The story, “The Last Woman,” (in a very modified form) became the first chapter of the novel and the rest of the book flowed out of that. I realized there was a much bigger story I wanted to tell about them but it was not until several years later that I came up with the structure for the book. After it was published the characters-Johnny, Eloise and Meredith-stayed with me for a long time. I wrote a short story called “The Last Woman” back in 2010. Before you sit down to read it, buckle up!Ĭan you describe the moment you knew you wanted to write The Talented Ribkins and when you knew it was over? Essence Magazine describes it this way, “…if you love the works of Paul Beatty and Colson Whitehead, you’ll enjoy Ladee Hubbard’s wholly unique view of family and legacy with her dazzling first novel.”Ī Kirkus starred review concurs: “Crafty and wistful…Hubbard weaves this narrative with prodigious skill and compelling warmth….To describe this novel, as someone inevitably will, as Song of Solomon reimagined as a Marvel Comics franchise is to shortchange its cleverness and audacity.” The Talented Ribkins is out in paperback.
Du Bois’ famous essay about the “Talented Tenth,” which opens with the line, the “Negro race, like all races, is going to be saved by its exceptional men,” The Talented Ribkins is a big-hearted story of race, class, politics, and family legacy. This launches him on a race against the clock to dig up loot he’s stashed all over Florida, but first he takes on an unexpected sidekick…his brother’s daughter, Eloise, who has a special superpower of her own. When the novel begins, Johnny has been given one week to pay back money he stole from a former employer or else face dire consequences. Johnny’s father could see in the dark, his cousin spits fire and, before dying of a drug overdose, Johnny’s half-brother, Franklin, could scale any wall.
In fact, each member of the Ribkins family is likewise gifted.
The book tells the story of Johnny Ribkins, a 72-year old African-American antiques dealer from Florida, born with a special talent-he can make perfect maps of any space he enters. Her inventive debut novel, The Talented Ribkins (Melville House, 2017) is wild ride-part superhero quest, part thriller, part, well…you’ll see. To say that Ladee Hubbard has an original imagination is an understatement.
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