The Last Thing You Surrender by Leonard Pitts Jr.

He is a nationally syndicated columnist for the Miami Herald and winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for commentary, in addition to many other awards. is the author of the novels 'The Last Thing You Surrender', 'Grant Park', 'Freeman', and 'Before I Forget', as well as two works of nonfiction. What does it take to change someone's mind about race? What does it take for a country and a people to move forward, transformed?Ībout the author: Leonard Pitts, Jr. Set against a backdrop of violent racial conflict on both the front lines and the home front, The Last Thing You Surrender explores the powerful moral struggles of individuals from a divided nation. a black man, who as a child saw his parents brutally lynched, is conscripted to fight Nazis for a country he despises and discovers a new kind of patriotism in the all-black 761st Tank Battalion.

a young black woman, widowed by the same events at Pearl, finds unexpected opportunity and a dangerous friendship in a segregated Alabama shipyard feeding the war. A Q&A and signing will follow the discussion.Ībout the Book: Pulitzer-winning journalist and bestselling novelist ('Freeman') Leonard Pitts, Jr.'s new historical page-turner is a great American tale of race and war, following three characters from the Jim Crow South as they face the enormous changes World War II triggers in the United States.Īn affluent white marine survives Pearl Harbor at the cost of a black messman's life only to be sent, wracked with guilt, to the Pacific and taken prisoner by the Japanese. Pitts poignantly illustrates ongoing racial and class tensions, and offers hope that we can overcome hatred by refusing to sacrifice dignity.”-Booklist, starred reviewĪ reading and discussion with Leonard Pitts, Jr., author of 'The Last Thing You Surrender', with Ethan Michaeli. “Seamlessly integrates impressive research into a compelling tale of America at war-overseas, at home, and within ourselves, as we struggle to find the better angels of our nature.

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The Last Thing You Surrender by Leonard Pitts Jr.