Kidnapped from Africa as a child, Aminata Diallo is enslaved in South Carolina but escapes during the chaos of the Revolutionary War. In Manhattan she becomes a scribe for the British, recording the names of blacks who have served the King and earned their freedom in Nova Scotia. But the hardship and prejudice of the new colony prompt her to follow her heart back to Africa, then on to London, … where she bears witness to the injustices of slavery and its toll on her life and a whole people. It is a story that no listener, and no reader, will ever forget.Published in Canada as The Book of Negroes and the basis for the award-winning BET miniseries of the same name.
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This is historical fiction at its best. Hill has taken a series of important historical events and created an incredible story around them. It reads like a diary of a slave girl from her capture in Africa, her sale to slave owners in America, her escape to Noca Scotia and her eventual return to Africa before finally going to England to support the …
Great read. Could not put it down
This book was written by a Canadian author. His view of slavery had a slightly different perspective than my own. I learned some things and thought about things I had never considered before. Excellent!
I think this book should be on every high school reading list. It was very informative and the story was so well constructed. it truly gives an overall picture of what was involved – and who was involved – in the slave trade.
Great read, that tugged at your heart strings at times.
Very informative on the history of slaves and what they endured. Have recommended to many people and my book club loved it!
This is a beautiful book that anyone who loves lyrical writing, strong characters and historical relevance will love and hate at the same time.
The first part of this book. about slavery, the Middle Passage, the buying and selling of slaves, was totally engaging, horrible to read but educational.
Education was what allowed Amanita, a slave in America in the 1700’s to thrive.. he She knew math, and reading and writing which allowed her many opportunities no other woman of color would have …
I enjoyed this book from the first page to the last and hated to see it end. The characters are so well described. I felt like I knew them. I knew about slavery, of course, but nothing about when it first began and the journey and the direction it took people in prior to them being put on the slave ships. It is an amazing story about the …
The author did a good job, telling the poignant story of the effects of slavery. The story also gives somewhat of an explanation on why the slavery of Africans was instituted. The story ends in hope in that the main character, a former slave, is somewhat instrumental the efforts to squelch the slave trade.
A very compelling read! On the one hand, you will be horrified by what we humans do to one another; on the other, you will be rallied by the strength of the human spirit and the kindness we are able to show. A difficult time in human history is portrayed with great depth of feeling through the eyes of Meena Dee.
This was a beautiful book. I am actually shocked it was written by a man as the entire time I felt I was in Mena’s head. This is the first book I have listened to on audio in over a decade and I am in love now with audio books. Probably because the narrator for this book was so good with varying accents. The story really gave a glimpse of what …
excellent historical fiction
What a story! The characters are real, as a reader you empathize with the heroine. I have recommended this book to many friends.
A look into a not very proud time in the history of our great country.
One of the best books I’ve read this year. Amazing storyline.
I was impressed by this exhaustively researched work of historical fiction written in the voice of a woman who is kidnapped in Africa at age 11 and sold into slavery.
What an amazing story! I loved it for its overall pllausibility and lack of sentimentality. Told through the eyes of a principled survivor, it makes me wonder how I would fare in …
A truly wonderfully written book about the horrific slave trade and the people involved. It both broke my heart to know about the cruelness of this part of history and the endless struggles of those few who survived. A compelling read that doesn’t gloss over the terrible details and makes me want to apologize if I had any ancestors involved the …
Probably one of the best books on slavery I have read. It is the story of Aminata, a former slave who was instrumental in moving England toward the abolition of this practice. This is a must read!
Historical
Too graphic