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Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano: Written by Himself by Olaudah Equiano
5 reviews
danparrock's review against another edition
slow-paced
I feel awful writing this about someone's actual account of being enslaved, but this was just boring.
Equiano spends so much time talking about boats. I feel as if there is a difference between not wanting to relay the trauma of slavery for the reader, and just not discussing it for most of the book. He constantly writes favourably about the people who are literally enslaving him; bad things tend to only be done by the random racists he encounters.
Towards the end he becomes really self-righteous about his faith, which I felt really uncomfortable about.
Equiano spends so much time talking about boats. I feel as if there is a difference between not wanting to relay the trauma of slavery for the reader, and just not discussing it for most of the book. He constantly writes favourably about the people who are literally enslaving him; bad things tend to only be done by the random racists he encounters.
Towards the end he becomes really self-righteous about his faith, which I felt really uncomfortable about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Trafficking, Slavery, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Colonisation and Violence
kaylagreer's review
challenging
dark
slow-paced
3.5
“Is It Not Enough that We Are Torn From Our Country and Friends?”:
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Slavery, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Ableism
mashedpotatoandsaladcream's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
3.5
(general spoilers ig, i did in fact write this at midnight so if it doesn’t make sense or if it has horrific grammar. you know why xx)
read this book for a univeristy module. this book is an appeal for the abolition of slavery, written towards the end of the 18th century by an african man who was able to buy himself out. and one of the main things that stick out to me (other than the horrific details of slavery that has been often ignored) is how, as an appeal, equiano has had to write it in a way that flatters the reader into seeing him as someone worth listening to whilst also recounting the reality to people who would have conveniently ignored the truth and is left now having to directly face it. the ending to me seems unfinished and this, for me, is sort of the point. by the end of the novel, although he has been freed, he isn’t fully free. throughout your have had to see how he has been betrayed and been taken advantage of (a sort of purposeful naivety at times to kind of emphasise the shock of these betrayals for you have to always see equiano left begging for even just his rightful pay or just not not be sold again by the one he thought would finally free him) , but for me it feels unfinished because there’s no resolution, say the point. at the end he is still having to face the hypocrisy and still having to force his others to pay him his wage, still almost being forced away back into slavery. there is no resolution to the discrimination he faces because slavery is still ongoing at the time of publication , and yes he was able to write to the queen and he was able to get that lump of money he was owed, but he was still having to beg others to see him as a human. he isn’t able to go to africa to become a missionary and spread the scriptures he had found solace and salvation in, and there’s a sort of irony in how he started in africa and being stolen away at 11(?) and in the end he’s no longer able to return despite being free and despite having been born there. it really shows a lot about the ideals at the time when equianos main argument for, if you’re not going to abolish it, giving the enslaved better living conditions (humane conditions, basic requirements) is that it would be economically better for england and the manufacturing world. this book was v difficult to read at points.
read this book for a univeristy module. this book is an appeal for the abolition of slavery, written towards the end of the 18th century by an african man who was able to buy himself out. and one of the main things that stick out to me (other than the horrific details of slavery that has been often ignored) is how, as an appeal, equiano has had to write it in a way that flatters the reader into seeing him as someone worth listening to whilst also recounting the reality to people who would have conveniently ignored the truth and is left now having to directly face it. the ending to me seems unfinished and this, for me, is sort of the point. by the end of the novel, although he has been freed, he isn’t fully free. throughout your have had to see how he has been betrayed and been taken advantage of (a sort of purposeful naivety at times to kind of emphasise the shock of these betrayals for you have to always see equiano left begging for even just his rightful pay or just not not be sold again by the one he thought would finally free him) , but for me it feels unfinished because there’s no resolution, say the point. at the end he is still having to face the hypocrisy and still having to force his others to pay him his wage, still almost being forced away back into slavery. there is no resolution to the discrimination he faces because slavery is still ongoing at the time of publication , and yes he was able to write to the queen and he was able to get that lump of money he was owed, but he was still having to beg others to see him as a human. he isn’t able to go to africa to become a missionary and spread the scriptures he had found solace and salvation in, and there’s a sort of irony in how he started in africa and being stolen away at 11(?) and in the end he’s no longer able to return despite being free and despite having been born there. it really shows a lot about the ideals at the time when equianos main argument for, if you’re not going to abolish it, giving the enslaved better living conditions (humane conditions, basic requirements) is that it would be economically better for england and the manufacturing world. this book was v difficult to read at points.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Torture, Racism, Colonisation, Confinement, Racial slurs, Violence, Slavery, and Body horror
samchase112's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
My life had lost its relish when liberty was gone.
Olaudah Equiano is one of the most important figures in the history of the dissolution of slavery and the slave trade, and his Interesting Narrative of the Life provides the format for that movement's most important books. Its contents and aim I believe has been gone over enough; what I want to mention, and what I was most surprised to find, was Equiano's cultural descriptions of so many of the countries and continents he visited. These were extremely interesting, and so must have been to his 18th century audience. For scholars and casuals interested in the history of the slave trade, international trade, or 18th century culture, I highly recommend this fantastic book.
Olaudah Equiano is one of the most important figures in the history of the dissolution of slavery and the slave trade, and his Interesting Narrative of the Life provides the format for that movement's most important books. Its contents and aim I believe has been gone over enough; what I want to mention, and what I was most surprised to find, was Equiano's cultural descriptions of so many of the countries and continents he visited. These were extremely interesting, and so must have been to his 18th century audience. For scholars and casuals interested in the history of the slave trade, international trade, or 18th century culture, I highly recommend this fantastic book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Colonisation, Kidnapping, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Death, Animal death, Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Rape, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Alcohol, Cannibalism, and Child death
hannahlamond's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
Read this for uni and loved it. Amazingly written and such an important first-hand account of the slave trade. Obviously very upsetting content. Second-half is more of a story of a journey towards faith and finding Christianity. Not only important to read for the historical context, also one of the most beautifully written books I've read this year.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Rape, Animal death, and Death
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