Black Bottom Saints: A Novel
by Alice Randall
Buy on AmazonA celebrated columnist, nightclub emcee, and fine arts philanthropist draws inspiration from the Catholic Saints Day books to reflect on his encounters with black artists in Detroit's legendary Black Bottom neighborhood, from the Great Depression through the post-World War II years.
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"I can’t think of a more sparkling way to learn about the entertainment history of Black Detroit beyond Motown than to read Alice Randall’s novel about the section of that city known as “Black Bottom,” which was once lined with nightclubs. As its short chapters whiz by, you get a taste of being in the audience of one of those magical nightclubs where, maybe, Moms Mabley was onstage while Dinah Washington and her husband, the NFL superstar Dick “Night Train” Lane, were arriving. Black Bottom Saints is a gorgeous swirl of fiction, history, motor oil and cocktail recipes."
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