A Hope in the Unseen
Encyclopedia
A Hope in the Unseen is the first book by author and journalist Ron Suskind
, published in 1998. The book is a biographical novel
about the life of Cedric Jennings through his last years in high school and first years in college. It details his life in Ballou High School
, an inner city school in Washington, D.C.
, and onto Brown University
, which Cedric attends after high school. The book portrays the problems of inner-city education systems and how the students from these systems are affected throughout their lives. In 2008, the book was selected as part of the "One Maryland, One Book" program.
At Brown, finding himself far behind most of the other freshmen, Cedric must manage a bewildering array of intellectual and social challenges. Cedric had hoped that at college he would finally find a place to fit in, but he discovers he has little in common with either the white students, many of whom come from privileged backgrounds, or the middle-class blacks. Having traveled too far to turn back, Cedric is left to rely on his faith, his intelligence, and his determination to keep alive his hope in the unseen—a future of acceptance and reward that he struggles, each day, to envision.
called it "A beautiful book of a heroic American struggle." The book has been a regular selection in college courses on American culture, education, sociology and creative writing, and has been a required reading for incoming freshmen at many Universities. In 2008, the book was selected as part of the “One Maryland, One Book” program.
The book was especially noted for its influence on the debate over affirmative action
. Upon its release in 1998, affirmative action had become one of the preeminent domestic social issues facing the country. In their review of the book, CNN
declared "As more voters, politicos and talk-show hosts write off affirmative action as a well-intentioned anachronism, "A Hope in the Unseen" should be required reading for would-be opinion-mongers." In his review for Newsday, Bill Reel stated "I changed my thinking about affirmative action. I was against it, now I am for it. The agent of change was a mind-opening book - "A Hope in the Unseen" by Ron Suskind."
The book also drew high praise for its innovations to writing style - using exhaustive reporting to place readers inside the heads of characters. The Chicago Tribune
called the book, "the new, new nonfiction. " However readers familiar with the "New Journalism" of Tom Wolfe and others may find little innovation here. Further, those expecting a truly novelistic flow and development may be put off by interior monologues in language no one would ever use, such as when Cedric's roommate thinks back to his "beloved Marblehead," and the extensive use of coincidence to move the plot along; on at least three occasions, for example Cedric just happens to overhear conversations that are surprisingly relevant to moving the book along.
On March 25, 2009 "All Things Considered
" ran a segment about A Hope in the Unseen on NPR
. During the segment, Susan Jane Gilman, the author of "Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven" and other works of similar literary merit, described her affinity for Suskind's work. "Suskind's literary talent is double barreled. He's a pulitzer prize winning journalist who lived with the Jennings at close range for several years. But he's also a master storyteller with the lyricism of a poet."
Ron Suskind
Ron Suskind is a Pulitzer Prize winning American journalist and best-selling author. He was the senior national affairs writer for The Wall Street Journal from 1993 to 2000 and has published the books A Hope in the Unseen, The Price of Loyalty, The One Percent Doctrine, The Way of the World and...
, published in 1998. The book is a biographical novel
Biographical novel
The biographical novel is a genre of novel which provides a fictional and usually entertaining account of a person's life. This kind of novel concentrates on the experiences a person had during his lifetime, the people he met and the incidents which occurred are detailed and sometimes...
about the life of Cedric Jennings through his last years in high school and first years in college. It details his life in Ballou High School
Ballou High School
Ballou Senior High School is a public school located in Washington, D.C., United States. Ballou is a part of the District of Columbia Public Schools. The current principal is Rahman Branch...
, an inner city school in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and onto Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, which Cedric attends after high school. The book portrays the problems of inner-city education systems and how the students from these systems are affected throughout their lives. In 2008, the book was selected as part of the "One Maryland, One Book" program.
Synopsis
At Ballou Senior High, a school besieged by violence in Washington, D.C., honor students have learned to keep their heads down. Like most inner-city kids, they know that any special attention in a place this dangerous can make you a target of violence. But Cedric Jennings will not swallow his pride, and with unwavering support from his mother, he studies and strives as if his life depends on it—and it does. The summer after his junior year, at a program for minorities at MIT, he gets a fleeting glimpse of life outside, a glimpse that turns into a face-on challenge one year later: acceptance into Brown University, an Ivy League school.At Brown, finding himself far behind most of the other freshmen, Cedric must manage a bewildering array of intellectual and social challenges. Cedric had hoped that at college he would finally find a place to fit in, but he discovers he has little in common with either the white students, many of whom come from privileged backgrounds, or the middle-class blacks. Having traveled too far to turn back, Cedric is left to rely on his faith, his intelligence, and his determination to keep alive his hope in the unseen—a future of acceptance and reward that he struggles, each day, to envision.
Critical Response and Reaction
The book was met with overwhelming critical and commercial success. It was chosen by the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Monthly and Booklist as one of the best books of the year. The New York Times Book Review called it “An extraordinary, formula-shattering book”. David HalberstamDavid Halberstam
David Halberstam was an American Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author and historian, known for his early work on the Vietnam War, his work on politics, history, the Civil Rights Movement, business, media, American culture, and his later sports journalism.-Early life and education:Halberstam...
called it "A beautiful book of a heroic American struggle." The book has been a regular selection in college courses on American culture, education, sociology and creative writing, and has been a required reading for incoming freshmen at many Universities. In 2008, the book was selected as part of the “One Maryland, One Book” program.
The book was especially noted for its influence on the debate over affirmative action
Affirmative action
Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
. Upon its release in 1998, affirmative action had become one of the preeminent domestic social issues facing the country. In their review of the book, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
declared "As more voters, politicos and talk-show hosts write off affirmative action as a well-intentioned anachronism, "A Hope in the Unseen" should be required reading for would-be opinion-mongers." In his review for Newsday, Bill Reel stated "I changed my thinking about affirmative action. I was against it, now I am for it. The agent of change was a mind-opening book - "A Hope in the Unseen" by Ron Suskind."
The book also drew high praise for its innovations to writing style - using exhaustive reporting to place readers inside the heads of characters. The Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
called the book, "the new, new nonfiction. " However readers familiar with the "New Journalism" of Tom Wolfe and others may find little innovation here. Further, those expecting a truly novelistic flow and development may be put off by interior monologues in language no one would ever use, such as when Cedric's roommate thinks back to his "beloved Marblehead," and the extensive use of coincidence to move the plot along; on at least three occasions, for example Cedric just happens to overhear conversations that are surprisingly relevant to moving the book along.
On March 25, 2009 "All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
" ran a segment about A Hope in the Unseen on NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
. During the segment, Susan Jane Gilman, the author of "Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven" and other works of similar literary merit, described her affinity for Suskind's work. "Suskind's literary talent is double barreled. He's a pulitzer prize winning journalist who lived with the Jennings at close range for several years. But he's also a master storyteller with the lyricism of a poet."