Reviews

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines

lminique's review

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4.0

The story of a courageous black women living through slavery and the Civil Rights era. Miss Jane Pittman was tough as nails from beginning to end.

bonnieleposa's review

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emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

soniapage's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

3.5

justicepirate's review against another edition

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4.0

I have seen this in film form but had forgotten about it until I started to hear the story and remembered bits and pieces of it. I actually thought this was a true story because of how realistically it is told ad how the accounts just seem so on par with history. However, it is not a true story, despite it saying it is an autobiography, it is just as if the fictional character is being interviewed.

Jane Pittman starts her story out about how she grew up in slavery and was there when slaves were able to receive their freedom, though they weren't completely free even i they were. She is a little girl of about nine at this point and talks about the run0ins with the KKK before they were called as such and how she helped save a little boy that she started to treat as if he was her own son.

The whole book is so very good but really sad too. It really makes you see how awful life in the south was like for slaves and black people in the 1800s through the mid 1900s, since Miss Jane Pittman is telling this story as living over one hundred years!

I love how this was told, sincerely.

mzkeez's review

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dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

chemistreader's review against another edition

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4.0

This book was phenomenal! I had to keep reminding myself it was, in fact, fiction because of how well Gaines intertwines Jane‰ЫЄs story with history. The audiobook was particularly well done! It felt like I was sitting there listening to Jane talk. This book covers such an important time period in our country‰ЫЄs history spanning slavery to Civil Rights Era and it‰ЫЄs only downfall is how hard it was to keep all the characters straight. Such a tough but important read especially in light of recent events and conversations. I think some of the characters in this book would be appalled at some of the current ideas of justice in this day and age. I only wish we could have had one more chapter to complete the story.

annetjeberg's review

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3.0

I really wanted to like this more. I though Miss Jane Pittman was a very likeable person, but some part of the story just didn't kept my interest as much as other parts, which is okay, but stopped me from liking it more....

kalayk's review

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challenging emotional sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

lulureads365's review against another edition

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5.0

I enjoyed this story from beginning to end.

mrlong's review

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informative

4.5

Gives a good glimpse of a time and place in our history that we should all know