Patchwork: Conversation Between Generations

For forty years, multiple generations of black women come to Ma Anna’s house, getting together to make quilts to help keep their families warm in the winter. As they sew, they discuss life’s most difficult topics from concern about a granddaughter to loss to the horrors of what white men had forced them to do.

Ma Ann reminds the women that God has a plan for them all. They will make it through all with his help. Through this time of sewing together, there is healing and hope from the many hurts that life and cruel people bring on them. These women became patched together as much as the quilts they were working on.

I enjoyed the honesty of the women’s stories. Sometimes the story was hopeful and sometimes horrifying. I could truly see these women come to life on the page. Each one having different characteristics and concerns. The introduction items were a little bit long, but otherwise a well-paced story.

I had a problem with the editing. Punctuation was missed in many places making a beautiful story exceedingly difficult to read. Quotation marks and commas were the most missed items. This made me sad because I think a book like this is needed in the discussions of today. I feel like if this is not corrected many will give up reading the story, which I feel needs to be told.

I am inspired by these women. Despite some terrible circumstances, most of them carried on with their lives and worked through it. For some, healing from grief came much later and I am glad to see it portrayed so truthfully. I loved the pictures of the women at the beginning of each of the chapters, showing us these real, strong, and beautiful women.

I loved the Biblical aspect of the story. I appreciated all the great advice Ma Anna gave through the scriptures to encourage the women. I loved seeing them talk, pray, and discuss the Bible together.

As a white woman, this story was really eye-opening to what the black community is trying to convey to those who have not lived through this. Their ancestors being treated unfairly and brutally. I am heartbreaking for the horrors that people do to each other, but I am also glad for the understanding of what these black women have been through. I hope this generation can do better at treating each other well and equally.