Hiding Place

A young man named Tommy seeks refuge with Mother Bess, an elderly woman living in Pittsburgh's Homewood neighborhood, after his involvement in a robbery gone wrong. The story takes place in the African-American community of 1970s Pittsburgh, focusing on the interactions between these two characters from different generations. Tommy's predicament forces him into close quarters with Mother Bess, who lives in isolation in her deteriorating home. Their unlikely coexistence forms the central tension of the narrative, as both characters navigate their shared space while carrying their own burdens and secrets. The novel is part of Wideman's Homewood Books, though it stands as its own complete work. The character of Tommy first appeared in Wideman's earlier short story collection Damballah, and aspects of his story parallel events from the author's own family history. Through this confined setting and limited cast of characters, the novel explores themes of refuge, responsibility, and the complex bonds that form between people in crisis. The work examines how past and present intersect in an urban African-American community, and the ways people seek safety in unlikely places.

Readers note the book's complex, fragmented narrative structure that weaves multiple storylines and perspectives. Many find the experimental style challenging to follow. Positive reviews highlight: - Raw emotional depth in exploring family relationships - Integration of Pittsburgh history and settings - Thought-provoking themes about truth and memory - Strong character development, especially of Tommy Common criticisms: - Disorienting shifts between past/present - Confusing plot threads that don't fully connect - Dense, academic writing style - Too many unresolved elements Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 3.5/5 (12 reviews) "The writing is beautiful but the story gets lost in all the literary devices," notes one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads user writes: "The fragments eventually form a powerful whole, but it requires patience and close reading." Several readers recommend starting with Wideman's more accessible works before attempting this challenging novel.

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🔸 John Edgar Wideman became the second African American to receive a Rhodes Scholarship in 1963, and later became a professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 🔸 The Homewood neighborhood, where the story is set, is based on the actual Pittsburgh neighborhood where Wideman grew up, which was originally settled by freed slaves in the 19th century. 🔸 The book's setting in 1970s Pittsburgh coincides with the city's transformation from a steel industry hub to a post-industrial landscape, affecting its African-American communities particularly hard. 🔸 "The Homewood Trilogy" consists of "Damballah" (1981), "Hiding Place" (1981), and "Sent for You Yesterday" (1983), with the latter winning the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. 🔸 Mother Bess's character is inspired by the strong matriarchal figures common in African-American communities during this era, who often served as neighborhood anchors and keepers of oral history.