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sassydrpepperqueen's review against another edition
2.0
I read half of this book out loud to my sister, to help her get through it for school. It contains the same generalizations as most books about slavery (cursing bigoted white people who beat & rape their slaves). I did like that the author didn't go into too much detail when it came to the rape (& sex) scenes.
This book wasn't even worth enough to be purchased by the library (and this is the first book I haven't been able to find there that I wanted to read).
This book wasn't even worth enough to be purchased by the library (and this is the first book I haven't been able to find there that I wanted to read).
heyteeg's review against another edition
4.0
This was beautiful and horribly sad, I love Vyry and literally all that she stands for and believes. I had to read this for history but honestly please read this, it's pretty freaking good
aliciasc's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the most moving, thoughtful, and haunting books I've read in a long time. I cannot recommend it enough, and the audiobook is incredible. Please, take the time to read this one.
esantelmann's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the best books I read this year. It’s the flip side of Gone with the Wind and honestly 10x better. I finished it in a couple days because I literally couldn’t put it down from the first chapter.
kellymcgatha's review against another edition
5.0
3/100 - 1966 - Jubilee by Margaret Walker
Wow. Just wow. How did I not know about this book until recently? I’m so glad I heard about this on the podcast What Should I Read Next, for it is such a powerful story. I forgot how much I love Southern literature, and Jubilee is one that will stick with me for a long time.
Wow. Just wow. How did I not know about this book until recently? I’m so glad I heard about this on the podcast What Should I Read Next, for it is such a powerful story. I forgot how much I love Southern literature, and Jubilee is one that will stick with me for a long time.
actually_juliette's review against another edition
5.0
I first read this book for US History I, and, although I only read the book that one time, even now, twelve years after that class, I still remember certain scenes vividly. Let that be a caution and an enticement: the story of Vyry will haunt you.
The back of the book compares Vyry to Scarlet O'Hara, but she's so much more of a Civil War heroine than that boring, little priss ever could be. I'll let Vyry give her summary:
The book spans the antebellum, Civil War, and "Reconstruction" South. It was published in 1966, during the Civil Rights movement, by the real Vyry's great-granddaughter. (Walker was told stories of her great-grandmother by her grandmother, and she wove those stories with her own research to write this book.) Of course, it comes from a place of respect, but I would argue that it is well nigh impossible to translate the horror of slavery into words. Walker tries, though, and she brings her grandmother, one woman in the swath of American history, to life.
The back of the book compares Vyry to Scarlet O'Hara, but she's so much more of a Civil War heroine than that boring, little priss ever could be. I'll let Vyry give her summary:
"I'm a colored woman."
"You trying to joke with me. You whiter skinned than I is."
"I can't help it if I am. My Maw was sho a black woman."
"Your mother was black?"
"She sho was. And I don't reckon I haste tell you what my daddy was?"
"A real light skinned colored man?"
"No ma'am, he wasn't. He was my white marster, that's who he was. He was my mother's marster and my marster too, and I was a slave on his plantation till Surrender and the soldiers come and declared us free. Of course now, he never did own me for his child and I wasn't nothing but his piece of property to work and slave for him, but I sho didn't cost him nothing, that is as a price on the slave market, cause he never had to buy me -- I was always his."
(p. 431)
The book spans the antebellum, Civil War, and "Reconstruction" South. It was published in 1966, during the Civil Rights movement, by the real Vyry's great-granddaughter. (Walker was told stories of her great-grandmother by her grandmother, and she wove those stories with her own research to write this book.) Of course, it comes from a place of respect, but I would argue that it is well nigh impossible to translate the horror of slavery into words. Walker tries, though, and she brings her grandmother, one woman in the swath of American history, to life.
mamurray's review against another edition
4.0
Great story of a woman whose mother was a slave and father was the plantation owner. Covers her life pre-Civil War, Civil War and Reconstruction. Not the happiest of stories but very compelling.
dianaeberhardt's review against another edition
3.0
Slavery, war, The Klan, and Reconstruction, violence and evil, but also love and family.
kkjg's review against another edition
5.0
The tragedy of slavery, followed by more troubles after the war.
ashleadavie's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best and most important books I've ever read