A Hope in the Unseen is a novel written by Ron Suskind, describing the experiences of a student called Cedric Jennings as he navigates high school and college as an African American student. This novel is mostly set during the 1990s and reveals the violence, prejudice, and poverty that many inner-city communities experienced. The novel alludes to a few historical events, including the case of mayor Marion Barry, whose situation provoked a movement about racism in the justice system. The novel also references the trial of O.J Simpson, which provoked debates about racism at the time.
Published in 1998, A Hope in the Unseen is the author's first-ever novel, and has been praised for its poignant subject matter, insight into American society, and its experimental writing style. The novel was met with critical acclaim when it was first released and has been celebrated as a memorable and significant book, advocating the need for affirmative action.
Ron Suskind was born in New York in 1959 and became a journalist after university. Suskind was interested in a student called Cedric Jennings who attended Brown University, and wrote an article about him which later won a Pulitzer Prize. In response to this, Suskind wrote A Hope in the Unseen, which expands on Jenning's story.
