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Title: The Bondwoman's Narrative (Special Facsimile Edition) by Henry L Hannah/Gates Crafts ISBN: 0-446-53173-1 Publisher: Warner Books Pub. Date: 23 July, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $50.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.94 (33 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Unique and Unprecedented
Comment: "The Bondwoman's Narrative" is an unprecedented literary event. This manuscript, recently discovered by Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is the only known novel to have been written by an African American slave. It might possibly be the first manuscript to have been written by a black woman...anywhere. Not only is the narrative unprecedented, it is a suspenseful and engrossing account of a young slave who "passes" for white in her attempt to find her way to freedom.
The bondwoman is Hannah Crafts, a mulatto and a slave, who wrote her story as an autobiographical novel. Hannah Crafts was not uneducated, she was self-educated. And, as anyone familiar with world literature will realize, Hannah Crafts, may have been very well educated, indeed. As we read her story, written in an effusive style, we realize that she was well aware of the limitations and injustices society inflicted on persons of color in 19th century America. What she didn't realize is that the freedom and life of the plantation's mistress is soon to be in as much peril as is her own and that their destinies will intertwine. Is Hannah Crafts story an autobiographical rendition or is it a flight of fancy, albeit a very good flight of fancy? I think it is up to each individual reader to judge.
"The Bondwoman's Narrative" really doesn't tell us anything new about the times in which Hannah Crafts lived. It's significance lies not in the facts it presents (although they are interesting), but in its historical value. The fact that this is, quite probably, the first narrative to have been written by a black woman makes "The Bondwoman's Narrative" unique and unprecedented and a true literary event.
Almost as interesting as the story of Hannah, herself, is Professor Gates' introduction in which he details his own search for the real Hannah Crafts and the true facts of her life.
Although the details in this book are details we have read before, perhaps several times before, we have not read them as presented by Hannah Crafts. The experience of slavery was important in shaping the character of America and, because of this importance, Hannah Crafts' voice is a voice that should be heard. I don't think anyone who reads this unique and sometimes very lovely book, will ever regret it.
Rating: 5
Summary: Fascinating Window into a Life of a Slave!I'd Read it Again!
Comment: This was the most fascinating book that I've read in ... well, I don't know how long! THE BONDWOMAN'S NARRATIVE is a fictionalized yet seemingly autobiographical slave narrative written by Hannah Crafts somewhere between 1856-1860. Hannah delves into the the mind and heart of a slave by telling the story of a young woman's personal experiences.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., who chairs the Department of African American Studies at Harvard University, came across this hand-written manuscript at an auction for African American artifacts. He then embarked upon an amazing research project which explored the author's identity. From scientific analysis of the manuscript (handwriting, ink, paper quality, etc) to actual genealogical research (census reports, etc.), Professor Gates attempts to prove that Hannah Crafts was indeed the first African-American woman to write such a narrative. ...This is part of the book is intriguing although I do have one word of advice here - READ THE NARRATIVE FIRST! If you read the Introduction first, you will know much of the story before actually reading it (in his discussion, he gives away the ending!). By reading the narrative first, I found that I was able to reach some of my own conclusions before reading those of Professor Gates and I better understood the informative analysis!
I usually don't read books more than once but I would read this one again!
Rating: 5
Summary: An enthralling legacy
Comment: Written in the 1850s by Hannah Crafts and edited for a modern readership by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., The Bondwoman's Narrative is the only known novel authored by a female African American slave, and perhaps the first novel ever written by a black woman. Describing the story of "passing" as a young slave treks toward freedom, The Bondwoman's Narrative is an enthralling legacy which is especially recommended for university African-American literature collections and community library large print fiction shelves.
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Title: The Classic Slave Narratives by Henry Louis, Jr. Gates ISBN: 0451528247 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: January, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.95 |
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Title: Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs ISBN: 0486419312 Publisher: Dover Pubns Pub. Date: 09 November, 2001 List Price(USD): $2.00 |
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Title: Clotel : or, The President's Daughter by Hilton Als, William W. Brown, Als Hilton ISBN: 0679783237 Publisher: Modern Library Pub. Date: 09 January, 2001 List Price(USD): $10.95 |
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Title: Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives by Henry L. Spencer/Gates Crew, Spencer Crew, Cynthia Goodman ISBN: 0821228420 Publisher: Bulfinch Pub. Date: January, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: Six Women's Slave Narratives (Schomburg Library of Nineteenth Century Black Women Writers) by William L. Andrews, Oxford University Press, Henry Louis, Jr. Gates ISBN: 0195060830 Publisher: Oxford University Press Pub. Date: December, 1989 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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