Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way is a mesmerizing look at one man’s fall from grace and the age-old struggle for redemption. James Henry Ferguson is a philanthropic Black businessman whose wounded ego leads him to a self-destructive act that destroys all he holds dear. Finding himself outcast and reviled not only by society but also by his beloved family, he retreats to his roots, seeking to reclaim the values that brought him the success and esteem he once enjoyed.  James Henry Ferguson becomes plain old Mr. Jimmy to his new neighbors in a poverty-stricken town in rural Mississippi, and it is there he finds the true meaning of love, respect, and community. This tender story is for any of us who have fallen and found the only way up is by reaching out a hand to others.

- Cassandra King, author of Tell Me a Story: My Life with Pat Conroy

Jeffrey Blount has crafted an important and authentic novel about failure, redemption, the families we are given, and the families we create.  We all know a place like Ham, Mississippi.  It's the kind of town you drive through while making sure your car doors are locked.  Mr. Blount makes us pause and step out of our bubbles to take an up-close and uncomfortable look at poverty and racism in our collective backyard.  This powerful novel shows us the true meaning of "it takes a village," and that doing the right thing should be color blind.

- Karen White, New York Times bestselling author of THE HOUSE ON PRYTANIA

Mr. Jimmy From Around the Way is a thoughtfully written, thought-provoking, complacency-smashing novel of redemption and restoration, and a testament to the truth that it is in lifting up others that we ourselves are lifted up.

- Marie Bostwick, NYT and USA Today bestselling author of Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly

In Jeffrey Blount’s poignant novel, Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way, James Ferguson must lose his life to gain one worth living. The catalyst for his awakening is found in Ham, Mississippi, a community of systemic racism, poverty, and violence. This is where Blount’s writing shines. With a true sense of place and authentic dialogue, the author introduces characters not easily forgotten. I found myself crying and cheering for those characters, lost in their pain and ultimately, joy. Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way is a heartwarming story with the emotional depth of an important read. 

–Johnnie Bernhard, author of Hannah and Ariela, winner of the National Federation of Press Women, Novel Award 2023.

Jeffrey Blount’s Mr. Jimmy From Around the Way is a compelling narrative of a man’s search for the meaning of goodness in his life and the world around him. By dynamic use of flashbacks, he allows his readers to live in the tension between the values espoused by James Henry Ferguson’s Black Baptist parents and the ethical standards rampant in the-get-rich-quick culture in which he has become a billionaire. While James’s life is shaped by a social mission to alleviate the effects of extreme poverty, the book is not a homily. Rather, the intersecting life stories of all Blount’s characters raise questions for his readers. How do we determine if a person is a “good man” or “good woman?”—or simply a good human?

Blount implies how we might heal the fractured world around us. James, a leading Black businessman, must listen to the ideas and hopes of individuals within one impoverished community before developing a plan for deploying his philanthropy. It is clear James did not become a billionaire businessman without supportive family members and mentors and friends during his education. Similarly, he cannot become a “good” philanthropist without the collaboration of the

community members whom he is trying to help.

These questions are embedded in a graceful narrative with sparkling and witty dialogue. You will find yourself smiling, even laughing, as you journey along with Blount’s characters. But you will, by the end, find yourself moved to tears by what abject poverty does to human beings. At least, I was.

- Larry I. Palmer is the author of the memoir, Scholarship Boy: Meditations on Family and Race, and professor of law emeritus at Cornell University.