One Night in Georgia
HarperCollins Amistad
August 1968.
At the end of a sweltering summer shaped by the tragic assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Bobby Kennedy, race riots, political protests, and the heightened prominence of the Black power movement, three coeds from New York City—Zelda Livingston, Veronica Cook, and Daphne Brooks—pack into Veronica’s new Ford Fairlane convertible, bound for Atlanta and their last year together at Spelman College.
Unlikely friends from vastly different backgrounds, the trio has been inseparable since freshman year. Zelda, serious and unyielding, the heir of rebellious slaves and freedom riders, sees the world as a dangerous place when you’re black. Veronica, the privileged daughter of a refined, wealthy family, strongly believes in integration and racial uplift. Daphne, of mixed race, lives with a legacy of loss—when as a child, her black mother committed suicide and her father abandoned her.
Though they are young and carefree, the girls aren’t foolish. They rely on the Motorist Green Book and Daniel, a not so welcome family friend, to travel safely. But when they hit Washington, D.C., trouble begins as well as an unlikely romance. Further south their journey turns terrifying—and deadly. When the car breaks down in Georgia, they find themselves caught up in a racially hostile situation that leaves a white person dead and one of the girls holding the gun.
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ONE NIGHT IN GEORGIA REVIEWS
“Set against the tumultuous summer of 1968, Norfleet’s novel is a rich, devastating story of lives trapped in a violent period of history…”
“…Norfleet brilliantly depicts what it means to be a black female in a tempestuous period of American history, and provides a gripping narrative to boot.” – Publishers Weekly – Summer Reads 2019
One of “The 17 Best Summer Reads of 2019” by Harper’s Bazaar! “The personal has always been political—and vice versa—and in her new road trip novel, Celeste O. Norfleet tackles this theme head-on.” Keely Weiss – Harper’s Bazaar
(A+) Award of Excellence: “Talented author, Celeste O. Norfleet takes her readers on a journey into the Deep South during one of the most turbulent times in this nation’s history. ONE NIGHT IN GEORGIA is a riveting story that will resonate with your sense of humaneness long after you read the last page. Celeste O. Norfleet does an exceptional job in recounting that time through this work of Historical Fiction. I highly recommend this novel.″ Reviewed By: Brenda Larnell – Romance In Color Reviews
“Celeste Norfleet’s One Night In Georgia has been on the receiving end of significant acclaim over the past few months – and with good reason. The novel proves ground-breaking on several levels, giving the classic “road story” a brand new sheen and vibrant female voice. At first glance, one might initially dismiss One Night In Georgia as just another fictionalized account of the effect the tumult of the 1960s had on the burgeoning youth. And that would be a grave mistake, and a gross injustice leveled against a profound piece of literature. In the end, One Night In Georgia is about the journey to rediscover the heart that God gave you, as Celeste Norfleet documents the record of her own voyage via the rainbow of this beautiful narrative.” Reviewed By: John Aiello – The Electric Review
5 Whistles (loved it – left a lasting impression) “Once I started, I couldn’t put the book down. Author Celeste O. Norfleet did an exceptional job with this story. Her writing transported me back to those times where a copy of The Motorist Green Book was necessary if you wanted to travel while black. One Night in Georgia is on my list of Favorite Reads of 2019. I highly recommend this book!!” Reviewed By: Orsayor Simmons – Book Referees
“…Norfleet’s origins as a romance writer show in the slow burn of Zelda and Daniel’s attraction, but it’s the female friendships that drive this heartbreaking novel of awakening. The deceptively breezy tone belies the hard truths of the story, making it a good fit for a wide range of book groups.” – American Library Association’s Magazine Booklist
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RT Rating
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