MAMP Book Review for Pride Month: Third Girl from the Left

Today is officially the last day of Pride month, but that doesn’t mean we should stop reading books that feature LGBTQ characters and storylines on July 1st. I mean, we don’t only read books about Black people in February, do we? But I do want to grab your attention while rainbow flags are still being waved, to highly suggest you pick up a copy of Third Girl from the Left by Martha Southgate and read it today, tomorrow and next week, because it’s that good. I’m sharing my review of the book below, hopefully to entice you to dive right in.

More than a Lesbian Romance

Third Girl from the Left is Angela’s story. Angie is a young, Black woman from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who leaves home to become a movie star in Los Angeles in the 1970s, at the height of the Blaxploitation era. We get to see Angie in her childhood, and by the time the book ends, she is confronting middle age. We see her triumphs and failures in the movie industry; we watch her fall in love and become a mother. No spoilers, but the love of Angie’s life is a woman. But Third Girl is so much more than a lesbian romance. In fact, Angie doesn’t consider herself a lesbian –  she vehemently rejects the term if anyone brings it up – she just happens to love Sheila something fierce.

The Shadow of the Tulsa Massacre

Martha Southgate masterfully incorporates the Tulsa Massacre of 1921 into Angie’s story. Even though Angie wasn’t even born when it happened – “it” being the night white people went crazy and burned down Black Tulsa and killed 39 people –  it still manages to affect her family lineage including herself. While the massacre isn’t the focus of Third Girl from the Left, it definitely plays a significant role in the healing process that needs to happen in Angie’s family.

A Book Ahead of Its Time

While Third Girl from the Left is a novel drenched in the pain and disappointment that is far too common in the lives of Black women in America, it is also a story that centers Black love. And a redemptive Black love at that. There is Angie’s love for Sheila. Angie’s love for her daughter. And the love that flows through her extended family. Reading it felt like taking a walk through a painful past, but ending up in a hopeful future. Surprisingly, this book was published in 2006, but the themes and characters feel so relevant for today’s world. Not to mention, the lush and sensual storytelling throughout. This book will definitely leave you with a yearning to revisit the freedom of the 1970s, and most likely a desire to call your mama.

Third Girl from the Left Coming to the Big Screen?

My sources tell me that Third Girl from the Left is being optioned for a movie deal. This makes me very happy because I would love to see this story on the big screen. From the visual energy of the Blaxploitation era, to the uncomplicated but intense love between Angie and Sheila, this story has all of the elements of an Oscar-winning film. My fingers are doubly crossed with the hopes that sooner rather than later I’ll be watching Third Girl from the Left with a bucket of popcorn on my lap.

Other Books by Martha Southgate

I’d love to hear from anyone who has read Third Girl. What did you think of the story? If you enjoyed it, be sure to check out Martha Southgate’s other extraordinary titles. I really enjoyed The Fall of Rome, which is one of her bestsellers. You can follow Martha on Twitter @MarthaSouthgate.