A Taste of Reality : A Novel

From AudioFile
When Anise, a black woman, applies for a promotion to manager of human resources, she's impeded by a management team that wants an all-white male staff. As Anise fights racism, job discrimination, and sexual harassment, she also finds herself in the midst of a divorce from her light-skinned husband, who wants a white wife. Then she begins a relationship with Frank, an Italian with a preference for black women. Tracey Leigh brings Roby's characters to life, giving even the villains depth and personality. Caricatures abound, but reality wins out in this story of pride and persistence. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From Booklist
In a novel about the tough issue of workplace racism, Anise is an M.B.A. graduate working in employee benefits for a local company in a small town outside of Chicago. She is married to a successful vice president of a pharmaceutical sales company and lives in a dream home. Professionally, she is being steered toward a position that is not of interest. On two occasions, her superiors have hired--into the position she wants--employees who are not as qualified as she. And she and her husband are at odds about the direction of their marriage. So, Anise makes decisions about her future, independent of the advice and warnings of those close to her, and accepts the reality of her professional and personal situations. She determines which battles she should tackle and which she should walk away from. In the end, Anise learns that she has the strength to handle any obstacle. A thought-provoking novel about relationships between partners, coworkers, and family. Lillian Lewis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


E. Lynn Harris, New York Times Bestselling Author
"A TASTE OF REALITY is a powerful and deeply satisfying read. It's Kimberla Lawson Roby at her best."


Book Description

Kimberla Lawson Roby returns with another moving and triumphant novel about a woman who, against all odds, battles the most blatant kind of workplace discrimination while dealing with a crumbling marriage and a trusted friend’s betrayal.

On the surface, Anise seems to have it all: a successful career, a solid marriage, and good friends. But when she applies for a promotion at work, she loses out to a white colleague who isn’t nearly as qualified for the job. However, the problem at work is only the beginning of Anise's troubles. After being married for four seemingly blissful years, she discovers that her husband is having an affair. And to make matters worse, her best friend at work is keeping dangerous secrets.

But Anise is no quitter. As brave as she is determined, she reaches deep inside her soul to find the strength and courage to overcome heartbreak and stay her course. Ultimately, she will discover that what is worth having is worth fighting for -- in her career and, most importantly, in her heart.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

On the surface, Anise seems to have it all: a successful career, a solid marriage, and good friends. But when she applies for a promotion at work, she loses out to a white colleague who isn't nearly as qualified for the job. And after being married for four seemingly blissful years, she discovers that her husband is having an affair. To make matters worse, her best friend at work is keeping dangerous secrets.

But Anise is no quitter. As brave as she is determined, she reaches deep inside her soul to find the strength and courage to overcome heartbreak and stay her course. Ultimately she will discover that everything worth having is worth fighting for — in her career and, most importantly, in her heart.

SYNOPSIS

Kimberla Lawson Roby returns with another moving and triumphant novel about a woman who, against all odds, battles the most blatant kind of workplace discrimination while dealing with a crumbling marriage and a trusted friend's betrayal.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

While this novel about workplace discrimination gets off to a promising start, it is ultimately disappointing. Anise is an African American MBA graduate working in the employee benefits division of a large manufacturing company just outside of Chicago. When a management recruiting position opens up, she applies for the promotion and is clearly the best candidate. However, the patently racist human resource department managers feel that Anise is best suited for a position in which she works more closely with factory workers, many of whom are also African American. When the job is given to a less qualified white woman who is having an affair with the boss, Anise fights back. At the same time she learns that her husband, a successful VP at a pharmaceutical company, is having an affair with a white woman. Despite the intriguing premise, Roby's novel has a tendency to explain characters' thoughts and motivations just after their dialog, which leads to an arduous listening experience. Although narrator Tracey Leigh offers a solid performance, this title is not recommended.-Beth Farrell, Portage Cty. Dist. Lib., OH Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

AudioFile