Jesmyn Ward made her name with fiction ("Savage Bones") but this memoir grounded in her hometown of DeLisle, Miss., is at least as heart-rending as anything a novel could serve up. In "Men We Reaped," Ward tells the story of five young African-American men – her brother included – from her childhood, all of whose lives tell stories of lost opportunities and blighted prospects. Depth of feeling and beautiful writing make Ward's book a must-read. You can see the Monitor's full review of "Men We Reaped" here.
