Jackson

By: Cindy Marabito

Narrated by: Jessica Carter

Jody Luther is a 15 year-old White girl battling insanity at home and hate-filled 1970 Jackson, Mississippi, leading to the Jackson State Massacre. Jody has landed in Jackson with her alcoholic mother and younger sister, Willie. The book not only deals with racial issues, but police-forced integration leading up to the murder of two young black students.

Jackson is not simply a young-adult work, but compelling listening for any adult with a social conscience. The core issue is racism and hate as Jody encounters an assortment of unforgettable Southern Gothic characters.

©2019 Cindy Marabito (P)2022 Cindy Marabito

Jackson in the 70's

What an enteresting book. It's about segregation in Jackson, MS in the 70's. Some mental illness. Some poverty. Sad at times. Harsh at times. Funny at times. Very reminiscent. I loved it.

The narrator took some getting use to. She read too fast and without much emotion. There was alot to this book and slower and more thoughtful would have been much better for me. I listened to it twice and probably should listen again to get it all. 3.5 stars.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary Audible copy of this book from the author through Story Origin.

YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN

THIS SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS! I can only pray that the conversations it invokes will truly lead to a brighter future.
I am not sure if I have EVER felt LUCKY to have come across a book, but JACKSON by Cindy Marabito is just such a book. Beautifully read by Jessica Carter, it tells the story of a short time that was instrumental to history through the eyes of fifteen year old Jody Luther. When Jody, her mother and her ten year old sister Willie flee to Jackson, Mississippi in 1969 the country is teetering on the edge, an eruption is imminent and the epicenter for Jody and her family is JACKSON.
Jody and Willie have always had to depend on each other, never knowing when their mother who has mental health and substance abuse problems will be there for them. But in one short year the fault line between the two of them will widen more than ever before.
Touching on issues of race, class, substance abuse, sexual assault, American history and coming of age, I’m not sure how I would even classify this book. YA? Historical Fiction? Coming of age? Social/cultural? Yes, yes, yes and yes.
I had EVERY emotion as I listened to this; anxiety, confusion, fear, anger, and as they drove down that dusty road at the end I was cheering. While I was younger than Willie during that time, things happened that I STILL wasn’t aware of, ie, Jackson State Massacre just ten days after Kent State’s. I’m 60 years old and this is the first I ever heard of it!
The ONLY trouble I had was that the narrator speaks VERY fast. I’m a Yankee. We speak quite fast and even I had trouble keeping up at times. But otherwise the narrative was wonderful.
I cannot recommend this book enough! Settle in. Travel back to the summer of peace and love.

Awesome

I really enjoyed this story. It was well written and Narrated Perfect. It's a must have. Buy it today