On Witness and Respair: Essays

On Witness and Respair: EssaysThe collected creative nonfiction of a singular American writer, Jesmyn Ward, including widely shared classics, three never before published speeches, and an introductory essay. Respair (noun, obsolete), fresh hope after despair. From the two time National Book Award winner and New York Times bestselling author Jesmyn Ward, this collection of essays documents more than a decade of work in the life of a singular writer often lauded as the heir apparent

And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change

they discover the secrets of what happens when hunger stalks the land and what the powerful will do to hide their crimes

" —Eliot Schrefer

she must choose her allies carefully

The Yellow House expands the map of New Orleans to include the stories of its lesser known natives

where supernatural beings can be avatars for justice

Ossie Brown’s entire future is in jeopardy when a torn ACL ends his promising basketball career

she reads a passage about Maryam that changes everything: When Maryam learned that she was pregnant

A totally inappropriate girlfriend

from a leading OB/GYN and expert on menopausal and post-reproductive health

Never mind that his mother

Becoming star of the Power Panthers basketball team is his way to honor his brother’s memory and nothings going to stand in his way