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I wouldn‘t say I enjoyed reading this, but it is an important read. It describes the horrible realities of slavery followed by the constant struggle to at all be treated fairly after buying his freedom. Equiano traveled widely and also describes his journey to Christianity in detail.

#1001books #SerialReader
#Reading1001#TBRTakedown May 2020

Quite Saturday night with a book, fire, and strawberry wine.

Next up in #SerialReader is this one from the #1001books list. I didn‘t expect so much continuous travel through the first few issues.

#Reading1001 #TBRTakedown May 2020

I know there are some doubts about his birthplace, but I don‘t find that important. (I lean towards the account Equiano gives as being true) Anyway, this is one of the first widely-read slave narratives and it is important. Several times, Equiano calls out white “Christians” with “do unto others” and the fact that no real Christian could own a human being, much less treat them in the manner he describes. Is this part travel bio 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

Everyone should read this. If you‘re not black, to educate yourself about the reality of the slave trade. If you are black, to counter the gas lighting that says “racism is over” or “it‘s not that bad” or “look how much better things are now”. Olaudah Equiano was kidnapped as a child and forced into slavery, then became the first African to write an autobiography of his life before, during, and after being enslaved.

Such a fascinating voice to hear, and all the material on relationships between slaves and their masters was fascinating and incredibly valuable to read. I didn‘t love the blow by blow accounts of battles and sea voyages that much and didn‘t feel like they illuminated much that I wanted to learn about and as other reviews have mentioned the ending was veeeery ‘reasons to be Christian‘. Worth reading for definite

Look what I found today while perusing a book shelf! My coworker didn‘t even know she had it... so it‘s mine now. I won‘t take it for granted. 😉

This was a good read. A valuable look at the life of a slave in the 1700's through his eyes and in his voice.

Now that was, indeed, an interesting narrative! The narrative may have been written in the language of the times, but even that had a hard time making this one boring. From slavery to freedom, to various sea voyages and disasters just barely escaping with his life and freedom. This was a great pick for my #LitsyClassicsAtoZ and for #BlackHistoryMonth #Diversity #Reading1001 #OwnVoice #Nonfiction2018 Definitely one we should have read in school!

How sad is that, the book is so honest and truthful, and yet he doesn‘t recount all he saw because it would be too much. Considering how much has been lost, I wish he would have documented EVERYTHING!
#Reading1001
#BlackHistoryMonth
#OwnVoices
#Nonfiction2018
And why on earth wasn‘t this one a required one in school

“"The Dying Negro," a poem originally published in 1773. Perhaps it may not be deemed impertinent here to add, that this elegant and pathetic little poem was occasioned, as appears by the advertisement prefixed to it, by the following incident. "A black, who, a few days before had ran away from his master, and got himself christened, with intent to marry a white woman his fellow-servant, being taken and sent on board a ship...”
#BlackHistoryMonth

Why, yes. I, too, find this an extremely singular circumstance!

As a book lover, that is particularly sad. 😢

#BlackHistoryMonth
#OwnVoices
#Nonfiction2018
@SerialReader

This book is shocking and probably saddest is that I stumbled upon this account purely by accident...this one should have been required reading somewhere along the way. 😢

#BlackHistoryMonth
#OwnVoices
#Nonfiction2018

This man is in need of a good #vicar and spends months listening to the different and contradictory opinions of preachers and ministers from various denominations.
#150PnPCoverparty

A powerful read from my #LitsyAtoZClassics for #BlackHistoryMonth. Available on @SerialReader if anyone is interested in trying it. Also a great pick for #OwnVoices #Reading1001 #NonFiction2018

A key factor in the changing opinions on slavery in Britain and one of the first slave narratives, the captivating autobiography of Olaudah Equiano follows his enslavement in Africa, to his forced journey to America, and his struggle for freedom. Added today to Serial Reader, available in the Biography section!

Google is highlighting Equiano today.

Excellent.

I wonder if he was left handed, as the illustration shows. I‘m fascinated about such things.

An important work of late 18th century literature that's both totally accessible and insightful. Widely considered one of the first earliest slave Narratives, Equiano's memoir is gruelling in its depiction of the slave trade, the middle passage, and the fight for freedom which didn't end at the official purchase from a master.

Re-reading this for an Af-Am Lit class in teaching. So interesting to analyze how he feels he has to legitimize and humanize African civilization for the eighteenth century reader.