Autobiography of My Dead Brother

Autobiography of My Dead Brother

by Walter Dean Myers

* Published in 2005
* A National Book Award Finalist
* Novel includes text & graphics

Myers, W. D. (2005). The autobiography of my dead brother. New York: HarperTempest.

SYNOPSIS

This is the gripping story of Jesse and his fight to make sense of himself, his family, his friends and the world around him. Jesse is an African-American teenager who lives in New York City’s Harlem area. He is an artist who creates art in order to understand himself and the world around him—including his family and friends. The book depicts Jesse’s confusion at his blood-brother’s sudden change in identity. Rise and Jesse became close friends at a young age. They once shared common experiences and ideas about life. One of their shared ideas was that drugs are bad and hurt not only the idividual but also the black community in which they live. When Rise begins selling drugs and participating in gang violence, Jesse becomes confused. Another of Jesse’s friends, C.J., is confused as well. All of the characters in this novel work to understand themselves and their place in the world, including Rise. Although Rise’s shift in identity occirs mostly off-stage, the reader gets a good sense of what is happening through Jesse’s struggle to understand his friend. Rise tries to explain to Jesse why he has changed, stating that he found no prospects for his future in the hood. In his despair, Rise attempts to take control of his own life and create a new identity for himself. He wants to take control of his life and grab the best options that are available to him, and he believes the best options for getting ahead involve the world of drugs and violence. Sadly, Rise ends up being shot on the street, and it is up to Jesse and C.J. to make sense of Rise’s tragic death.

EVALUATION

One of the things I admire most about this book is its complexity of characters. In a relatively short amount of space, Myers manages to create very compelling characters that are not easily classified. In addition, the relationship between and among characters is rich and complicated. The book allows readers to both admire and have disdain for several characters at the same time. I also admire the way Myers handles heavy issues such as drugs, violence, poverty, and racism in very thoughtful and authentic ways.

CLASSROOM APPLICATION

I bleive this book would be good for both read-alouds as well as for small group discussions. I would also recommend it to individuals. I think this book would be interesting to read as a bridge book for The Great Gatsby.

APPROPRIATE AGE RANGE

9th-12th grade readers (and older).

PERSONAL REACTIONS

This book is hard to put down once you start reading it. When I was reading, my whole world stopped because I wanted to find out what would happen. I held my breath hoping that Jesse would make the right decisions. Sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't. The inclusion of Jesse's graphic art is highly engaging and adds a lot of depth to the book. I highly recommend this novel.