Song Of The Shank
by Jeffery Renard Allen
Nominations: Carnegie Longlist 2015, Dublin Longlist 2016, PEN/Faulkner Finalist 2015
Date Read: September 29, 2022
Song Of The Shank is a complex and detailed novel about Blind Tom and his rise and fall from fame during the Civil War and just after. Tom is a black piano prodigy who can play a song after hearing it only once. Tom is also mentally challenged; his exact affliction is never mentioned but he sounds as if he’s autistic.
There are a series of interlopers that observe Tom’s talent and immediately see dollar signs. His rise to fame is entirely based on others’ ability to exploit him. The first of these is Percy Oliver, who takes many years to save up his money and come up with his plan. He finally achieves a meeting with Tom’s owner, General Bethune, who agrees to releasing Tom to Oliver’s custody in exchange for continuous kick-backs.
The challenge is finding a piano teacher that can hone Tom’s skill. Being as he’s black and mentally challenged, piano teachers slam the door in Oliver’s face. Under Oliver’s custody and a piano teacher’s diligent patience, Tom becomes the Blind Tom that is soon to be famous. Oliver, inevitably, becomes wealthy at Tom’s expense.
General Bethune retains ownership of Tom and after a period of time, Tom returns to live with him; a part of the narrative I’m slightly unclear on. Another person inserts himself, Tubbs, who also believes he can exploit Tom, although Tubbs being black himself, feels he would be much more in tune with Tom’s needs. Tubbs is never able to execute his plan because the general tricks him out of his business proposition and when Tubbs finds Tom, he is with his mother.
Tom refuses to play the piano until he is reunited with Eliza, the woman who took care of him during the worst of the war. She is related to the general in an unclear way. Tom has clearly formed a deep attachment to her. Tubbs finally agrees to reunite Tom with Eliza under another elaborate plan that Tubbs hopes won’t subject any of them to scrutiny or violence during such an unsettled time where being black is dangerous (although, when isn’t it? It’s still dangerous today.). Tubbs disguises himself as a woman and Eliza agrees to accompany Tom to somewhere in the south where they feel they will be safer. During this journey, Tom slips from Tubbs’ fingers forever.
Jumping from the past to the future to the present, Allen is clearly skilled at maintaining his narrative thread, although I don’t think this novel is for me. I prefer to become emotionally invested in characters and there wasn’t a lot to hold onto here. The overall plot is entirely believable because I don’t think anyone during that time would have overlooked a means of profiting off their slaves. The background of post-Civil War violence and instability also seemed well flushed out.
Controversy: Jeffrey Renard Allen has gone from a professor and author to somewhat of a pariah. In 2019, Allen was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery and felony assault, however, he received a suspended sentence. He was placed on administrative leave while the charges were pending and I can’t find whether he has been reinstated or not.
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