Essay by cynthia bond there are elements of rubylocations, characters, storiesthat have come from real life. Get recommendations for the greatest books around straight to your inbox. Anthony marra, author of a constellation of vital phenomena from the first sentence, cynthia bonds unforgettable debut novel, ruby, took hold of me and it hasnt let go. Why cynthia bond never gave up on writing ruby supersoul sunday. Ruby by cynthia bond published by hogarth on april 29, 2014 genreslists. Reading cynthia bonds ruby, you cant help but feel that one day this book will be considered a staple of our literature, a classic. Struggling writers debut novel gets coveted oprah winfrey. May 11, 2014 as he finishes the final, and most challenging, knot, ephram has an epiphany that is central to the theme of the book. Ruby was also a barnes and noble discover great new writers selection, and an indie next pick. Download free discussion questions for a lively conversation. Official readers guide for ruby by cynthia bond read it. Cynthia bond author of ruby meet your next favorite book.
Cynthia bond is a new york times bestselling author. Ruby bell is an african american girl raised by white folks in liberty, a rural community deep in the piney woods of east texas. Ephram is a lifelong resident of liberty township in east texas. Lush, deep, momentous, much like the people and landscape it describes, ruby enchants not just with its powerful tale of lifelong quests and unrelenting love, but also with its exquisite language. People of liberty watch her as she begs miss p for food. A pen rosenthal fellow, bond attended northwestern universitys medill school of journalism. Cynthia bond in malibu, california, near paradigm malibu where she is on staff as a therapeutic writing teacher for atrisk youth. Its 1974, and a decade earlier she returned to her hometown of liberty seemingly gone crazy. Cynthia bonds novel, ruby, is the new oprah book club 2.
When the glamorous ruby bell returns to her hometown after living in new york city, her sanity unravels as she faces the secrets of her past. Evident from page one she comes off as a woman who has seen better days. Ruby by cynthia bond hogarth new oprahs book club 2. Cynthia bond born 1961 is an american author and former actress.
Bond traffics in extremely difficult subjects with a grace and bigheartedness that makes for an accomplished, enthralling read. Apr 29, 2014 sensitive readers should be warned that much of the subject matter of cynthia bonds debut novel, ruby, is unflinchingly raw, grim and darkly disturbingin particular, the ritual sexual abuse of children in a voodooinfested rural texas town. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Her aunt, too, was murdered by a klanaffiliated sheriff and his deputies. Buy ruby by bond, cynthia, bond, cynthia from amazons fiction books store. Cynthia bond has written a book everyone should read, about the power of love to overcome even the. Oct 14, 2014 ruby by cynthia bond published by hogarth on april 29, 2014 genreslists. Reading cynthia bond s ruby, you cant help but feel that one day this book will be considered a staple of our literature, a classic. The epic, unforgettable story of a man determined to protect the woman. The epic, unforgettable story of a man determined to protect the woman he loves from the town desperate to destroy her. Lush, deep, momentous, much like the people and landscape it describes, ruby enchants not just with its powerful tale of lifelong quests and unrelenting love, but. Ruby by cynthia bond is a profound debut novel featuring two beautiful, yet battered souls. Picked for oprah winfreys book club, this luminous debut novel about the evils visited on a young woman is grounded in reality but woven with. Learn more about how you can participate in oprahs book club 2.
When we first meet ruby bell, shes a symbol of local disgrace. The book is set in an allblack hamlet called liberty township, in east texas, and is part of a planned trilogy by firsttime author cynthia bond. A haunting debut novel from gifted storyteller cynthia bond, ruby brings to life a. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. The official readers guide for ruby by cynthia bond, a selection of oprahs book club 2.
Ruby by cynthia bond is the book clubs fourth selection. Bond, like her novels eponymous heroine, was born in east texas. Oprah talks to ruby author cynthia bond the newest oprahs book club 2. Watch the video to find out why the latest selection for oprahs book club 2. A black boy named ephram loved to watch a black girl named ruby.
Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Its creator, cynthia bond, is a new york times bestselling author. Ruby is an africanamerican historicalfantasy by cynthia bond. So this is the life of a woman, he thought, and kneeling beside the bed, head on the mattress he fell asleep. Intrigued by all of the news surrounding oprahs book club 2.
Ruby is encircled by shadows, but incandescent with light anthony marra, author of a constellation of vital phenomena pure magic. Cynthia bond writes with a dazzling poetry thats part william faulkner, part toni morrison, yet entirely her own. Ruby is a harrowing, hallucinatory novel, a love story and a ghost story about one womans attempt to escape the legacy of violence in a small southern town. One time he saw her stand in the middle the street and. Ruby by cynthia bond booksamillion online book store.
At 53, cynthia bond is not an average firsttime author, but ruby is not an average debut. Cynthia bonds debut novel, ruby, had the sort of reception every firsttime author dreams of. Ruby is encircled by shadows, but incandescent with light. I have never read a book like this before, oprah says about ruby, cynthia bonds haunting debut novel.
Feb 23, 2015 the book is set in an allblack hamlet called liberty township, in east texas, and is part of a planned trilogy by firsttime author cynthia bond. We have an exclusive excerpt from ruby by cynthia bond. Official readers guide for ruby by cynthia bond read it forward. The epic, unforgettable story of a man determined to protect the woman he l.
Her debut novel ruby spent six consecutive weeks on the new york times bestseller list, 1 and was chosen as a selection for oprahs book club 2. Her novel ruby was chosen to be an oprah book club 2. Ruby by cynthia bond book club discussion questions. Apr 29, 2014 cynthia bond is a new york times bestselling author. In piercingly lovely prose, cynthia bonds ruby, oprahs latest book club 2. Mar 29, 2018 its creator, cynthia bond, is a new york times bestselling author. A haunting debut novel from gifted storyteller cynthia bond, ruby brings to life a suffocating africanamerican community in east texasliberty townshipwhere, nearly a century after emancipation, the residents are anything but free. I have never read a book like this before, says oprah about ruby, cynthia bond s haunting debut novel. April 29, 2014 voodoo, faith and racism converge in an east texas townparticularly within the troubled titular heroinein this bracing debut novel. Sensitive readers should be warned that much of the subject matter of cynthia bonds debut novel, ruby, is unflinchingly raw, grim and darkly disturbingin particular, the ritual sexual abuse of children in a voodooinfested rural texas town. The story recounts the relationship between ruby bell, a woman considered to be crazy, and ephram jennings, a man considered weak and worthless by a town with dark secrets. This beautiful and devastating debut heralds the arrival of a major new voice in fiction. Ruby by cynthia bond hogarth hardcover, 97808049090, 326 pp.
Ruby by cynthia bond, selected for oprahs book club 2. Nov 03, 2015 why cynthia bond never gave up on writing ruby supersoul sunday. Amy greene, author of bloodroot from the first sentence, cynthia bonds unforgettable debut novel, ruby, took hold of me and it hasnt let go. Reading guide for ruby by cynthia bond discussion guide for book clubs.
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