A Different Drummer by William Melvin Kelley

A Different Drummer

William Melvin Kelley

224 pages • first pub 1964 (editions)

fiction historical race challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

Description

The stunning, thought-provoking first novel by a lost giant of American literature (The New Yorker) June, 1957. One hot afternoon in the backwaters of the Deep South, a young black farmer named Tucker Caliban salts his fields, shoots his horse, bu...

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Community Reviews Summary of 188 reviews

Moods

reflective 91%
emotional 66%
sad 66%
challenging 58%
dark 50%
tense 41%
informative 8%
mysterious 8%

Pace

medium 58%
slow 41%

Plot- or character-driven?

A mix: 57% | Character: 28% | Plot: 14%

Strong character development?

It's complicated: 62% | No: 25% | Yes: 12%

Loveable characters?

It's complicated: 57% | No: 42%

Diverse cast of characters?

Yes: 71% | It's complicated: 14% | N/A: 14%

Flaws of characters a main focus?

Yes: 75% | It's complicated: 12% | N/A: 12%

Average rating

4.29

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Content Warnings

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