The Fortress of Solitude

The Fortress of Solitude

2003 • 896 pages

Ratings39

Average rating3.9

15

This is the story of two boys, Dylan Ebdus and Mingus Rude. They are friends and neighbors, but because Dylan is white and Mingus is black, their friendship is not simple. This is the story of their Brooklyn neighborhood before "gentrification." It is the story of 1970s America, when the simplest human decisions were laden with potential political, social, and racial disaster. And it's the story of 1990s America, when no one cared anymore. This is the story of belonging to a society that doesn't accept you. This is the story of prison and of college, of Brooklyn and Berkeley, of soule and rap, of murder and redemption.
(back cover)


Become a Librarian

Reviews

Popular Reviews

Reviews with the most likes.

I love the things Jonathan Lethem can do with words, but sometimes I wish he'd remember to include a plot. Also, the last 200 pages are as horrible as everyone says

December 7, 2013

Abandoning this one after 140 pages. Normally I'm into excessive descriptions and meandering but not this time. I have too many other books I want to read to stick it out for the remaining 369 pages.

September 19, 2020

A great story dealing with growing up, comic books and soul music. What could be better?

January 1, 2005

Related Books

Books

9 books

Readers of This Book Also Enjoyed

If you enjoyed this book, then our algorithm says you may also enjoy these.

Slam dunk
Ulysses Annotated
Clean Green
Mr Bennet's Dutiful Daughter
La Brigade des buses
Au cœur de Bornéo
A Boggle at Bewilderwood
The Facts of Midlife
Hávamál : vikingenes visdomsord