Melaleuca Frank VanderSloot

To Love Mercy
By Frank S. Joseph
Mid-Atlantic Highlands Publishing (2006)
Reviewed by Cyndy Zoch for Reader Views (4/06)

“To Love Mercy” is an amazing story of race and religion set in late ‘40s Chicago. Mr. Joseph weaves a memorable tale of two young boys and what happens when their paths cross one fateful evening.

Sass, an 11 year old black boy, and Steve, a ten-year-old white boy, live only a few city blocks from each other. Their two lives are worlds apart until circumstances bring them together late one evening in a parking lot after a White Sox game. The confrontation that results causes one to be injured and the other to feel a sense of responsibility for the injuries. The boys spend an adventure-filled day together. Meanwhile, back at home their two families, brought together by a black woman who happens to know both boys, fight because of their prejudices and misconceptions.

The boys begin their day naively unaware of the differences between themselves, but are challenged and ridiculed every where they go for being “friends”. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long before the boys are affected by the words being spoken around them. They struggle with their need to fit in with society and their genuine feelings for each other. Each family professes strong religious beliefs; one family is Pentecostal and the other Jewish. Each claims “To Love Mercy”, but when presented with a situation to demonstrate that belief, each fails miserably. Ironically, it is the attitude of their families that bring the two boys back together again.

Mr. Joseph’s novel is a joy to read. The book is written primarily from the viewpoint of one of the two boys. Their conversations are quite believable and extremely entertaining. The boys, not knowing how to be “politically correct”, speak their minds freely, questioning events and circumstances, yet neither one takes offense at the other. When Steve sees Sass’ home for the first time, he exclaims “Jeez. It’s so small.” Sass responds, “What you mean small? We got a bedroom ain’t we?”

The side story of the black maid, a friend to both of the boys, and her son provides a sobering insight into what life was like in the south during the early twentieth century for black people.

You need not have grown up in the ‘40s to enjoy this book. This realistic story contains a riveting storyline, excellent dialog and enough excitement to keep you turning the pages. That Mr. Joseph stayed true to history is evident from the wonderful quotes he includes at the end of the book. These quotes were obtained from excerpts of historical tapes and transcripts, and real interviews conducted by the author with people who actually lived in the Bronzeville area of Chicago during the 1940s and 1950s.

Buy this book and encourage your friends to buy it too. It makes an excellent selection for any book club or discussion group. I guarantee that you will find plenty to talk about!