In Deanwood: A Memoir

In warm, vividly rendered poetry and prose, educator and poet Aressa Verdell Williams takes us back to the 1950s and 60s in the Washington, DC, neighborhood of Deanwood. The tight-knit Black community of professionals and shopkeepers is the backdrop of Williams' childhood as she learns the values of education, integrity, and family. Through her recollections of siblings and schoolmates, everyday meals and unforgettable events, Deanwood becomes the epitome of "home."

"This memoir offers readers an immersive experience that echoes the feelings, sights, sounds, and essence of growing up from Black girlhood into adulthood in the Nation's Capital during times of personal and political upheaval. The mix of prose and poetry ... convey a timeline of pivotal events and emotional complexity along with tenderness and humor, and a family's journey as told from their youngest member's point of view. Themes on family and community dynamics weave throughout this compelling intimate saga."-Cardyn Brooks