Book 2 of 2024
Summary
“The Sleeping Car Porter,” is a story documenting Baxter’s experience on a cross country railroad trip from Montreal to Vancouver. Baxter is a gay black man who is completely irrelevantly invisible in 1920s Canada. He has a dream of going to dentistry school so he works for the Canadian railway as a porter. He is largely overworked but takes the attention to detail seriously as he conducts his job duties. While on this routine cross country journey he is faced with increasingly intrusive sleep-deprivation hallucinations, strict protocol on job performance, a grieving child, privileged passengers, and an unexpected delay. The stress of his life is wearing on him but his dream keeps him going. His dream keeps him smiling through the demands of passengers, through the strict protocols that make it difficult to perform his duties, and the turmoil/weight of his own sexuality in a closed rigid society.
Baxter is a character that exists in a moment of history that is not far from our own with the echoes of hate and ignorance growing. In essence just by living Baxter was defying what the world and his mother wanted for him. Instead he is carving out his identity (like his aunt would have wanted him to) in the quiet background while he works. He is so much more than just, “George.” He is caring, loving, intelligent, determined, and a science fiction fan. Baxter grasps his work while trying to stay out of the cross hairs of Mad Mary and all the possible infractions he could make.
While on the journey Baxter discovers an interracial sexual postcard in the lavatory and is accosted with stress and implications of epic proportions. In his sleep deprived mind his imagination runs wild with all the possibilities of implications if it is discovery if he turns it in. With the appearance of the post card the reader is given a glimpse into his past and the relationships that weigh on his mind.
The story ends with a wonderful happy ending which is something we are all craving in whatever our circumstances. That there will be a moment when we realize everything works out and everything will be okay. That everything works out in the end
The Sleeping Car Porter was the Scotiabank Giller Prize winner in 2022. It was meticulously researched by Suzette Mayr while she was on her own self-discovery journey. Inspired by her own journey and a desire to have a queer and black story end with a moment of joy.
To read more about the book and author check out this article.
You can watch the author explain her motivations and the moment of her success below:
Thoughts and Review
At first I was not sure what to expect when I picked this audiobook. Intrigued by the synopsis my curiosity was piqued. I am not well versed in black history, queer history, or the history of the railroad but I am learning. Ignorance is not bliss when speaking about your history either your own or societal so I decided to check out this book.
While reading the circumstances of the plights of the black man and the queer man were both captured in its most literal essence. Being an invisible bystander in the back of Baxter’s mind his thoughts and emotions were open to interpretation and understanding. As he faced different choices and dilemmas I was a witness to his thoughts, motivations, and memories.
Being who I am I cannot say that I personally understand the experiences of black or queer human beings but through Baxter I feel as if I got a glimpse of that understanding. A window into a world that I am not a part of. I feel as if I received a gift of another person’s shoes through his story. To be given this gift of the precarious tightrope of etiquette, duty, and responsibility to self is priceless.
The predicament of finding that postcard was handled with an understanding of human nature. The desire of wanting to turn it in but the implications that it would be held against him as an infraction of dire consequences. But there was that desire to keep it as a small memento to hold him into the present life as a subject of beauty. This conflict of wanting to hold onto something that roots us in the present as a salve is one of the most genuine examples of human nature and desire. We need to hold onto something that reminds us of who we are or what we are a part of (or desire to be.)
Although there was the harsh reality of what it was like for him (or hardships) to be taken advantage of there was so much beauty in the heart shown in the moments of pure love. With a culmination of love the story concludes with a happy ending one full of love that I had been hoping would happen for Baxter.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a black or queer story that has a happy ending. A story where everything does turn out all right in the end with the anticipation of more goodness to come after the characters leave the pages of the book in the world of the readers imagination.
If you are looking for a book that casts a small glimpse into uncovering the hidden history of Canada of those not in the history books this is a beautiful example. It opens up a world to you that is not easy to access or even to imagine. Let a moment of history discover you here.
The people who could have existed in a moment of our past are the people of our history. Even as history has moved forward and seemingly left them behind; they did exist. This book could be the opening steps you take in seeking out the history of black or queer members of our society. By seeking them out we are imprinting them.
Happy Reading!