Mama Black Widow

"Black Mama Widow" is a disturbing novel told in first person by Otis Tilson... The beginning of the book starts off in the present with Otis and his current problems but through flashback we're taken back in time to his childhood in the South. We are introduced to his parents and siblings and go with them to Chicago where they are hoping for a better life. Instead of offering them the freedom and wealth they were hoping for, Chicago offers the family misery and poverty, causing them to disentigrate. From Otis' childhood in Chicago, we learn how the lust for material wealth causes a Black family to lead immoral lifestyles. Stealing, lying, boozin', soliciting sex, killing,and treating family members as means are just some of them.
Although my first impression of the book was that maybe there could be some kind of postive message eventually involved (what was I thinking?), I soon became disgusted. Out of all the characters, especially those in Otis' family, no one makes it out of the misery they are in. They each run into some disasterous fate and are unable to get out. There is no hope for anyone, and no one wants or is trying to break free from the cycle of destruction that keeps them down. The cycle just continues until eventually each one finally meets their fate, a physical and/or spiritual death.
Although the author's writing style is good, the content of the book isn't inspiring. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone unless they needed to be warned about the consequences of self-centeredness...

In Mama Black Widow, Iceberg Slim tells the story of Otis Tilson, "an incredibly comely and tragic homosexual queen." The book is compelling for two reasons: its vivid recounting of a Black family's relocation from rural Mississippi to Chicago during the Great Migration of the 1920s, and its colorful portrayal of Chicago's homosexual underworld in the 1940s and 1950s. Slim's treatment of the latter is especially intriguing; although he treats homosexuality as an illness, he casts his gay characters, in view of their numerous misfortunes, as objects of sympathy. The author's ghetto insight culminates in the theme of Mama Black Widow, that Tilson's homosexuality is the result of childhood molestation and his overbearing mother. Despite these elements, and subplots involving a promiscuous preacher, interracial dating and Tilson's mother's attempt to pimp her own daughter, the story falls flat. As the novel progresses it appears that Slim loses interest in his characters, opting to kill them off when convenient. Ultimately the reader is left wondering more if Slim was a victim of deadlines than if Tilson was a victim of his past.

In this novel, Iceberg Slim takes the readers into the hearts and mind of a family torn apart by change. Otis the main character a homosexual young man stuggling with his "new" and "past" life, takes him on a whirlwind ride. Slim offers indepth insight on the struggle of the some homosexual men: the depression, isolation, the issues of trying to "do what is right", and the dangers of the lifestyle. Every turn is tragic in and of itself, but the book was honest and well thought out because there isn't a happy ending for everyone. Read this and learn from the characters mistakes.

Iceberg Slim outdid himself once again when he wrote this novel dealing with tragic drag queen otis tilson this book isn't just about homosexuals but how homosexuals in the black community are created by the system that was designed to break the black man and woman and otis is another victim who was molested by a deacon yeah this is messed up. This is a sad story as otis talks about getting raped, how his dad was a proud reverend down south then when the family moved to chi town the mother just took over and had papa tilson drink himself to an early grave while carol was murdered by moms for being impregnated by a white man then forcing bessie out in the streets where she was murdered by a crazed john who buried her remains under a burned car.
yes this is still a serious issue within the black community nationwide while homosexuality increases and now it's worser because of the rise of aids in the black community this was all designed by the man and his system which will continue to niggerize poor black males you should also read the infamous william lynch letter for info on how the black male and woman was broken.

Its 2006 and I just suggested this book to someone because I can never forget this book. In fact, everyone that I have recommended this book to, still comes to me for book suggestions. However, anything that I've suggested doesn't compare to this page-turner. Let's just put it out there - its grimey, plain and simple. You keep reading because you can't actually believe this has happened to someone. When my bookclub read this book, one of the participants suggested we read a happier book next time. This book is not for someone looking for a "happy" book.

I found this book to be a good read, I agree it was very sad to see how the streets of chicago treated this family that was once a loving family. It also shows what money can do to a family. I can't say that everyone will enjoy this book I have passed it around to some of my friends and they have different opinions on this book. I will say I enjoyed it!!

Woah just wish... A very good read but not for the faint of heart

excellent!

good read

Loved it! Shipped/delivered very quickly. Binding in good shapre for such an old out of print book. I would consider other Iceberg Slim publications. Pretty graphic but real life.