Substitute Me by Lori Tharps

I'd like to share a book that had been on my horizon for a while, but that I only had a chance to read this year, Substitute Me by Lori Tharps.

Published in 2010, Substitute Me is the story of an upper middle class, young woman who hasn't quite decided what she wants to do with her life.  Despite her concerns about what her family and community will say, she takes a job as a nanny to a privileged white family and winds up having an affair with the husband.

Although the premise of the Black woman working as a nanny for the yuppie white couple who eventually falls for the husband might seem a little cliched, what makes this story work is the writing.  The freshness of of Lori Tharps' voice, with her keen eye for description that places the reader squarely in and distinguishes between the boroughs of New York City, sets this tale apart.  Tharps captures the sights, smells, places and people of New York with flair.  Add to this the fact that typically the Black nanny is of a lower socio-economic class than the people for which she works, but not here, and you have a new take on this timeworn story. Zora could easily be a friend or co-worker of her employers, by virtue of her family background, education and experiences, a fact which makes her internal voice rare and insightful in ways not often seen.

I kept hoping this story would veer into a direction not foreseen, but alas, Zora does fall for her employer, Brad, even if she is perhaps more enlightened about all of the historical and social connotations and consequences of her actions than nannies with lesser educations might be.  Then, at times, I wanted the story to speed up, probably because it was clear where it was headed, but the pace at which the story unfolds is part of the story.  Zora and Brad don't have the hots for each other at first sight.  They barely pay attention to each other for the longest time.  Rather, due to frequent interaction coupled with time and opportunity, the normal barriers break down, a little at a time, allowing familiarity and emotional intimacy to seep in and lead down a destructive path.  (NOTE:  I don't consider this a spoiler because it's so obvious from the beginning that this is where the story is headed.)

Tharps offers a conclusion which will satisfy some readers and yet may well offend others.  That's because there really are no winners when a marriage falls apart, especially in the face of adultery.  The only question is whether Zora, Brad and Kate ultimately rise above the pile of smouldering relationship ashes.

Lori L. Tharps is an assistant professor of journalism at Temple University, an author, freelance journalist and mom. Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she left the Midwest in search of an authentic life experience beginning with four years at Smith College. (Technically, one of those years was spent studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain.). After graduating from Smith, with a B.A. in comparative education and Spanish, Tharps spent two years working on Madison Avenue.  After realizing she’d never succeed as a PR executive, Tharps entered Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and has been writing her way through the world ever since.

Before striking out as a freelance writer, Tharps was a staff reporter at Vibe magazine and then a correspondent for Entertainment Weekly. She has written for Ms., Savoy, Suede, Bitch, Odyssey Couleur and Essence magazines. In general she is attracted to stories about cultural cross-polination and identity.

Currently Tharps lives in Philadelphia with her husband and two sons. She doesn’t have a dog, but if she did, his name would be Otis. She has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe and the Caribbean. She spends her summers in Spain, is fluent in Spanish and can say "I love you" in seven languages.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.