Jesmyn Ward's "On Witness and Respair": Grief, Racism, and Storytelling in Coastal Mississippi
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Summary
A review of Jesmyn Ward's new essay collection "On Witness and Respair," which explores familiar themes from her fiction including life in coastal Mississippi, poverty, systemic racism, and the redemptive power of storytelling. The collection continues Ward's tradition of blending personal narrative with broader social commentary, examining grief, resilience, and the act of witnessing in the face of tragedy.
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Twitter / XJesmyn Ward's "On Witness and Respair": Grief, Racism, and Storytelling in Coastal Mississippilareviewofbooks.orgKey quotes
· 3 pulledJesmyn Ward’s new essay collection touches on familiar topics from her fiction: coastal Mississippi, poverty, the ravages of racism, and the power of storytelling.
She has edited a volume of almost 20 pieces of writing, The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race (2016), that both respects James Baldwin’s perspective in his classic essay.
On Witness and Respair by Jesmyn Ward. Scribner, 2026. 256 pages.
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