Customer Reviews

The Classic Slave Narratives-paperback

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Henry Louis Gates provides readers with an important contribution to the many first-hand accounts of enslavement. His scintillating introduction ties together the life and times of four African Americans who narrated their own story of slavery: Olaudah Equiano, Mary Prince, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Jacobs. The diversity chosen by Gates allows readers to gain a comprehensive perspective of the horrors of slavery: women/men, South/North, born in African/born in America. Readers desiring additional first-hand accounts are encouraged to consider compilations by Yetman of the slave interviews.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D. is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction, and Soul Physicians.

Dr. Henry Louis Gates continues his important work in this volume. It should be mandatory in every middle school in America, without exception. Besides breathing emotional life into the lives of slaves - which is always missing in the broader historical context - one comes to realize how England, France, America and Portugal became such wealthy nations: through people consigned to labor from early childhood until they died. Dr. Gates doesn't need to make this political observation - the reader arrives at that conclusion from the narratives themselves. The narrators communicate how their minds and hearts stayed on freedom. Such thoughts occur while walking to the fields, while forced to observe others being brutalized, or when they have been promised freedom, only to find themselves sold to another owner and bound for the West Indies instead. When the last page is turned, not only does the reader feel a profound gratitude - for the narrators, for those whose stories were not recorded, for those who died on the middle passage or jumped overboard instead, and for our own relative freedom - but one understands that the issue of reparations from England, France, and the U.S. isn't far-fetched at all. It would have been the only decent thing to have done. I felt deep gratitude to Dr. Gates also for helping to ensure that this history is preserved, made available, and told over and again. The loving care with which this volume has been edited is evident.

A friend had given me a copy of "The Bondwoman's Narrative" (great read) written by a slave that passed for white and escaped to the north. It was so surprising and full of things they never teach about when you cover the topic of American slavery in school. even some native americans could (and did) keep slaves.I couldn't put that book down and wanted to read more accounts of how things were, so I found this book.

It's such a small representation of slavery, but significant, none the less. It's several first hand accounts put into a collection. A very surprising read, I learned so many things I just had no idea about. It's sad and scary what these people went through, what was conditioned to them to be "normal" just to name a couple:

slave mothers being seperated from their children, them being considered "property" for sale

women being mistreaded by plantation owners wives because of their husbands affections for (and fathering children with) slaves

religion (Christianity) being permitted and used a tool to keep slaves "in their place"

It should be required reading. This is not a modern day account of what we should know. There is no agenda, no glossing over details, nothing is made to be outrageous and shocking just for the sake of it (although it certainly is). It's just raw, honest truth.

Each of the stories in this book are some of my favorite in the genre of African American literature. Each is engaging and interesting, appealing to the reader not only as a historical work but as a narrative and story.

This was a book required for a class. I was not aware of such a book. However, it has been great reading. The book arrived sooner than expected and was in very good condition.
Thanks

The product was promised to be delivered no earlier than the 27th, but got here on the 25th...5 stars on shipping! The artwork on the book itself was different from the example pic, but it's the same book nonetheless. Great price, great seller!

Item was shipped same day and received in good condition just as described. Highly recommend. Thank you!!!

It was in excellent condition. I love books like this one because it such such depth and illustration.

So the book was not in peak condition, it had half of the pages folded on the bottom right corner, and it was not delivered in a promt time. However there were no ink or pencil markings on the book.

You speak of enslavement in the US--who sold you to the US???Never is THIS mentioned. In Africa today, people are dying in the thousands of AIDS. Could the African Americans of today not thank our forefathers for coming over and sacrificing for our legacy?? What are you thinking?? We have it made now, we are not in Africa with disease, pestilence, violence, and an anscetory that sold us to the US. Go ahead with your pitifullness--I am grateful that our own people sold us out. We are now successful, healthy, and for me--I am thankful to be here. Sometimes, things happen for a reason, no matter how bad things might be. Give thanks to your grand-parents, great grand parents and to the US for making your life so much better. Above all-----------THINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND don't lick wounds--they are long gone.