People of Means - by Nancy Johnson (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

One of People magazine's most anticipated books of 2025!

From the acclaimed author of The Kindest Lie, a propulsive novel about a mother and daughter each seeking justice and following their dreams during moments of social reckoning--1960s Nashville and 1992 Chicago; perfect for readers of Brit Bennett and Tayari Jones.

"People of Means left me breathless! A beautifully crafted story...profound and sharp."--Sadeqa Johnson New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve

Two women. Two pivotal moments. One dream for justice and equality.

In the fall of 1959, Freda Gilroy arrives on the campus of Fisk University full of hope, carrying a suitcase and the voice of her father telling her she's part of a family legacy of greatness. Soon, the ugliness of the Jim Crow South intrudes, and she's thrust into a movement for social change. Freda is reluctant to get involved, torn between a soon-to-be doctor her parents approve of and an audacious young man willing to risk it all in the name of justice. Freda finds herself caught between two worlds, and two loves, and must decide how much she's willing to sacrifice for the advancement of her people.

In 1992 Chicago, Freda's daughter Tulip is an ambitious PR professional on track for an exciting career, if workplace politics and racial microaggressions don't get in her way. But with the ruling in the Rodney King trial weighing heavily on her, Tulip feels called to action. When she makes an irreversible professional misstep as she seeks to uplift her community, she must decide, just like her mother had three decades prior, what she's willing to risk in the name of justice and equality.

Insightful, evocative, and richly imagined with stories of hidden history, People of Means is an emotional tour de force that offers a glimpse into the quest for racial equality, the pursuit of personal and communal success, and the power of love and family ties.

"A memorable story of mothers and daughters, family dynamics, the complicated meaning of success, the pull of love, and the fight for racial equality, People of Means is a timely look at who we are as a nation--and who we can become, if only we have the courage to follow our hearts." --Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Daughter

Review Quotes

"This beautifully crafted, dual-timeline story follows a mother and daughter each seeking justice and following their dreams during pivotal moments of social reckoning -- 1960s Nashville and 1992 Chicago. Even amidst deep struggles comes equally deep determination to achieve their versions of the American dream in this propulsive novel of indomitable women." -- People

"People of Means left me breathless! A beautifully crafted story rife with struggle, intrigue, and the sheer determination to achieve and hold on to the American dream with poise and dignity. Nancy Johnson has a knack for layering the complexities of class and culture while shining a light on a little piece of history with sound details, vivid imagery and the indomitable spirit of women strong enough to answer a higher calling even when it means risking it all. Profound and sharp, this sophomore novel is a delight." -- Sadeqa Johnson New York Times bestselling author of The House of Eve

"Johnson doesn't shy away from the complex and conflicting emotions and consequences that both characters face as they decide to take a stand, and in this way, she speaks for all those who have ever faced a decision about how far to go in the name of what's right. A memorable story of mothers and daughters, family dynamics, the complicated meaning of success, the pull of love, and the fight for racial equality, People of Means is a timely look at who we are as a nation--and who we can become, if only we have the courage to follow our hearts." -- Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Daughter

"Nancy Johnson's poignant story of a mother and daughter, who, in their youths, are reluctantly pulled into the struggle for equal rights and equitable justice, asks hard but necessary questions about whether and how each of us should take action to right the wrongs. People of Means brings a compassionate, fresh, nuanced, and important perspective to fiction that centers the Black American experience. I hope book clubs will embrace this worthy tale!" -- Therese Anne Fowler, New York Times bestselling author of A Good Neighborhood

"Nancy Johnson's People of Means spins a compelling narrative that explores the courage of a Black mother and daughter as they navigate the tumultuous waters of societal change. Beautifully written, propulsive and poignant, this novel is a meditation on love and resilience. I loved this gorgeous book!" -- Jean Kwok, New York Times bestselling author of Searching for Sylvie Lee and The Leftover Woman

"[A]n illuminating multigenerational drama of a Black mother and daughter finding their way amid America's racial inequities. It's a satisfying tale of intergenerational reckoning." -- Publishers Weekly

"This novel is a shimmering, heartrending ode to the indelible force of legacy; how the echoes of resilience, triumph and love resound through and across generations. In these pages, Nancy Johnson has accomplished that elusive feat of creating a story that is at once timeless and incredibly timely." -- Christine Pride, co-author of We Are Not Like Them

"Johnson's rich examinations of ambiguities in this moral dilemma take center stage, but institutional racism and its constant, draining impact are the boards these players stand on. And can't escape...The Kindest Lie is an easy, accessible novel filled with hard, important truths." -- New York Times Book Review, Editor's Choice

"The Kindest Lie is a layered, complex exploration of race and class.... Johnson is particularly adept at drawing the dividing lines between African Americans and working-class Whites, while at the same time illuminating the things they share... It is a tale of how lies and omissions can shape and warp us. It is a story about reconciliation, set against a backdrop of racism and resentments. But more than anything, it is a meditation on family and forgiveness." -- Washington Post

"A fantastic story of a marriage and what happens when one spouse secretly had a child prior to knowing the other.... This modern-day depiction of a woman in crisis and what she discovers about what she left behind is well-written, timely, and oh-so-memorable." -- Good Morning America on The Kindest Lie

"[A] triumph, a deeply affecting work of truth and reconciliation over what it means to live the American Dream--and not just for the winners." -- Los Angeles Times on The Kindest Lie

"Powerful insights emerge on the plurality of Black American experience and the divisions between rural and urban life, and the wealthy and the working class. Johnson's clear-eyed saga hits hard." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review, on The Kindest Lie

"A heart-wrenching story of family, racism, poverty, and love." -- Good Housekeeping on The Kindest Lie

"Hope and change upend quickly in Johnson's timely, heartwarming debut." -- O Magazine on The Kindest Lie

"Similar to The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, The Kindest Lie is an engrossing story about race, class, and coming to grips with your past... The Kindest Lie will not only pull at your heartstrings, but it will also make you want to call your family, fight racial injustice, and hold on tighter to those you love. With every page you turn, you'll see just how powerful unconditional love really is." -- Popsugar

?"It takes tremendous talent to seamlessly combine social commentary with a powder keg of a plot, and Nancy Johnson accomplishes just that in her gripping debut novel, The Kindest Lie, addressing issues of race, class, privilege and upward mobility.... A fictional callback to Isabel Wilkerson's Caste, The Kindest Lie also brings to mind Brit Bennett's The Vanishing Half, in which another young Black woman returns to her hometown to try to reconcile her past, present and future. Don't miss this powerful debut." -- Bookpage, starred review