Amos Fortune was born the son of an African king. In 1725, when he was 15 years old, he was captured by slave traders, brought to America and sold at auction. For 45 years, Amos worked as a slave and dreamed of freedom. At 60, he began to see those dreams come true. A Newbery Honor Book.
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The moving story of a life dedicated to the fight for freedom. (Booklist)
About the Author
Elizabeth Yates (1905–2001) wrote more than fifty books for children. Nora Unwin (1907–1982) illustrated more than one hundred books for children.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
50 of 51 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Amos Fortune, Free Man" succeeds on many levels. It is an accurate piece of historical fiction, dramatizing the events and people that filled the early days of colonial America. It is compassionate in its approach to the irony and hypocrisy of the times. It is a fitting tribute to all slaves who endured unspeakable hardships from slave to free man.
The author begins the story with Amos's life, as Prince At-mun, in the wilds of Africa. The subjugation into slavery and the trip along the Middle Passage is told with accuracy and strength.
As an African-American, I was moved by the enduring qualities exhibited by this man, his unwavering desire to be free, his longing to help others, and his pride in himself.
All the characters in the book are representative of the citizens of the day. The book is noticeably free of the vilest of the slave owners, but the thought of forced servitude by one man on the other is horrible enough.
Descriptive writing of the setting makes the reader feel that he or she is in the hold of the great slave ship, is walking along the busy port cities of New England, and is enjoying the majestic beauty of New Hampshire's mountains.
Amos Fortune never really resigns himself to the fact that he is a slave. This constant vigilance for self-rule is the abiding theme throughout. A strong sense of independence is presented in the man's words and deeds.
The novel provides the reader with a realistic view of how things really were. By also including the language used in documents of the period, the author contrasts the brevity of modern tongue with the wordiness of colonial times. This enhances the authenticity of the text.
The book is a triumph of man over adversity. It is a worthwhile addition to any child's literary background.
28 of 29 people found the following review helpful
By Plume45
Format:Paperback
This 1951 Newbery winner is a biography, so there is no need to critique the plot or character development. The book reads easily, being the reconstructed life of a proud African youth who was captured at the age of 15 in 1725--reminding us of Haley's Kunta Kinte. Amos never forgot that he was the first son of chief, nor that he must protect and inspire his crippled younger sister (who would assume the role of leader of her village). Indeed, for years he haunted the New England docks seeking her; all his life he exhibited a tenderness and compassion for crippled women and children. Despite the horrors of captivity, the cramped voyage in chains, and being considered the legal property of different masters, Amos never lost his dream of directing his own destiny or his sense of personal dignity.
The ten chapters are chronological, thus of varying length, depending on the amount of material during a specific period of his life. The author skillfully recreates Colonial and then American cultures, drawing the reader into the heart and mind of thiis noble African, who lived to be 80. He truly was Fortunate not to have been unloaded and auctioned off in the South, where he would have suffered excruciatingly in the plantation fields. His goal was to live as a free man; then to help other blacks enjoy the same privilege, even if only to die in freedom. He accomplished his private purposes several times, but at great personal cost. Amos set an example of honesty and Christian responsibility, leaving a legacy of peace and a foundation of interracial cooperation. He did what he could to improve the life for all people in his New Hampshire community. Recommended for elementary and middle school students of Black and Colonial history.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
A Kid's Review
Format:Paperback
Amos Fortune,named At-mun at first, is prince of the At-mun-shi people in Africa. Right before the time of the planting of corn, At-mun and others in his tribe are captured and taken to America as slaves. Amos, now living in Massachusetts, learns to live among white men and eventually gains his freedom. While in Massachusetts, Amos looks at the port for his little sister, Ath-mun. She was left behind in Africa when Amos was taken, but Amos searched to see if she had been brought to America since then, and maybe would come off of a ship at the port some time. Because of Amos' wanting Ath-mun to be cared for, he dedicated himself to helpless people. He helped many people in his lifetime.
Amos' last name, Fortune, was given to him by other slaves who saw how fortunate he was. Both of his masters were good to him. He was taught a good trade as a tanner and became very good at it. He was able to earn freedom for himself and his family.
This story is very good, but it isn't as adventurous as I like books to be. I don't think it really hooked me as much as I wish it would have. I think a lot of people will really like this book; it just isn't MY idea of a great book.
Amos' last name, Fortune, was given to him by other slaves who saw how fortunate he was. Both of his masters were good to him. He was taught a good trade as a tanner and became very good at it. He was able to earn freedom for himself and his family.
This story is very good, but it isn't as adventurous as I like books to be. I don't think it really hooked me as much as I wish it would have. I think a lot of people will really like this book; it just isn't MY idea of a great book.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worthwhile Biography
I read this with my son for his 8th grade history class. It starts out similar to Roots with At-mun (later Americanized to Amos) a proud, thoughtful prince of his tribe in Africa. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Samantha Wilcoxson
3.0 out of 5 stars
Colonial Slavery Biography Worth Reading
This book was won the 1951 Newbery Medal and I think writing styles have really changed since then. This book is written an omniscient POV which I didn't like. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Haley Whitehall
3.0 out of 5 stars
Amos fortune Free Man Highlights and low lights
This book was a good book. I am using such a simple adjective because I don't think that it was disappointing but I don't think it deserves anything better. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Wyoming Girl
5.0 out of 5 stars
Touching account of a man who wouldn't give up on freedom
This is a biography (not a book on slavery), so I am reviewing it as a biography, unlike some others who focus on the question 'how well does it cover slavery? Read more
Published 13 months ago by HomeSchoolMom
4.0 out of 5 stars
A man who led the way for others
Amos Fortune was born At-mun, the son of a king in Africa. Before he knew it, he was seized and taken to America, to be sold as a slave. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Debnance at Readerbuzz
1.0 out of 5 stars
Praise for History Whitewashed
I'm white - I bought this book knowing nothing about Amos Fortune or the author, relying mainly on the fact that it had received a Newberry Medal. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Liz Culpepper
5.0 out of 5 stars
A beloved hero
What an inspiration this book is. "Amos Fortune" is the Newbery Winner from 1950, and it is a worthwhile read. Amos himself is dignified, admirable, and solidly written. Read more
Published 19 months ago by M. Heiss
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finally Free
Amos Fortune: Free Man is probably what I would say a life changing book that really lets me think about how my ancestors lived, how much we have changed, and how we overcame... Read more
Published 22 months ago by L. Porter
1.0 out of 5 stars
Romanticizes Slavery
I find this book to be extremely inaccurate and that it romanticizes slavery, giving the reader the opinion that slavery wasn't as bad as historians have made it out to be. Read more
Published on April 18, 2010 by Reading Teacher
1.0 out of 5 stars
Outdated and inaccurate
This book offended me on so many levels. I bought it as part of a homeschool history curriculum - a fictional biography based on a real person and the real events of their life -... Read more
Published on October 14, 2009 by Supernatural
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