Author Bio:

Regina Porter is an American author and playwright known for her rich storytelling, keen observations, and ability to weave complex narratives. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Porter’s work often explores themes of race, family, history, and the everyday experiences that shape our lives. Her debut novel, “The Travelers,” was praised for its intricate structure and emotional depth, establishing her as a significant voice in contemporary fiction. Her writing is characterized by its lyrical prose, multi-layered characters, and an ability to blend humor with serious social commentary.

Book Synopsis:

“The Rich People Have Gone Away“ by Regina Porter (Hogarth) is a compelling and nuanced exploration of interconnected lives across different generations and social strata in the United States. The novel revolves around two families—one black, one white—whose lives intersect over several decades, beginning in the 1950s and moving into the present day.

The story is set against the backdrop of significant historical events, from the civil rights movement to the Vietnam War and into contemporary America. Through a series of interlinked narratives, the book delves into the lives of various characters, each with their unique experiences, struggles, and dreams. The title reflects a recurring theme of wealth, privilege, and the ways in which different socio-economic statuses shape the trajectories of these characters’ lives.

Porter paints a vivid picture of America through the lens of race, class, love, and family. As the rich metaphorically “go away,” the novel examines what is left behind—the messiness, the beauty, the pain, and the small moments that define human existence. The book is both a sweeping historical narrative and a deeply personal account of individual lives touched by broader social forces.

Themes:

Race and Identity: The novel addresses issues of race and identity in America, highlighting how these intersect with personal and societal histories.

Family and Generational Trauma: It explores how trauma, secrets, and legacies are passed down through generations, affecting the lives of descendants in different ways.

Socio-Economic Inequality: The title itself suggests a focus on the disparities between the wealthy and the less privileged, as well as the societal structures that maintain these divides.

History and Memory: The book emphasizes the role of history in shaping individual lives and memories, illustrating how personal and collective pasts are intertwined.

Editorial Reviews

“Porter’s story has the signposts of a mystery and the economically stratified ensemble cast of a social novel. In chapters centered on characters whose lives are disrupted by the couple’s drama and by lockdown, people sift through pasts whose cruelties match those of their pandemic present.”—The New Yorker

“An astonishing accomplishment . . . I would greedily follow this writer anywhere. . . . This is the Covid novel you didn’t know you wanted to catch.”—The Washington Post

“Terrific . . . Inherent in any discussion of privilege must also be a discussion of race, and Porter examines these inseparable ideas with expert nuance in this novel.”—Chicago Review of Books

“Porter’s story casts clear, vivid light on community, privilege, love, loss and the human dilemma—don’t expect to put this one down ’til you’re done.”—Chronogram

“A work of great ambition and elan.”—The Guardian

“Settles its gaze on matters of race and class, underlined by its breathtaking ending . . . This restless, intentionally unsettling novel establishes Porter as a distinctive, confident literary voice.”—Kirkus Review, starred review

“Striking . . . Porter keenly explores themes of generational and racial privilege and a community’s fragile bonds. This one makes the lockdown worth revisiting.”—Publishers Weekly

“Deft and recommended.”—Library Journal

“Regina Porter weaves beauty and humor with pathos, in prose that is winding, prescient, and profound.”—Bryan Washington, author of Family Meal

“A masterpiece of human portraiture . . .”—Paul Harding, author of This Other Eden

“Riveting . . . The Rich People Have Gone Away mines the delicate and treacherous terrain in which human relationships and social divisions are rooted.”—Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake

“Regina Porter has crafted an inventive, hilarious, and wholly unpredictable work full of vibrant prose and genuine tenderness.”—Mateo Askaripour, author of Black Buck

“An immersive examination of the human condition in the face of tragedy and triumph.”—Zakiya Dalila Harris, author of The Other Black Girl

“A layer cake of suspense and a vibrantly alive portrait of several generations of New Yorkers as they fearlessly stake their anchors in the rippling sea of our era.”—Kashana Cauley, author of The Survivalists

“[The Rich People Have Gone Away] is cinematic, preternaturally humane, and absolutely unputdownable—I just loved it.”—Claire Lombardo, People, “What Your Favorite Authors Are Reading This Summer”

“A glorious jambalaya of word, thought, and feeling . . .”—Gary Shteyngart, author of Our Country Friends

“An arresting novel of race, class, food, music, and family as thrilling and dynamic as the city itself.”—Andrew Ridker, author of Hope

“A delight.”—Margot Livesey, author of The Road from Belhaven

Books Similar to “The Rich People Have Gone Away”

If you enjoyed “The Rich People Have Gone Away” by Regina Porter, here are some other books that explore similar themes of race, family, social dynamics, and history:

1. “The Travelers” by Regina Porter
   Porter’s debut novel is a multigenerational saga that follows the interconnected lives of two American families, one black and one white, spanning decades from the 1950s to the present. It deals with themes of race, history, and personal relationships against the backdrop of significant historical events.
2. “An American Marriage” by Tayari Jones
   A powerful exploration of love, race, and justice in contemporary America, this novel follows a young African American couple whose lives are upended when the husband is wrongfully imprisoned, delving deep into issues of racial inequality and the justice system.
3. “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi
   A sweeping historical novel that traces the lineage of two half-sisters and their descendants from the Gold Coast of Africa to contemporary America. It deals with the impact of slavery, colonialism, and systemic racism across generations.
4. “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett
   This novel tells the story of twin sisters who grow up in a small, southern black community but choose to live in very different worlds—one black, one passing for white. It explores themes of racial identity, family, and the social constructs that shape our lives.
5. “The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead
   An imaginative retelling of the historical Underground Railroad as an actual railroad system, this novel follows a young enslaved woman’s desperate attempt to escape to freedom. It examines the brutal realities of slavery and the enduring struggle for freedom and equality.
6. “There There” by Tommy Orange
   A novel that presents a complex portrait of urban Native American life through the stories of twelve different characters, all linked by their shared heritage and their paths converging at a powwow in Oakland, California.
7. “Sing, Unburied, Sing” by Jesmyn Ward
   A lyrical exploration of race, poverty, and family in the rural American South, the novel follows a biracial family’s journey to the state penitentiary, where the father is being released. It incorporates elements of magical realism and addresses the legacy of racial violence.
8. “The Nickel Boys” by Colson Whitehead
   Based on the true story of a reform school in Florida that operated for 111 years, this novel follows two boys sentenced to the school during the Jim Crow era and examines the deep-seated racial injustice in American institutions.
9. “A Kind of Freedom” by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton
   A multi-generational novel set in New Orleans, it moves between three different time periods, exploring how the legacies of racism and economic inequality shape a family’s experiences over generations.
10. “Behold the Dreamers” by Imbolo Mbue
    This novel explores the intersecting lives of an immigrant family from Cameroon and their wealthy employers in New York City during the 2008 financial crisis, highlighting themes of class, race, and the pursuit of the American Dream.

These books, like “The Rich People Have Gone Away,” provide thought-provoking explorations of race, history, and social dynamics, offering readers a rich array of narratives that deepen their understanding of the human condition across different times and places.