[Waragu Samuel]

Some of them feature well-known events, such as his reaction to JFK's assassination, while others are personal memories.

Sure. There are some personalities whose their end of life leaves such a memorable mark to the people at the time as well as to the future people. JFK is one of them. Glad that this memoir has a place for him. Thanks for the review.

[MsDree]

I normally don't read memoir books but reading your review, I'm now interested to read this book. Thank you and great review!

[Strangerthanfiction]

Nice review. This sounds like a great read for fans of memoirs and history. I think the conversational tone to the book will allow readers to really connect with the author and his story. Thanks for sharing.

[Kat Berg]

Hmmm, I’m not always a fan of memoirs, but I do love reading about the Civil rights era, and for me it is a plus that it is arranged by theme. Then I can read what interests me, here and there.

[Sahani Nimandra]

Sounds interesting! Anything to do about true stories, I will have a personal look; but what highlighted the most was how much he had accomplished in his life, this is what caught my attention the most. Good review! Looking forward to this book.