(Originally published 1968, Paperback edition 156 pages)
My 12-year-old son, who is in 7th grade, selected this book from his
English teacher's personal class library. It had a huge impact on our
African-American son. He as well as his older brother are black and
adopted. My wife and I are white. We spent quite a few hours talking
about the nature of prejudice and how it manifests in many different
ways. I promised "To Be a Slave" was the next one on my list after
completing the book I was currently reading. The paradigm for our family
is anything goes when it comes to topics we discuss: race, drugs, sex,
religion, profanity etc.
Mr. Lester's compilation and descriptions cover the full extent of slavery in America. In their own words, the former slaves describe being abducted from their African homeland; the brutality endured during their arduous trek to North America; the slave auctions; the horrible separation of families to different slave buyers; beatings; plantation life; religious beliefs; Uncle Toms; efforts at resistance; Emancipation and Jim Crow laws. The blunt nature of the stories left a pit in my stomach. Mr. Feelings' accompanying black-&-white drawings add another level of gloom to the work.
Mr. Lester's book is outstanding. It may be tailored for young teens, but the interviews and descriptions supplied by the author are also extremely useful for adults. I seriously question the criteria used for designating certain books as "young reader" material. I read a great deal of nonfiction work and "To Be a Slave" holds up well compared to other books deemed "adult fare." You won't step away from this book without thinking about the darker aspects of the human condition. Educational and riveting stuff packed between this small work that will help anyone understand the true evils of slavery. It's no wonder "this peculiar institution" has left lasting generational scars even up to today.
Mr. Lester's compilation and descriptions cover the full extent of slavery in America. In their own words, the former slaves describe being abducted from their African homeland; the brutality endured during their arduous trek to North America; the slave auctions; the horrible separation of families to different slave buyers; beatings; plantation life; religious beliefs; Uncle Toms; efforts at resistance; Emancipation and Jim Crow laws. The blunt nature of the stories left a pit in my stomach. Mr. Feelings' accompanying black-&-white drawings add another level of gloom to the work.
Mr. Lester's book is outstanding. It may be tailored for young teens, but the interviews and descriptions supplied by the author are also extremely useful for adults. I seriously question the criteria used for designating certain books as "young reader" material. I read a great deal of nonfiction work and "To Be a Slave" holds up well compared to other books deemed "adult fare." You won't step away from this book without thinking about the darker aspects of the human condition. Educational and riveting stuff packed between this small work that will help anyone understand the true evils of slavery. It's no wonder "this peculiar institution" has left lasting generational scars even up to today.
(Meyers - A few years ago, I
started writing, under the pseudonym Franklin the Mouse, short
reviews at Amazon's web site. This is my most recent review #327)
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