The Talking Drum

By Lisa Braxton

It is 1971 and Bellport, Massachusetts is a dying factory town. But the coming urban redevelopment will have even more implications for the residents. Sydney Stallworth has left her law studies to support her husband’s dream of opening a business in the heart of the black community. For Omar Bassari, a drummer from Senegal, Bellport will be the launching pad from which he hopes to spread African culture across the world. Della Tolliver has built a fragile sanctuary for herself, her boyfriend, and her daughter Jasmine, a troubled child prone to nightmares and outbursts. Tensions rise as the demolition date moves closer and suspicious fires begin to break out. Bellport’s residents find themselves increasingly at odds with the political system that is manipulating their lives and their relationships. Examining the profound impact of gentrification, The Talking Drum explores intra-racial, class, and cross-cultural tensions, along with the meaning of community and belonging.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inanna Poetry and Fiction Series
• Release date: May 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781771337441

Lisa Braxton

Lisa Braxton is a former newspaper reporter and television reporter and anchor. She received an Emmy award nomination during her television career. She earned her MFA in creative writing from Southern New Hampshire University, her M.S. in journalism from Northwestern University, and her B.A. in Mass Media from Hampton University. She is a former president of the Women’s National Book Association Boston chapter. Her stories and essays have been published in anthologies, magazines, and literary journals, including Vermont Literary Review, Clockhouse Review, Northwestern University Magazine, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and The Book of Hope. She received Honourable Mention in Writer’s Digest magazine’s 84th annual writing contest in the inspirational essay category, and was a Top 10 Finalist for the Still I Rise Grant for Black women writers. She lives in the Boston, Massachusetts area.

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