Tale of a Sky-Blue Dress
 First edition | |
| Author | Thylias Moss |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Memoir |
| Published | 1998 (Bard Press) |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 274 |
| ISBN | 9780380793624 |
| OCLC | 42333832 |
Tale of a Sky-Blue Dress is a 1998 memoir by Thylias Moss. It is the story of Moss' life from early childhood, including at the hands of an abusive babysitter, an older girl in a blue dress, through to her marriage.
Reception
[edit]Booklist, in a review of Tale of a Sky-Blue Dress, wrote "This haunting memoir is also a delicate and thorough exploration of the nature of evil and the place of cruelty both in the author's own life and more broadly within the human experience."[1]
CNN wrote "Tale of a Sky-Blue Dress starts promisingly, thanks to poet Thylias Moss' shining description of an idyllic childhood." and concluded "In her final chapters, Moss exults in her ability to love and be loved. Her happiness is evident, but hardly eloquent. Perhaps she wrote the book to prove she survived. She also proves that what works in life doesn't necessarily succeed as writing."[2] It has also been called "a remarkably frank memoir."[1]
Tale of a Sky-Blue Dress has also been reviewed by Kirkus Reviews, [3] Publishers Weekly,[4] Multicultural Review[5] and The New York Times.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Modern American Poetry: Reviews of Thylias Moss's Tale of a Sky-Blue Dress". english.illinois.edu. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
- ^ Wendy Brandes (October 7, 1998). "Reviews: 'Dress' starts promisingly, but falters". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
- ^ "Tale of a Sky-Blue Dress". Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus Media LLC. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
An elegant, forthright exploration of the effects of evil on a fragile life--the author's. .. A stylish, well-wrought memoir that forgoes self-pity for redemption.
- ^ "Tale of a Sky-Blue Dress". Publishers Weekly. PWxyz LLC. August 3, 1998. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
Moss, whose gift for language permeates her memoir.
- ^ "Tale of a Sky-Blue Dress/Girl in the Mirror: Three Generations of Black Women in Motion (Book)". Multicultural Review. 8 (2): 90. June 1999. Retrieved February 15, 2017.[dead link]
- ^ Freidman, Paula (September 13, 1998). "Books". New York Times. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
While her analysis of her own surrender is impressive in its depth and unwillingness to settle for the simple role of victim, Moss may finally claim both too much and too little for herself: a 5-year-old is usually at the mercy of her caretakers.