Did you know that, at one point, there were black slaveowners in America?
I didn't.
When I read "The known world", it totally blew my mind. Because, seriously. Black Slaveowners.
It's about a black plantation owner dying, and the consequences.
The entire book gives a sick, twisted logic to how a black man, barely one generation away from slavery would think, "Hey, this terrible thing my father spent his life working his way out of? It sounds like a pretty good gig. I'm going to get into it."
It's a sad story, essentially, but it isn't written like one. It's written in such a matter-of-fact manner that you're left feeling amused and in a state of wonder, rather than the soul-crushing depression that usually accompanies any book about slavery.
There's also a lot of interesting random anecdotes about how places got their names in modern America (Totally false. Author's messing with you.) and excellent non-linear storytelling. It's almost like picking up a book and starting to read it from somewhere in the middle and then picking chapters at random and continuing.
It's a great book. It's by Edward P. Jones.
Also, it's won the Pulitzer Prize.
More highbrow stuff, bro. Highbrow without the highbrow headache. Don't you just love my recommendations?
You're welcome.
I didn't.
When I read "The known world", it totally blew my mind. Because, seriously. Black Slaveowners.
It's about a black plantation owner dying, and the consequences.
The entire book gives a sick, twisted logic to how a black man, barely one generation away from slavery would think, "Hey, this terrible thing my father spent his life working his way out of? It sounds like a pretty good gig. I'm going to get into it."
It's a sad story, essentially, but it isn't written like one. It's written in such a matter-of-fact manner that you're left feeling amused and in a state of wonder, rather than the soul-crushing depression that usually accompanies any book about slavery.
There's also a lot of interesting random anecdotes about how places got their names in modern America (Totally false. Author's messing with you.) and excellent non-linear storytelling. It's almost like picking up a book and starting to read it from somewhere in the middle and then picking chapters at random and continuing.
It's a great book. It's by Edward P. Jones.
Also, it's won the Pulitzer Prize.
More highbrow stuff, bro. Highbrow without the highbrow headache. Don't you just love my recommendations?
You're welcome.
