Brother, I'm dying - Edwidge Danticat

Few writers have the ability to make their work seem and sound effortless, like a friend recounting an event or a grandmother telling folktales to her grandchild. Edwidge Danticat is one of these few. Whether its fiction or fact, she is able to speak to her reader like a friend, with no pretences, in a frank and open way that engages the reader and makes them believe and love the stories she tells.
I read the synopsis of this book some time ago and found it so sad that although I wanted to read and find out what exactly happened to this uncle of hers who died in custody of American immigration officials, I couldn't help but put it off until I felt my stomach could take such apparent tragedy.
Yet Brother, I'm dying is so much more than just a tragic tale of a man wrongly accused of entering America illegally, it is in essence Ms Danticat (pronounced Dan-tih-cah)'s memoirs. Beautifully and simply written, it tells of her time in Haiti living with her aunt and uncle recounting the many stories of her fascinating and yet ordinary Haitian family. It also tells the story of Haiti, its beauty, its people and yes its political turmoil and the effects of the natural disasters it has endured over the years.
What makes this book special is the thread of love that runs throughout every page and every chapter. The characters love for each other is so endearing and so heartwarming, it makes you wonder whether your family's story could evoke such admiration and empathy. Far from being flamboyant, larger than life characters, Ms Danticat's family members are simple country folk but with so much wisdom to impart, so much hope and aspirations that we can all relate to their trials and tribulations. Her father and his brother are the subject of the book and its title and their love for each other is incredibly strong inspite of their physical distance throughout much of their adult life.
The content of Brother I'm dying to some extent betrays its title because it is a story about lives and how they intertwine, about the ties that make families strong and also about the circle of life. We go from Edwidge the child of four to Edwidge the mother of one. Ms Danticat shifts from past to present all the while leaving us in awe of her and her family's story.
This is a stunningly written memoir that you will enjoy and cherish and that may even evoke a profound appreciation for your own family or at the very least for life and its simple beauty.