The Other Side of the River, Alex Kolowitz

This morning I started rereading a book, The Other Side of the River, by Alex Kolowitz. He also wrote There are No Children Here (1991). The Other Side of the River is a tale of two cities, Benton Harbor and St Joseph, Michigan. Kolowitz follows the tragic story of Eric McGinnis, a young African-American boy who was discovered dead in the St. Joseph River. The other way to describe it: Alex narrates the murder of an African-American teenager who was found in the St. Joseph River. Depending on which side of the river you live dictates how you explain the story – found or murdered.

St. Joseph is 95% affluent and white and Benton Harbor is 92% poor and black. The story is particularly about race relations in these two cities, but, as Kolowitz states, the story is the tale of Americana.

Over the next few weeks, I will be writing my reflections on the story. Most often, I read an entire book and then write my thoughts, yet because of the nature of the story, the intensity of the writing, and the unfolding style of writing, I will write in a more “personal journal” style as I go through the story. I look forward to re-reading what I wrote from the early pages to the latter, and to potentially discover my own ignorance and prejudice as I read and reflect. My one wondering is: “Do I have the stamina to read the entire book through and keep up with my own reflections?” In many ways, I am writing to discover my own “whiteness.”