The Road to Memphis | Plot Summary

The Road to Memphis Overview

Taylor's books about Cassie Logan and her family have been praised by critics because they provide readers with insight into racial tension in the Depression era, particularly in the segregated South. Taylor's descriptions and scenes are so credible that readers have often assumed that her books are autobiographical, that Taylor must have lived these stories. The problems that the Logans face are not sugar-coated; their friends sometimes die or must run away because they are the innocent victims of racial conflict. Most important, however, Taylor presents characters who stand up to oppression, making their voices heard. For the Logans, survival comes from family unity and education and by banding together with their neighbors.

The Road to Memphis is itself an important book because it lets readers see characters from Taylor's earlier books as they are on the verge of becoming adults. Cassie and Stacey are no longer able...
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