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4.36 AVERAGE
4.36 AVERAGE
This has been on my list for a long time and I thought it was time to finally read it.
I'm aware of the controversy that surrounds it, not just the accusations of plagiarism when it had been recently published, but also those that state the entire lengthy lineage of Kunta Kinte was made out of whole cloth.
However, I felt it was still an important book to read, as an historical artifact if nothing else. Even if it IS fiction, this book, when it came out in the 1970s, struck a chord with a lot of folks, and spawned a television miniseries watched by millions of Americans, both Black and white.
The idea of the sweeping historical narrative always appeals to me. However, when Haley inserts himself into the final chapters, it loses something. The writing style is not always compelling.
I'm aware of the controversy that surrounds it, not just the accusations of plagiarism when it had been recently published, but also those that state the entire lengthy lineage of Kunta Kinte was made out of whole cloth.
However, I felt it was still an important book to read, as an historical artifact if nothing else. Even if it IS fiction, this book, when it came out in the 1970s, struck a chord with a lot of folks, and spawned a television miniseries watched by millions of Americans, both Black and white.
The idea of the sweeping historical narrative always appeals to me. However, when Haley inserts himself into the final chapters, it loses something. The writing style is not always compelling.
I just about flipped when the author revealed himself!
This book affected me in ways I am still dicovering. I read the book when I was 11 years old and it was probably the first glimpse I had into the larger world.
It saddens me that I got through 20 years of education without a single teacher handing me this book. I think this is a must-read for every American. An amazing novel.
So, I don't know exactly what of this book was disproved, but I found it an enjoyable read. I did find parts of it to be unbelievable, other parts I felt were probably typical of the slave experience. Just a personal pet peeve, I find it hard to read sentences such as "I ben's up sence 'fo dawn plowing dem fiels with the seben chilluns. I know they're going for authentic language or whatever, but the dialogue in Africa was written "normal" and I liked it much better.
Incredible story. Heart-rending. Powerful. Amazing. Moving. I knew nothing about this book before I started reading it. When I got to the end and realized it was threaded on a true story of a family line, I was floored. The circumstances that came together to enable this tale to be told - wow!
The first part of the book, I came to empathize so much with Kunta Kinte, the utter loss of all contact with his family as well as the horrors of the middle passage almost made me want to stop reading.
Then, when his daughter is sold off and his storyline completely disappears, I grieved again. And again, when she again loses all her family when they are sold away from her. Horrible. Wrenching.
But in the end, how marvelous that the family story survived and enabled this master work of the American experience to be told!
The only reasons I gave 4 stars instead of 5 was because I wish the women in the book had more of their stories featured (women are too often hidden in history), and because of all the dialect (including the n-word) which gets into my head to the point I find myself starting to think and/or speak that way.
The first part of the book, I came to empathize so much with Kunta Kinte, the utter loss of all contact with his family as well as the horrors of the middle passage almost made me want to stop reading.
Then, when his daughter is sold off and his storyline completely disappears, I grieved again. And again, when she again loses all her family when they are sold away from her. Horrible. Wrenching.
But in the end, how marvelous that the family story survived and enabled this master work of the American experience to be told!
The only reasons I gave 4 stars instead of 5 was because I wish the women in the book had more of their stories featured (women are too often hidden in history), and because of all the dialect (including the n-word) which gets into my head to the point I find myself starting to think and/or speak that way.
wow wow wow!!! absolutely loved this book. so captivating, and an incredibly important story for all americans to know.
This is a book that should have been a five star read but just wasn't. The problem is the writer Alex Haley, just wasn't good enough to pull it off. The book sufferers from poor characterization, they were all cardboard cut outs, the Africa interlude was corny, and frankly, as far as I'm concerned, the ending was rushed. (Which is ironic because the book is close to a thousand pages.) it was a good story, though for the most part. Well except for all the cock fighting... Egads, no.
I'm old enough to remember the movie on tv way back when and what a big deal it was. The book doesn't live up to that hype I built up in my own mind. But it's still worth a read if you haven't already.
I'm old enough to remember the movie on tv way back when and what a big deal it was. The book doesn't live up to that hype I built up in my own mind. But it's still worth a read if you haven't already.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism