Gone Like Yesterday

Two Black women find their destinies intertwined through supernatural forces in this debut novel steeped in magical realism. Zahra, a college prep coach adrift in her own life, has long heard the ancestral songs of gypsy moths, while Sammie, a passionate teenage activist, discovers she shares this otherworldly connection. When Zahra's sensitive, spiritually attuned brother Derrick disappears, the two women embark on a journey from New York to Atlanta that becomes both a search for the missing man and an exploration of what their ancestors demand of them.

Bahni Turpin's masterful narration elevates Williams's lyrical prose into a deeply immersive listening experience. Turpin navigates the novel's blend of contemporary realism and mystical elements with remarkable sensitivity, giving distinct voices to both protagonists while maintaining the dreamlike quality essential to the story's magical realism. Her performance captures the weight of generational trauma alongside moments of transcendent beauty, particularly in scenes involving the moths' ancestral songs. The twelve-hour runtime allows listeners to fully absorb the novel's meditative pacing and rich atmospheric details, making the audio format ideal for this contemplative exploration of family, identity, and spiritual inheritance.