Down on the Shore: The Inspiring Family and Coastal Setting That Shaped a Poet's Voice - Perfect for Literature Lovers, Poetry Enthusiasts, and Creative Writing Inspiration

In "Down on the Shore," poet Adele V. Holden eloquently describes her growing-up years in Pocomoke City on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, as well as her education at Morgan State University in Baltimore. Her depiction of the racism of everyday life on the early-20th-century Eastern Shore sometimes makes for difficult and painful reading, as when she tells the story of how she and others at her school learned of a 1931 lynching in Salisbury. Strong focus on the Holdens' family life, and on the persistent manner in which the African-American community of Pocomoke City and Worcester County worked for improved schools in the face of whites' hostility and indifference. Appropriately, excerpts from Ms. Holden's poetry serve as chapter headings. Written with a poet's awareness of the nuances of language, and well-illustrated with photographs, postcards, and editorial cartoons. Highly recommended for any reader with an interest in African-American autobiography, or in Eastern Shore history and culture.