Brown is an African-American poet in Philadelphia in the late 1960s. Brother Fletcher is a deacon in a South Street church run by a smarmy preacher who takes advantage of his flock, his deacon, and the prettier members of his flock. Charlene is a hooker whose gangster lover pays her not to work so it won't be said that he relies on prostitutes for sex. Leo runs the bar where they all come to watch sports, drink, talk about their problems and to solve some of them, to get into trouble and out of it, to find inspiration, friendship, love, and heartbreak.This is a story of poor black Philadelphia in a time when so many other ghettos were going up in flames. These people are trying to live their lives and make a living as best they can, watching the outside world with bemusement and wry humor, and their own with contempt, confusion, and even more humor. This book is wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time. Like Bradley's other book, THE CHANEYSVILLE INCIDENT, I lent my first copy of this out, and the person liked it so much he stole it from me.I don't lend Bradley's books to anyone anymore.
