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beyondevak's review against another edition
5.0
Quick Summary: A scholarly resource
My Review: I Cannot Write My Life: Islam, Arabic, and Slavery in Omar ibn Said's America by Mbaye Lo and Carl W. Ernst is a deeply insightful account on the life, thoughts, and experiences of the well educated and learned West African scholar.
About the Book: The presentation of content was very well done and incredibly thorough. Of great benefit was the inclusion of documents, illustrations and photos. They proved helpful to me in terms of validating the authenticity. I further appreciated the references to other Black voices of the time. Additionally, the notes and the bibliography were a treasure trove of information.
As a layman of history, I found that this book offered so much food for thought. There were rich lessons everywhere. It was easy to get caught up in wanting to dig deeper and research other concepts associated with this account. I could definitely see this being used as a class study to further scholarship in the minds of students.
My Final Say: I genuinely appreciated the opportunity to read, learn, and discover more about Omar ibn Said. His life was heartbreaking and unfortunate, while at the same time, it was remarkable and enlightening. Although I started this book months ago, I must emphasize that it is the type of material that should be savored and reflected upon. I could easily have spent more time buried in the pages.
Other: I am of the belief that Omar's writings and expressed truths (versus the cloaked falsity that was narrated in association this life) were purposed. His voice still speaks. I hear. I see. I understand.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: T to A
Thank you so very much for granting me the opportunity to review this work. I was enriched by the experience. Appreciation is extended to the authors, to the publisher (The University of North Carolina Press), and to NetGalley.
My Review: I Cannot Write My Life: Islam, Arabic, and Slavery in Omar ibn Said's America by Mbaye Lo and Carl W. Ernst is a deeply insightful account on the life, thoughts, and experiences of the well educated and learned West African scholar.
About the Book: The presentation of content was very well done and incredibly thorough. Of great benefit was the inclusion of documents, illustrations and photos. They proved helpful to me in terms of validating the authenticity. I further appreciated the references to other Black voices of the time. Additionally, the notes and the bibliography were a treasure trove of information.
As a layman of history, I found that this book offered so much food for thought. There were rich lessons everywhere. It was easy to get caught up in wanting to dig deeper and research other concepts associated with this account. I could definitely see this being used as a class study to further scholarship in the minds of students.
My Final Say: I genuinely appreciated the opportunity to read, learn, and discover more about Omar ibn Said. His life was heartbreaking and unfortunate, while at the same time, it was remarkable and enlightening. Although I started this book months ago, I must emphasize that it is the type of material that should be savored and reflected upon. I could easily have spent more time buried in the pages.
Other: I am of the belief that Omar's writings and expressed truths (versus the cloaked falsity that was narrated in association this life) were purposed. His voice still speaks. I hear. I see. I understand.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: T to A
Thank you so very much for granting me the opportunity to review this work. I was enriched by the experience. Appreciation is extended to the authors, to the publisher (The University of North Carolina Press), and to NetGalley.
cassimiranda's review
challenging
informative
slow-paced
4.0
I received an eARC of this book for review from University of North Carolina Press via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
• The Brief: I Cannot Write My Life is a socio-historical literary study of Omar ibn Said’s [Sayyid] surviving writings. This includes an autobiographical sketch and several letters. The authors focus on the centuries of misinterpretation brought on by translator’s biases and ignorance of Arabic education and religious systems.
• This study will interest anyone seeking to learn more about the lives and impact of enslaved African Americans or the pro-slavery movements and abolitionist movements of the 1800s. It is written for a scholarly audience and will also appeal to those interested in the history of forced religious conversion and anti-Islamic activities.
I found this a well-researched and comprehensive analysis that applies historical, religious, and sociological fields to understand – for perhaps the first time – the true meanings of Sayyid’s writings. While I have studied these liberal arts subjects, but am by no means an expert on Abrahamic religions or slave narratives. Still, the author’s arguments were well supported by their citations and bibliography. Highly recommend!
• The Brief: I Cannot Write My Life is a socio-historical literary study of Omar ibn Said’s [Sayyid] surviving writings. This includes an autobiographical sketch and several letters. The authors focus on the centuries of misinterpretation brought on by translator’s biases and ignorance of Arabic education and religious systems.
• This study will interest anyone seeking to learn more about the lives and impact of enslaved African Americans or the pro-slavery movements and abolitionist movements of the 1800s. It is written for a scholarly audience and will also appeal to those interested in the history of forced religious conversion and anti-Islamic activities.
I found this a well-researched and comprehensive analysis that applies historical, religious, and sociological fields to understand – for perhaps the first time – the true meanings of Sayyid’s writings. While I have studied these liberal arts subjects, but am by no means an expert on Abrahamic religions or slave narratives. Still, the author’s arguments were well supported by their citations and bibliography. Highly recommend!
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