The Nickel Boys by
Colson Whitehead dives into the life of two young men that have been sentenced
to a reform school. The story intensifies when you add that the young men are
African-American and living in the Jim Crow south. Whitehead’s latest
installment is based on a real Tallahassee school that used cruel punishment,
sexual abuse and other derogatory tactics in order to “reviatlze and reform”
young men. The main character uses his understanding of the teachings from Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. to not just survive, but to live. Whitehead uses his
voice to grapple at the readers thoughts as he brings you into the harrowing
world of Elwood and Turner. This story isn't for the faint of heart, but it is
a true account of America’s history. Fiction. Non-Fiction. Documentary. However
you want to describe its genre, just know it is one that will leave you
incredibly intrigued.
