This collection of stories are evocative of the world of the mid-twentieth century, which is when they were written, and, therefore, somewhat innocent, but also sometimes sassy. Most are written in the first person with authentic voices, especially those of the adolescent girls growing up and trying to make sense in their world. Beautifully written, and sometimes in dialect, with vivid descriptions, apt wisdom (" . . . gonna speak on your life and drop the truth in your lap"), and with great effort to set the frame of mind of the narrator, as in the long "train of thought" at the start of The Basement. In addition to that story, I especially liked Mississippi Ham Rider, The Lesson, The Johnson Girls, and, of course, Gorilla, My Love. ( )

Tales of black people, I mention this because it does not transcend into people, instead focusing on this POV. ( )