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    The Rib King: A Novel
    The Rib King: A Novel
    The Rib King: A Novel
    Audiobook10 hours

    The Rib King: A Novel

    Written by Ladee Hubbard

    Narrated by Korey Jackson and Adenrele Ojo

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    “Ladee Hubbard’s voice is a welcome original.” —Mary Gaitskill

    Upstairs, Downstairs meets Parasite: The acclaimed author of The Talented Ribkins deconstructs painful African American stereotypes and offers a fresh and searing critique on race, class, privilege, ambition, exploitation, and the seeds of rage in America in this intricately woven and masterfully executed historical novel, set in early the twentieth century that centers around the black servants of a down-on-its heels upper-class white family.

    For fifteen years August Sitwell has worked for the Barclays, a well-to-do white family who plucked him from an orphan asylum and gave him a job. The groundskeeper is part of the household’s all-black staff, along with “Miss Mamie,” the talented cook, pretty new maid Jennie Williams, and three young kitchen apprentices—the latest orphan boys Mr. Barclay has taken in to ""civilize"" boys like August.

    But the Barclays fortunes have fallen, and their money is almost gone. When a prospective business associate proposes selling Miss Mamie’s delicious rib sauce to local markets under the brand name “The Rib King”—using a caricature of a wildly grinning August on the label—Mr. Barclay, desperate for cash, agrees. Yet neither Miss Mamie nor August will see a dime. Humiliated, August grows increasingly distraught, his anger building to a rage that explodes in shocking tragedy. 

    Elegantly written and exhaustively researched, The Rib King is an unsparing examination of America’s fascination with black iconography and exploitation that redefines African American stereotypes in literature. In this powerful, disturbing, and timely novel, Ladee Hubbard reveals who people actually are, and most importantly, who and what they are not.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateJan 19, 2021
    ISBN9780063066779
    The Rib King: A Novel
    Author

    Ladee Hubbard

    Ladee Hubbard is the author of The Rib King and The Talented Ribkins, which received the 2018 Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for Debut Fiction. Her writing has appeared in Guernica, The Times Literary Supplement, Copper Nickel and Callaloo. Hubbard is a recipient of a Radcliffe Institute Fellowship, a Berlin Prize Fellowship, and a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award. She has also received fellowships from MacDowell, Art Omi, the Sacatar Foundation, the Sustainable Arts Foundation, Hedgebrook, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Born in Massachusetts and raised in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Florida, Ladee Hubbard currently lives in New Orleans.

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    Reviews for The Rib King

    3.5/5

    72 ratings9 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      A prequel to The Talented Ribkins (2017), this novel gives an accurate, grounded depiction at the lives of Black Americans in the early 20th century. There's even esoteric Easter eggs that parallel actual historical figures (Winston Harper as a Marcus Garvey stand-in). This novel is an easy read that deserves every bit of acclaim it receives.
    • 4/5
      Good back and front stories about a fictionalized Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima and the racism and violence they were forced to endure in a midwestern city where the "enlightened" homeowner only hires staff of one race to "avoid conflict". But I just did not get emotionally attached to the characters of Mr. Sitwell, Jennie, and Mamie, although they deserved better from me.
    • 4/5
      Rating: 4* of five...truly on sentimental groundsA BOOKRIOT BEST BOOK OF 2021!The Publisher Says: Upstairs, Downstairs meets Parasite: The acclaimed author of The Talented Ribkins deconstructs painful African American stereotypes and offers a fresh and searing critique on race, class, privilege, ambition, exploitation, and the seeds of rage in America in this intricately woven and masterfully executed historical novel, set in the early twentieth century that centers around the black servants of a down-on-its heels upper-class white family.For fifteen years August Sitwell has worked for the Barclays, a well-to-do white family who plucked him from an orphan asylum and gave him a job. The groundskeeper is part of the household’s all-black staff, along with “Miss Mamie,” the talented cook, pretty new maid Jennie Williams, and three young kitchen apprentices—the latest orphan boys Mr. Barclay has taken in to "civilize" boys like August.But the Barclays' fortunes have fallen, and their money is almost gone. When a prospective business associate proposes selling Miss Mamie’s delicious rib sauce to local markets under the brand name “The Rib King”—using a caricature of a wildly grinning August wearing a jewel-encrusted crown on the label—Mr. Barclay, desperate for cash, agrees. Yet neither Miss Mamie nor August will see a dime. Humiliated, August grows increasingly distraught, his anger building to a rage that explodes in shocking tragedy.Elegantly written and exhaustively researched, The Rib King is an unsparing examination of America’s fascination with black iconography and exploitation that redefines African American stereotypes in literature. In this powerful, disturbing, and timely novel, Ladee Hubbard reveals who people actually are, and most importantly, who and what they are not.I RECEIVED THIS AS A YULE GIFT FROM MY DELIGHTFUL YOUNG GENTLEMAN CALLER. YOU'RE TOO KIND, ROB.My Review: A book of two halves...Mr. Sitwell, the risen-through-the-ranks butler of the Barclay family, has a fascinating tale to tell about how he becomes The Rib King™ and, in an access of passionate rage, pivots from a man who knows his worth, and protects it at all costs, into a, well, talented person set on revenge for some nasty wrongs. I myownself was quite invested in this story and would give it four stars were it the only one here.Part two follows Jennie, who was another servant in the Barclay household, as she does what needs doing in New Orleans. She has a daughter and she is the only one who can look out for the young lady's future. This would seem to be well-trodden territory. It is. I don't want you to think there was nothing to say for it, and there are definitely reasons to follow Jennie and her child. But the process was three-star territory for sure.What made me think and fuss about how to fix this reading experience in my memory is the fact that I read The Talented Ribkins (see below) before I read this book. It led me down the garden path a bit. I was expecting to get more of the reasons and the wherefores of the earlier book's characters. It didn't really fulfill that desire in me.But the prose flowed over my eyes, the stories felt very *real* in their outlines and very relatable to the world we saw in The Talented Ribkins; so surely four stars, after all? And that, plus the verve of Mr. Sitwell's half of the story, gave me the nudge to go from the more-grounded-in-the-object three-and-a-half up to four stars.I got four stars'-worth of pleasure from Ladee Hubbard's unique and entertaining characters. I expect most who read my reviews will, too. I do caution y'all to get and read The Talented Ribkins first. They make a better whole-story experience that way, and they're each well worth your eyeblinks.
    • 4/5
      August Sitwell, groundskeeper and Jennie Williams,maid are both part of the all black staff at the Barclay's residence in 1914.  The Barclay's are falling on hard times financially and may not be able to keep all of their staff, especially the three young kitchen apprentices, Mac, Frederick and Bart who were taken from the orphan asylum.  One of Mr. Barclay's business associates takes an interest in the meat sauce that Sitwell and Barclay's cook, Mamie created.   The associate offers to sell the sauce, complete with Sitwell's picture on the front under the name of "The Rib King '' bringing the Barclay's back from their financial ruin.  However, neither Sitwell or Mamie will see any money from the sale.  Sitwell's frustration reaches a peak setting forth a chain of events that will change many lives.  Ten years later, Jennie owns a successful business parlor and wants to market a healing salve that she and Mamie developed.  When the familiar face of The Rib King  comes back to town, Jennie learns just how far reaching the effects are of that fateful night at the Barclay's house.The Rib King is an intriguing story told in two parts giving a detailed look into the lives of African Americans during this time period.  The first half of the story is told from the point of view of August Sitwell,  the second from the point of view of Jennie Williams.  This style of writing gave way to a slow burn historical fiction story that didn't begin to tie all of the pieces together until the near end.  Through both Sitwell and Jennie's narration there is an insightful view into the long term suffering of the African American population and the effects passed down on their psyche and worth.  The story goes into detail of white privilege and cultural appropriation used for profit.  I could clearly understand Sitwell's rage and pathway to revenge once his whole story was revealed.  Jennie's story revealed how someone on a completely different path than Sitwell could still be stalled by the same issues due to a common history.  My only complaint was the ending wrapped up rather quickly.  I'd love to continue to read The Talented Ribkins to continue the  stories of Mac, Bart and Frederick. This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 
    • 5/5
      I have no clue how to describe this - just read it!
    • 3/5
      I wanted to like The Rib King by Ladee Hubbard much more than I did. The story begins in 1910s Washington DC and chronicles a few days in the life of the Black staff at a posing-rich, White family’s house. A bit of upstairs-downstairs feeling well imagined and fleshed out by Hubbard with Mr. Sitwell, the gardener who really runs the household at the center. At the halfway point, the narrative turns 10 years later to Jennie, a maid at the beginning, and her struggles to run a hairdressing business. Almost all of the early characters reunite in some way, and we learn of a tragedy that split them apart 10 years earlier. There is a lot to unpack in this novel, Hubbard’s writing is more than fine, but at times the story and characters become convoluted. I also found parts just plain boring--too drawn out and unnecessary. I know this book is getting a lot of love, but unfortunately not from me.
    • 4/5
      Excellent historical novel about two Black domestic workers whose likenesses end up on product labels in the early 20th century and how they got there. A fascinating, well-written book.
    • 5/5
      This historical novel, The Rib King by Ladee Hubbard is set in a time frame of American history that really fascinates me. Having said that, I was not disappointed and highly recommend it. I loved reading this novel, truly enjoyed the characters and storyline. The book cover is bright yellow and has an interesting appeal.

      The story is set in the early twentieth century with most of the main characters being black servants. Miss Mamie, the cook, the maid, Jennie Williams, three orphan boys and Mr August Sitwell the groundskeeper. They all work at the upper class, white household of the Barclays. This book is well written with memorable characters and quotes. It deals with so many topics that are deep, controversial, unsettling and still very relevant in the present day.

      Thank you BookishFirst, author Ladee Hubbard and her publishing company for providing this book to me for a honest review.
    • 5/5
      Images of Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima will come to your mind as you read this book. The book will remind you why those images don’t reflect the real people behind these foods. Mr. Sitwell, the groundskeeper at a northern city (Chicago?) mansion in the early 20th century is one of two main characters. He is bright and he can take a taste of a food and name its ingredients. He is also a master at poisoning, but at first the reader is introduced to a Mr. Sitwell who is a positive role model for the young boys who also work there. When the owner of the mansion is close to financial ruin, he convinces Sidwell to be the portrait on a meat sauce. Of course, Sitwell is to get none of the money. The white men involved will make the money. Sidwell disappears after a poisoning and then house fire for which a white cook is blamed. The narration is taken over by Jennie who was a house maid for the white family. After recovering from the fire, she sets about creating a crème that will cure female yeast infections and work as a beauty crème. In her effort to find a backer for large scale production. In her quest she discovers what she remembers about the fire and Sidwell is not correct, and he may still be continuing his illegal ways while just like Aunt Jemima shared her pancakes, he goes from town to town demonstrating his meat sauce as the “Rib King”. And throughout all this the racism and inequality both economically and socially is shown. The story is a complex one with fascinating characters and a determination of those characters to rise.