Soul Serenade

“An elegiac look at a childhood marked by violence, dysfunction, poverty, sorrow—and plenty of good music.” —Kirkus Reviews “Testifies to the powerful ways that music provides the soundtrack underneath the harmony and discord of his life...Ollison’s moving memoir captures and colorfully reveals the ways that music can soothe the pain.” —Publishers Weekly “Gifted memoirist Ollison uses the authentic language of home, profane and poetic, to vividly describe a childhood lived in a state of impermanence.” —The Minneapolis Star Tribune “Ollison is to be highly commended for writing this, tough, disturbing, heartfelt, and music-filled book and for making his easily stereotyped family life and background movingly real...Readers will be turning to downloads, podcasts, CDs—and records—to play along to get full effect of this riveting and engaging book. They will also be anxious for Rashod Ollison’s next set to drop.” —Lambda Literary “In Soul Serenade Ollison lifts the curtain so readers can better understand poverty, constant attacks on the most personal aspects of the self, and the enormous effort it takes to rise above and be free.” —The Virginian-Pilot “A beautiful memoir rendered with deep feeling and a finely tuned musicality.”  —David Ritz, author of Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin “Soul Serenade is a moving and beautifully written memoir. Music is ubiquitous throughout: a constant companion as a gifted young boy comes of age and finds his own creative and critical voice. Rashod Ollison has given us a compelling narrative that is sure to become a classic.” —Farah Jasmine Griffin, author of If You Can’t Be Free, Be a Mystery: In Search of Billie Holiday