Third Girl From The Left Paperback – September 5, 2006

This is my favorite novel by Martha Southgate. One of the many things I like about Ms. Southgate’s work generally is that it often surprises me. It brings a gravitas and diversity to its subjects and characters that is subtle and I don’t see coming a mile away. That was never truer than in this wonderful book. “Third Girl from the Left” is the story of women – three of them, all of them black and American. These women are family. They are in each other’s lives for better or worse so they love and treat each other accordingly. Their stories are told in three parts each character a focal point of view in that section.It begins with Angela, at a time when she is on the brink of leaving her home in Tulsa, OK. for Hollywood to become an actress in the height of Blaxploitation films. Angela is beautiful, strong willed, bewildering, messy, and wildly self-centered. Basically, she’s fascinating. I identified with this section perhaps more than other sections of the book because I grew up in this era. So, it was also here that I laughed out loud the most and could see everything happen the most vividly. Ms. Southgate does a great job of weaving real people and real popular culture into the story in ways that are often imaginary, but totally credible.Mildred, Angela’s mother, dominates the second section of the book and offers, for me, the most poignant moments in this story. Mildred, more than even her daughter is a woman oppressed by the weight of the times in which she lives. Born at the early part of the 20th century, Mildred sees too much at an early age and buries it. Yet, she is so bound to that trauma throughout her life that it effects every relationship she has especially the one she has with her family.Tamara, Angela’s daughter and Mildred’s granddaughter, is revealed in the third section offering us the most contemporary character of the book and perhaps the most difficult to know. Part of that I suspect is because Tamara is young when we first meet her and as she grows it is increasingly obvious she knows and understands little about the people she loves who are closest to her. Her often obstructed and tentative approach to discovery was heartbreaking and consequently more than the other women in the story it was Tamara I wanted to know and hear more about. Crossing my fingers that the book gets pick up for a TV series so that wish might become a reality.In case you’re wondering there are many men in the body of this work -- all of them were haunting and extremely interesting in their own right, but this was a woman’s story and I was grateful and moved by that perspective throughout.This was an easy read because the characters were richly drawn, the time periods and story etched with reality, and there were often poetic gems in the prose. I highly recommend it as well as all of Southgate’s work. It never disappoints.

I must say that her first novel "Fall of Rome" is a hard act to follow; however, Martha Southgate's sophomore effort "Third Girl from the Left" supports my first impression of her as a writer: Southgate is a gifted creator and teller of stories. I not only enjoyed this mother/daughter tale, but also the talent she displayed manipulating language and weaving in the historical social climate of each of her characters (from the tragic destruction of Greenwood, OK to the era of Blaxploitation films) Each woman's narrative was a journey to becoming her own self. How awesome that each daughter--Mildred, Angela and Tamara--had to learn about her mother's past to accept her own present. Best of all was the way Southgate brought the daughter Angela back to her mother Mildred using the granddaughter-Tamara's need to make her mark as a film director. I think "Third Girl on the Left" is one heck of a story!

Martha Southgate is a very talented writer, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Third Girl from the Left". Martha's story is well written and very cohesive. She was able to give an insightful, as well as entertaining look into the coming of age/lives of 3 generations of women. This story honestly, lovingly, and forgivingly describes how our experiences in life shape us for the good and the bad.

A very interesting read covering three distinct contrasting eras of Black Women. Many surprises and unexpected turns. What one must do to pursue one's dreams.

This is a great book thus far. It was delivered in great condition--though not new as expected, for there was a note to Meghan in the front cover (haha)! I am really enjoying the story so far and I am up to the half way mark.

I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did, but was pulled in right from the start. Very well-written.

Slow start but gets better as you go along. The historical references are poignant and inspire you to seek more information.

bought on a whim.Loved it.