Alex
Cross's Trial ,
by James Patterson and Richard Dilallo
Realizing that his children understand
little of their ancestors' struggle to survive the bigotry
and hatred of the Jim Crow era, Alex Cross decides to
write a novel based on his great uncle's life. The result
is the story that becomes the core of this audio book.
Cross's main characters are Ben Corbett, a compassionate
young white lawyer and Alex's great uncle, Abraham Cross.
As a defender of the underdog in Washington, DC, of
the early 20th century, Ben Corbett attracts the attention
of President Theodore Roosevelt, who commissions him
to investigate the increasing Klan activity in the Deep
South. Since Ben was born and raised in Eudora, Mississippi,
the President feels that Ben is the perfect choice for
this covert mission, and for assistance, he refers him
to an old and respected member of the black community,
Abraham Cross. When Ben returns to his former home,
he is appalled to find that what he'd remembered as
an idyllic community of southern gentility is really
a hotbed of murder, intimidation and injustice. Lynching,
torture and mutilation have become a sport enjoyed by
his boyhood classmates and neighbors, while the former
slaves cower in their quarter, hoping to avoid death
by becoming invisible.
This is unlike any of Patterson's earlier
books; the only connection to the Alex Cross character
found in many of those novels is title of this book.
The elderly black gentleman could have been anyone,
and the fact that he's named Cross does not make the
horrific events any more or less compelling. As difficult
as it is to listen to some of the descriptions of the
physical violence and the emotional abuse, Patterson
and Dilallo have done readers a great favor by reminding
us of this dark period in our history. While the witnesses
to the atrocities of that era are no longer around to
testify, it is important that the facts are not forgotten,
nor the price of freedom minimized. Dylan Baker's narration
adds to the emotional appeal of the book, because he
is able to create distinct voices among the southern
speakers. He infuses his characters' comments with the
appropriate amounts of venom or gentility as the occasions
demand. From the horror of the lynching parties to the
hopefulness of the slave gatherings, Baker gives the
listener a front row seat.
Alex Cross's Trial is a book that should
be read by everyone, but the descriptions are too graphic
for young readers. For older teens and adults, the information
about racial prejudice, violence and the struggle for
social justice that Patterson and Dilallo present can't
help but prove to be thought-provoking. The fact that
so powerful a message can be presented in such an entertaining
way is a testament to the skill of Patterson and Dillalo
and shows that popular fiction can evolve from an unpopular
topic. Highly recommended.
Ruth
Mormon
9/24/09
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