Set in the 1920s, The Sleeping Car Porter follows Black railway porter Baxter, along several routes, notably Toronto to Vancouver. Baxter is a closeted gay immigrant, trying to save money for dentistry school, and he must follow a series of rules about engaging with the white passengers, cleaning the car, keeping his uniform tidy, and polishing shoes. It’s exhausting, especially when Baxter must also mind a little girl who refuses to sleep and he loses out on his own quick naps.
Overall I enjoyed this book, especially learning more about the labour conditions of these men and the racism they experienced. The pace is slow, like a train, and that’s part of the charm of the writing. You get physically tired. When Baxter’s eyes start to droop, so did mine. Hah. But I mean that as a compliment.
There’s a dream-like quality to the writing as well. A bit of magic realism? Baxter seems to see a man huddled on the floor frequently, but the hallucinations are likely part of his sleep deprivation.
The setting of the train also makes for a wonderful cast of characters. There’s a film star, a medium, a granny and child, a mother and daughter, a couple, two business men, a doctor … plus the various porters and their boss. Each one becoming more memorable and complex as the journey wears on.
An artfully constructed story, with a bit of a history lesson, and a lot to say about the social constructs that prevent us from understanding and appreciating those around us.