Don't read, don't skim it, don't waste you time! I read the book because anything I open I must finish however, this one really was a pin to complete.

I will admit, the author has a lot to say and a lot to tell you, but the way it was done. The prose, no timing, no clear thoughts and no coherence. It was all too OVER THE TOP...

He will go on to tell you a back ground of a person and then throw in the present timeline. He use the word Negro and the Ni- - ger in the same paragraph with no though why a person would use both.

I do not think a lot of work was into detailing this book. There are so many characters and none are really describe, unless they are the unused Characters, such as Pig Lady.

Out of 170 pages, the last 50 or so had some sense in them. Particularly, the notion that Negro should not be around low class white. As though we must only be around the best whites to be seen well. Where as the low class white can hang around whoever they want and not be seen ill.

The other notion is, all negros on the same page of though. People often say that we can't ever agree as a people. Well, 29 million people with one thought is not really easy. So, let me use this point as for voting. We can't get ever negro to vote for the same man, but just to get every negro to vote would be great. And in this book, this is brought up in some light. People being of the communist light, or in the rebellion stage. Well, you don't have to pick a party, but at least make sure you have the same cause. To this degree, the book had some thoughts

I liked the idea of the book, but Thurman almost spoiled this one by creating too many characters for the reader to keep up with? There were several characters in the book that had nothign to do with the plot, as a matter of fact, I think it is safe to say that only four characters were needed in the entire book. Infants of the Springs was a slow read, and pales in comparison to Thurman's other novel, The Blacker the Berry.

Thurman was not the most polished of writers, but he makes up that shortcoming by having a lot to say. I was enraptured with the number of ideas present in this book, and many times I paused to consider the weight of his words.

Yes, the text is often clumsy, but the dialogue is sterling. So this is really what the Harlem Renaissance was about? I wish I could have been there. There are so many memorable characters in this book, and they all are real and possess unique personalities. Even the minor characters are fleshed out.

Buy this book and read it. You won't regret it. After reading it, I have only one question: Why isn't Thurman's third novel, INTERNE, available? I can't think of any author to whom to compare Thurman. His dialogue reminds me a bit of Hemingway, but not really. Reading Thurman is a unique experience!