But, again, I was slightly disappointed. I liked the preface of it, the idea of it, but it seemed a little preachy to me. Not about religion, God, etc ~ there was just enough of that. But it seemed to really "push" on people that "we" didn't get what all slaves went through, how hard their life really was. Maybe if I take the story in the time context (1930s) when people weren't as aware of what all slavery was like, it might make more sense. But I guess since then we have seen so much and learned so much more about what slavery was really like that I wasn't quite as shocked about it. Not that that makes it "ok" or less offensive, it was still horrible, but it wasn't as shocking to me.
Sixteen-year-old Lorena Leland’s dreams of a rich and fulfilling life as a writer are dashed when the stock market crashes in 1929. Seven years into the Great Depression, Rena’s banker father has retreated into the bottle, her sister is married to a lazy charlatan and gambler, and Rena is an unemployed newspaper reporter. Eager for any writing job, Rena accepts a position interviewing former slaves for the Federal Writers’ Project. There, she meets Frankie Washington, a 101-year-old woman whose honest yet tragic past captivates Rena. As Frankie recounts her life as a slave, Rena is horrified to learn of all the older woman has endured—especially because Rena’s ancestors owned slaves. While Frankie’s story challenges Rena’s preconceptions about slavery, it also connects the two women whose lives are otherwise separated by age, race, and circumstances. But will this bond of respect, admiration, and friendship be broken by a revelation neither woman sees coming? (picture and description at Amazon)
If you go here, you can find a copy of Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936 to 1938 and read some of the actual stories written.
Here's to hoping my NEXT book will be a good one ...
O:)
Melissa
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