Book · 2016 · African American Historical Fiction
Homegoing
Why people recommend it
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi is an acclaimed contemporary novel that traces the divergent paths of two half-sisters and their descendants over eight generations, moving from eighteenth-century Ghana to twentieth-century America. On November 17, 2023, guest Rabbi Sharon Brous appeared on The Ezra Klein Show for an episode titled The Sermons I Needed to Hear Right Now, where she offered this debut novel as her final and third book recommendation. Rabbi Sharon Brous told host Ezra Klein that she considered the book to be one of the very best novels she had ever read in her life. She described the narrative to the audience as an epic story following generations of the descendants of two sisters born in Ghana, vividly illustrating the devastating historical impact of violence, enslavement, and multigenerational trauma. By highlighting Yaa Gyasi's work, Rabbi Sharon Brous drew attention to how the ghosts of historical atrocities continue to echo through familial lines and shape modern identities. Her emotional recommendation emphasized the profound capacity of fiction to illuminate complex historical truths, foster empathy across vast cultural divides, and help readers confront the deep, lingering wounds of systemic injustice that still resonate in contemporary society.
Who recommended it
- Sharon Brous Recommended
Sharon Brous — 1 mention
“and the third I would say is a novel written by yaji Assi homegoing which I really think is one of the best novels I've ever read it is this epic story of generations of the descendants of Two Sisters from Ghana the impact of violence and enslavement and multigenerational Trauma”