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Title details for A Taste for More by Phyllis R. Dixon - Available

A Taste for More

by Phyllis R. Dixon
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From rural Mississippi in the Jim Crow era through the transformative 1970s, this sweeping novel tells the tale of a mother's sacrifice, relentless ambition, and against-all-odds success. But the one dream she can't stop chasing may cost her everything . . .
Money is security. Always. Margo Dupree has lived by that rule since childhood, when her father's death plunged her and her mother into poverty. Marriage brought only disillusionment and struggle. But it also gave Margo the determination to migrate north in search of a better life for herself and her young daughter, Lana.
The north, however, isn't the panacea she expected, and Margo finds herself contending with the all-too-familiar obstacles of racism and prejudice, not to mention the new stresses of urban living. But things change once she realizes that what was once her greatest shame is now her greatest asset—the skills she learned from her mother's job as a cook. Using her tasty recipes, personality, and relentless hustle, Margo begins to build a successful restaurant chain. Yet despite her ever-more desperate efforts, she can't earn her heart's deepest desire: Lana's forgiveness for her early absence.
As Lana becomes a beautiful young woman with an increasingly mercenary temperament, Margo wonders if she knows her daughter at all—and if she can save her from the bitter and frighteningly dangerous mistakes that may shatter both of their worlds . . .

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    June 25, 2024

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9781496743145

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9781496743145
      • File size: 450 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Booklist

      May 15, 2024
      Margo Dupree has always wanted more. Raised in small-town Mississippi in the 1940s, she marries her high-school sweetheart, only to find that he isn't the man she thought he was. Opportunities for young, Black women in the Jim Crow-era south are scarce, so Margo temporarily leaves her daughter, Lana, with her mother and relocates to Milwaukee, where her aunt lives. She finds a job at a downtown caf�, where her southern-style cooking develops a following. Although Milwaukee is more welcoming to Black residents than her hometown, prejudice and racism are constant barriers to overcome, but hardworking Margo maintains her determination to provide for her family and live life on her own terms. Dixon (Intermission, 2023) brings the Great Migration and the civil-rights era to vivid life, chronicling four decades of Black American experience through Margo's eyes. Margo is a fictional character, but her journey rings true, and readers will share in both the joy and the pain of a life well lived. It's a sprawling story, full of drama, love, and humor. Fans of Sadeqa Johnson and Joshunda Sanders will be captivated.

      COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Library Journal

      May 1, 2024

      By 1961, Margo Dupree has had enough of life in Mississippi. Even though the Civil Rights Act was recently signed, changes in the attitudes toward Black people in her hometown have yet to shift, and Margo, who is Black, has limited job opportunities. With a dissolute husband and a child to support, Margo leaves baby Lana with her mother and heads to Wisconsin, as did many Black people from the South during the Great Migration. Though she finds a position as a cook in a caf� there, Margo continues to face obstacles to her plans. Years later, Lana finally comes to live with her. A sense of guilt influences Margo's parenting decisions as an overindulged Lana causes rifts in Margo's relationships with their family and friends. Margo's realization of her naivet� and misguided trust in others, especially with her deceptive daughter, comes to a boil as Margo is again faced with life-changing decisions for herself and Lana. VERDICT Dixon (Intermission; Down Home Blues) has created a solid story exploring family relationships, filled with flawed, yet relatable characters and peppered with historical references, as in the novels of Mary Monroe.--Joy Gunn

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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