Push by Sapphire

Push by Sapphire is the unsettling story of Precious; a young, obese, illiterate, black woman who is a long time victim of sexual abuse by both her mother, and father.  The story takes place in Harlem and is told by Precious herself.  The book starts out when Precious is pregnant with her second child by her father.  Someone (a female teacher) refers Precious to an education facility for struggling and troubled teenaged women because of her pregnancy, and also because -- the reader can assume -- Precious is not like other girls her age.  The story goes back in time to detail Precious' earlier years, when people recognized the abuse and wanted to help but couldn't and also when people could help but chose not to.  The author doesn't hold back the horrid details of Precious' abuse. At times you are crying for Precious, but also, for anyone else whose life this story could be based on.  The book is mainly about Precious' realization of her situation and her struggle and determination to escape from it.  While her physical escape happens early in the story, her mental escape is a struggle she is faced with throughout the book.  With the help of an institution called Each One Teach One (a place for troubled young women to learn the basic skills to complete their GED), Precious, along with the other female students at EOTO, learns how to enjoy life, become independent, and most importantly, love herself.  Her teacher, Blue Rain, and her fellow classmates are a driving force in Precious' eventual transformation from a victim of abuse to an independent young mother.  Keep in mind however that this story is a tragedy, and without giving away too much, it's important to know that it doesn't have a fairytale ending. 


The story is tragic, without a doubt.  It will make you cry, hard, but also it will make you laugh.  The book is written as though Precious were the author; with misspelled words and poor grammar to emphasize not only the fact that Precious is illiterate and struggling, but also to make the story more personal; like a journal.  This book is a definite must-read for anyone interested in women's studies. 
 
The film is coming out shortly, but I have to be honest, I don't think I will be able to stomach it.  The truth is, as much as this story is fictional, it is based on reality.  Precious might be a made up character, but she is based on many women whose lives correspond very closely with the horrors in this book.  For those of us who don't live those realities, this book is a bit of a shocker, but also a real eye opener. 

Rating: 4/5