Flight of the Blackbird

Smith's skills as a journalist and screenwriter are evident in the smooth dramatic pacing of her first novel. Thirty-seven-year-old African American Meg Burke has attained the modest contentment that accompanies upper-middle-class success. She is a marketing representative for the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; her husband, Builder, owns his own construction business; she can provide the educational and social niceties for their 13-year-old daughter, Sasha. Her complacency is shattered, however, when the Chamber downsizes, eliminating her division and her job. At first confident that she will land another position soon, Meg soon has to face not only the realities of the current economy but also the fact that Builder's business is in crippling financial trouble. The couple scrambles to shore up their crumbling world, shaken by the growing fear they may never regain their former security. As misfortune compounds misfortune, the shame, social ostracism and gut-wrenching stress tear at the fabric of the Burkes' relationship. Their middle-class pride and values, combined with assorted unresolved family issues, inhibit them from accepting help extended by family and friends. When, however, tragedy strikes, they belatedly realize where their strength really lies. Smith's characters are human in the complexity of both their frailty and their courage. She weaves an adroitly paced, poignant and triumphant tale with the ease of a natural storyteller. Author tour. (Nov.)