Soul City
By Touré

     You won’t find the Soul City of this novel on any map; it’s really a frame of mind. Cadillac Jackson, a journalist from The City, “smooths into” Soul City to write an article about the place and never looks back. Flowers grow from cracks in Soul City sidewalks, and the pavement is also discreetly studded with speakers that continuously pump music throughout Soul City. This music, in fact, is something more than music. It’s controlled by the Mayor and wields an irresistible power over the mood and actions of Soul City citizens, AKA the “Soulful.”

    Things move along as usual--in wild colors and with a variety of styles--until Soul City’s traditions are upset by a series of misfortunes: a mayoral election that changes the music; the death of a well-known Big Mama (Big Mamas never die!); and the seductive consumerism touted by John Jigaboo, manufacturer of Jigaboo Shampoo. This shampoo, once banned in Soul City, causes a pleasant tingling on the scalp, but rumors claim it turns users into Stepin Fetchit. Cadillac Jackson himself raises a few eyebrows by impregnating Chickadee Sunflower. As a member of the Sunflower family, Chickadee can fly. However, a child fathered by a non-flyer might lose this special gift.

   Touré’s new novel is a vivid--not to say over-the-top--portrayal of black American culture, celebrating the good, the bad, and the ugly. As a satire, it offers a wealth of humorous, even outlandish observation and social commentary, ultimately counseling “to thine own self be true.” Worth a read.