I have a lot of catching up to do so I am going to get right to work. I kicked off my summer reading season this year with The Book of Negroes. This is one of, if not the best book I have read all year.
This is the second book by Canadian author Lawrence Hill. The Book of Negroes follows the life of Aminato Diallo, on her journey from her small village in Africa to being abducted by slave traders, to her life as a slave in the "New World" through to her quest to return to her village and her life back in Africa.
This is an extraordinary tale of survival and belief. Slavery is a blemish on humanity. No...blemish is too small...it's a gaping, festering sore. Even today the remnants of the complete disregard for human life is all too evident in the racism of the southern US.
While dealing with the pure brutality and absolute lack of morality of slavery, the story rises above to be a tale of survival and faith. The historical detail adds fantastic colour and realism to the book as well.
It is not a light read by any stretch of the imagination but it is absolutely delightful. It is one of those books that I am telling everyone is a must read.
Seriously, you must read it. You won't regret it.
The Book of Negroes
Lawrence Hill
HarperCollins
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