A Kind of Freedom by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton

This book, on the New York Times list of notable books of 2018, is an impressive first book for the author.  It begins by demonstrating one of the pillar ideals of the American dream, which is that those who work hard can get ahead.  The corellary to that is that circumstances can and should improve over generations. That’s how the son of poor immigrants, regardless of race, creed, or national origin, can become an attorney or a doctor. But things don’t always follow this trajectory. In this new multigenerational novel set in New Orleans, the daughter of a prominent doctor becomes the grandmother of an incarcerated young man.  so going high doesn't always mean you will stay there.
This generational arc is largely related to systemic racial bias, but to simplify this novel as an exploration of such minimizes Wilkerson’s incredible achievement. Rather,  it is a portrait of a family, troubled at times, close at times, living in the American South, and a richly layered exploration of their sufferings.
So it starts off on a high note.  It’s 1944 and Evelyn and her sister Ruby are the daughters of the first African-American doctor in New Orleans. One daughter marries a common man, and the other reaches for something better but it never materializes for her.  The story is one where mistakes were made, but the price was always high and the path out of trouble more of a mine field than a well lit road.  I really loved this, the author is a good story teller, and while it is sad, it feels loved and real.