Title: The Salt from Their Tears

Author: Andre Simmons

Publisher: Bookbaby

Genre: Memoir, Family & Relationships, Mental Health

Pages: 273

Born on the South Side of Chicago in the mid-1960s, Andre “Dre” Simmons takes us through the many traumatic events he experienced growing up in the Cabrini Green projects. For those of you who know my story, you know I grew up in Robert Taylor, so reading this felt like reading excerpts from my own life.

“The movie “Candyman” was filmed in Cabrini-Green. The classic movie “Cooley High” was also filmed in the vicinity of the Cabrini-Green projects. The popular show “Good Times” was based on the Cabrini-Green projects. What the television show did not tell were the stories of civilian snipers on rooftops shooting at police officers.”

We learn that Dre was born in the summer of 1965, a year that experienced some explosive historical moments. I enjoyed how the author added this to the timeline. When Simmons was born, Malcolm X had been assassinated, President Johnson had signed the Voting Rights Act, Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama, was in the headlines, and the first American combat troops had arrived in Vietnam.

Amid these world-changing events is another world. A world where a little Black boy without a father tries to find his way. He looks to the popular boys; among them is Moon, a notorious gang leader who recruits him to be a corner boy.

“Like so many others in my projects, I was eleven years old, and I was declaring myself to be a man. When you declared yourself as a man, the streets expected for you to be a man, and it did not give a damn if you were a grown man or a brand-new baby. If you were expected to do a job, you better do it.”

I loved the dialogue of this book the most. You can tell the author has actually lived through the events and is not trying to repeat some Power Universe episode. I felt like I was right there watching Dre get pulled into the house by Felicia.

“What are you doin’ over there talkin’ to Moon?” Felicia asked.

“He just wanted to holla at me for a minute.”

“Holla at you? Why you talkin’ like that?”

“Cause that’s how we talk in the streets.”

“You ain’t from no streets. You from the ghetto. Now let’s go upstairs.”

Felicia is the big sister who was the first to move away from Cabrini. She’s educated, proud, and is not quiet about being too good for the projects.

“They piled us on top of each other like caged animals and wanted us to survive off of killing one another. You think I’m supposed to be proud of that shit, Chris? Hell yeah, I’m too good for Cabrini-Green.”

Dre shares parts of his childhood with his therapist each day, and it is through these sessions that we learn more about his life. There is also a twist involving the therapist herself.

I do think the book could use another round of editing. I also think this could have been a full memoir focused on Simmons’ upbringing in Cabrini Green and the military because the author’s personal testimony is the book’s strength.

More than anything else, this is Dre’s story.

Ratings

• Strong Introduction: 3/5
• Authenticity / Believable: 5/5
• Organization: 3/5
• Thought Provoking: 5/5
• Solid Conclusion: 3/5

Overall: 3.5/5

The Salt From Their Tears Is Available Here

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