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soulkissed2003's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
2.0
carriesouthard's review against another edition
5.0
incredible history written in a way that keeps you captivated the whole time
angelsrgorgeous's review against another edition
5.0
Wow. REALLY lights a fire under me for genealogy.
kcrouth's review against another edition
3.0
Having recently watched the 1977 TV mini-series "Roots" for the first time, i decided to read the Alex Haley book upon which it was based for Black History Month. Because of what Roots attempted to do, and the influence it and the series had, i wanted to give this book more than 3 stars. But . . no. The book Roots was billed as a work of history and research when it was first published. It in fact is a work of historical fiction which is loosely tied into Alex Haley's oral history. I think that its' aims were high, but it falls short.
I respect and embrace the many things Roots tried to accomplish. It gives the reader a raw view into the slave trade of the 18th century and how it brutalized and exploited people. It gives glimpses into the sophisticated and ordered culture of the African peoples, which were incorrectly portrayed by white Europeans as savage and primitive. It reminds us of the historical link each of us have to our roots and ancestors. It gives a glimpse into life in America as a slave, both first generation, and after many generations of slavery. I suspect that the picture painted does not even come close to actuality, but it nevertheless tries. All in all, Roots presents an interesting story, and perhaps is representative of many experiences of slavery in America. But by today's historical research standards, it should probably be considered a work of historical fiction rather than researched history. The author himself said as much years after it was published, amidst fallout from criticism and even lawsuits related to the contents of the book.
It is easy to find critiques and exposés on the internet with some simple searching. Please search and read if you want to know more. As a story, this is a good one, but not a great one. It is probably on par with the level of TV miniseries of the time. I think that much of the acclaim and awards garnered were due to the breakthrough of this subject matter into the mainstream public consciousness, and I suspect it was controversial at the time (1977). But as a book, it is a bit too long, and not well enough written for me to recommend it as a must read. If you want more details than the series provided, it is a good source. But read it knowing it is largely historical fiction that is tied to some real history.
Also, related to real history in the book, the method used to "timestamp" the narrative using historical events that were "overheard" or relayed word of mouth as they happened came off as simplistic, unrealistic, and downright annoying by the time the book ended. I think a better method could have been used to accomplish this. My $0.02
I respect and embrace the many things Roots tried to accomplish. It gives the reader a raw view into the slave trade of the 18th century and how it brutalized and exploited people. It gives glimpses into the sophisticated and ordered culture of the African peoples, which were incorrectly portrayed by white Europeans as savage and primitive. It reminds us of the historical link each of us have to our roots and ancestors. It gives a glimpse into life in America as a slave, both first generation, and after many generations of slavery. I suspect that the picture painted does not even come close to actuality, but it nevertheless tries. All in all, Roots presents an interesting story, and perhaps is representative of many experiences of slavery in America. But by today's historical research standards, it should probably be considered a work of historical fiction rather than researched history. The author himself said as much years after it was published, amidst fallout from criticism and even lawsuits related to the contents of the book.
It is easy to find critiques and exposés on the internet with some simple searching. Please search and read if you want to know more. As a story, this is a good one, but not a great one. It is probably on par with the level of TV miniseries of the time. I think that much of the acclaim and awards garnered were due to the breakthrough of this subject matter into the mainstream public consciousness, and I suspect it was controversial at the time (1977). But as a book, it is a bit too long, and not well enough written for me to recommend it as a must read. If you want more details than the series provided, it is a good source. But read it knowing it is largely historical fiction that is tied to some real history.
Also, related to real history in the book, the method used to "timestamp" the narrative using historical events that were "overheard" or relayed word of mouth as they happened came off as simplistic, unrealistic, and downright annoying by the time the book ended. I think a better method could have been used to accomplish this. My $0.02
lurker_stalker's review against another edition
5.0
Just fantastic. Incredibly researched and so well written.
jaishree's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
fuzzyhebrew's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I was entranced by these characters. Each new generation I was rooting for just as much as the last one. One star docked for the plagiarism and historical inaccuracies.
book_concierge's review against another edition
4.0
Book on CD performed by Avery Brooks.
Haley’s blockbuster history of his ancestors begins with the birth of a baby boy – Kunta Kinte – in a small African village in the Spring of 1750, and ends two centuries later in Arkansas.
It’s a gripping tale and Haley is a great story teller. I was engaged from page one and found myself very interested in all aspects of the book – from Kunta Kinte’s boyhood in Africa, to his experiences as a slave, to the continued story of his descendants and how they kept the story of “the African” alive through the generations.
Haley’s narrative focuses on three of his male ancestors. Kunta Kinte’s story takes nearly half the book. His grandson “Chicken George” occupies much of the middle third of the book. And George’s son Tom, is the focus of the next major section as the family is emancipated at the end of the Civil War. I am struck by the fact that Haley gives little attention to the women in his ancestral line. Not only is Kizzy given short shrift, but Tom’s daughter Cynthia and granddaughter Bertha (who is Haley’s mother) are given less attention than their husbands – Will Parker and Simon Haley. And this, despite Haley’s statements that it was the “old women” – his grandmother, aunts and cousin who passed along the story of “The African” and his descendants. Still, this is a small quibble.
Avery Brooks does a magnificent job narrating the audio book. He is an accomplished actor and really brings the characters to life. His deeply resonant voice was mesmerizing, and despite his naturally deep timber he managed to give a believable voice to even the young girls.
While the book is catalogued by libraries as nonfiction / biography, Haley obviously had to invent the dialogue he uses for much of the book. (I find it interesting that more readers tag this as “fiction” than nonfiction.) When published the book was a runaway best seller, but also somewhat controversial. Haley was accused of plagiarism and he settled the case out of court, admitting that many passages from The African by Harold Courtlander appeared in his book. Additionally, many genealogists have questioned his research and feel that official records do not confirm the story much before the Civil War. None of this information takes away from the great story, however.
Haley’s blockbuster history of his ancestors begins with the birth of a baby boy – Kunta Kinte – in a small African village in the Spring of 1750, and ends two centuries later in Arkansas.
It’s a gripping tale and Haley is a great story teller. I was engaged from page one and found myself very interested in all aspects of the book – from Kunta Kinte’s boyhood in Africa, to his experiences as a slave, to the continued story of his descendants and how they kept the story of “the African” alive through the generations.
Haley’s narrative focuses on three of his male ancestors. Kunta Kinte’s story takes nearly half the book. His grandson “Chicken George” occupies much of the middle third of the book. And George’s son Tom, is the focus of the next major section as the family is emancipated at the end of the Civil War. I am struck by the fact that Haley gives little attention to the women in his ancestral line. Not only is Kizzy given short shrift, but Tom’s daughter Cynthia and granddaughter Bertha (who is Haley’s mother) are given less attention than their husbands – Will Parker and Simon Haley. And this, despite Haley’s statements that it was the “old women” – his grandmother, aunts and cousin who passed along the story of “The African” and his descendants. Still, this is a small quibble.
Avery Brooks does a magnificent job narrating the audio book. He is an accomplished actor and really brings the characters to life. His deeply resonant voice was mesmerizing, and despite his naturally deep timber he managed to give a believable voice to even the young girls.
While the book is catalogued by libraries as nonfiction / biography, Haley obviously had to invent the dialogue he uses for much of the book. (I find it interesting that more readers tag this as “fiction” than nonfiction.) When published the book was a runaway best seller, but also somewhat controversial. Haley was accused of plagiarism and he settled the case out of court, admitting that many passages from The African by Harold Courtlander appeared in his book. Additionally, many genealogists have questioned his research and feel that official records do not confirm the story much before the Civil War. None of this information takes away from the great story, however.
theoneana's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
taylersimon22's review against another edition
4.0
Reading Roots and it has been an emotional journey for me. I pushed through with this book since I couldn't watch the Hulu series. I think for me, throughout this process I have experienced three main emotions.
I had the realization as I was reading that slavery books are triggering for me. Reading about the atrocities of slavery and reliving the moment activates a feeling deep inside of me, one that seems connected to my ancestors.
The second feeling is this tremendous sense of guilt. Have you heard of white guilt? I think I have that in terms of slavery as a black person. I feel guilty for things outside of my control that happened so long ago that I am having a hard time coming to terms that I benefited from slavery.
The last feeling I had was an overwhelming sense of wanting to connect with African roots, but I also feel conflicted about that. Who am I to claim a culture when I’m unsure of which one to claim? It’s one thing to claim something, but it’s another thing to be claimed.
I had the realization as I was reading that slavery books are triggering for me. Reading about the atrocities of slavery and reliving the moment activates a feeling deep inside of me, one that seems connected to my ancestors.
The second feeling is this tremendous sense of guilt. Have you heard of white guilt? I think I have that in terms of slavery as a black person. I feel guilty for things outside of my control that happened so long ago that I am having a hard time coming to terms that I benefited from slavery.
The last feeling I had was an overwhelming sense of wanting to connect with African roots, but I also feel conflicted about that. Who am I to claim a culture when I’m unsure of which one to claim? It’s one thing to claim something, but it’s another thing to be claimed.