In a recent interview with Ayana Mathis, the author revealed that her most treasured possession was her grandfather’s diaries – whether or not they had any influence on her debut novel is subjective at best, but certainly indicative of the expert blending of the historical and the personal in The Twelve Tribes of Hattie. The novel follows the lives of Hattie’s nine children as they navigate the 20th century, each following distinctive paths and succumbing to trials of self-awareness, responsibility, loss, and triumph. Mathis weaves what at first seems to be a series of short stories into something of a grand narrative (grand in scope, not literary theory), leading up to the present and future generation. This book has been chosen for Oprah’s Book Club 2.0, but don’t let that be the only reason you do or do not take the time to enjoy some of the most earnest character studies you’ll read all month. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie is available on Acorn’s New Books shelf or through SWAN.