Nowhere is a Place by Bernice McFadden is fiction, but much of the story could easily be based on true events. The book begins with the main character Sherry being slapped across the face – it’s a memory she’s recalling from her childhood as she drives cross- country with her mother, Dumplin. There is so much to unpack in this book. When I discussed it with friends, we agreed that there would need to be a part 2 of our conversatOn their road trip from Oklahoma to Georgia, all the tea on this family’s complicated history is spilled. The book raises some uncomfortable questions on abuse, survival, rape, incest and murder among other topics. Sherry’s memories are the most powerful and she creates her family’s history by recalling her ancestors’ experiences of slavery and freedom. The trauma of slavery leaves a profound impact on the family and we see how they are still healing from the generations of trauma. What are the ties that bind families together? Are they strong enough to withstand generations of tragedy? Nowhere is a Place confronts all of these questions and it had me turning pages well into the early morning hours.
