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659 reviews for:
All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake
Tiya Miles
4.12 AVERAGE
659 reviews for:
All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake
Tiya Miles
4.12 AVERAGE
This was really good. I don't read a ton of history, especially material history, but the story here-- a sack embroidered with a lineage going back to slavery-- was captivating enough to make me want to read it, and I learned a lot, fact-wise and in terms of process.
There are moments when I strained, or Miles did, where she reaches hard for the power of love to rec across generations, which I struggled to swallow as fully as I did talk about the clothing styles of the "Black Victorians" of Charleston, for example. But there's enough here that I really liked, from that section to some stuff about the different shapes slavery took and the final links between these women and what we can conclude about them. This was a revealing read, and even with its more speculative and woowoo moments, I think it's really valuable and I'm glad I read it.
There are moments when I strained, or Miles did, where she reaches hard for the power of love to rec across generations, which I struggled to swallow as fully as I did talk about the clothing styles of the "Black Victorians" of Charleston, for example. But there's enough here that I really liked, from that section to some stuff about the different shapes slavery took and the final links between these women and what we can conclude about them. This was a revealing read, and even with its more speculative and woowoo moments, I think it's really valuable and I'm glad I read it.
My great grandmother Rose
mother of Ashley gave her this sack when
she was sold at age 9 in South Carolina
it held a tattered dress 3 handfulls of
pecans a braid of Roses hair. Told her
It be filled with my Love always
She never saw her again
Ashley is my grandmother
Ruth Middleton
1921
If you read through the reviews of this book, you will see many readers that are disappointed in the lack of "facts" in the narrative of Rose, Ashley, and Ruth. But that lack of historical record IS THE POINT.
The author spent years researching the genealogy of the women (when available), the traditions of the time, the "whys" of each item in the sack, and speculating to fill in the gaps. This is not a novel... it's an ode to families separated by slavery, an historical reminder that the United States has NEVER been a safe place for people of color, and a testament to research.
mother of Ashley gave her this sack when
she was sold at age 9 in South Carolina
it held a tattered dress 3 handfulls of
pecans a braid of Roses hair. Told her
It be filled with my Love always
She never saw her again
Ashley is my grandmother
Ruth Middleton
1921
If you read through the reviews of this book, you will see many readers that are disappointed in the lack of "facts" in the narrative of Rose, Ashley, and Ruth. But that lack of historical record IS THE POINT.
The author spent years researching the genealogy of the women (when available), the traditions of the time, the "whys" of each item in the sack, and speculating to fill in the gaps. This is not a novel... it's an ode to families separated by slavery, an historical reminder that the United States has NEVER been a safe place for people of color, and a testament to research.
This was a really unique type of nonfiction that I ended up enjoying greatly but the opening was slow (I switched the audiobook and it flew by) and there were a few times where she would say "is it too far to assume that" xyz was the experience and yes it was absolutely too far. But otherwise fascinating and emotional, very captivating and a perspective I didn't know I was missing!
This book has an absorbing and very disturbing subject: the enslavement and maltreatment of African Americans over more than a century. It also recounts the valiant attempts of African American women to uphold their own dignity and that of their children, especially their daughters, who were potential victims of sexual exploitation from an early age.
This is all told through the prism of an artefact passed through generations of an African American family, a sack embroidered with the bare details of its history.
I have to say the book is not tightly written. Admittedly there has to be a lot of supposition in a story that by necessity is poorly documented, but the book is full of repetition and a lot of conclusions are drawn on very thin evidence.
The author is also fond of long digressions, some of which are very informative, such as the importance of cloth manufacture in slave society, but others less so, such as the chapter on pecan nuts.
She also seems to contradict herself, for instance she seems to think that Ashley's name was changed by her new owner, but on the other hand her grandchild Ruth (the embroiderer) calls her that and implies she was still alive in 1921.
In other words, this book is a vast edifice built on small foundations, but well worth reading for a rare view into the horrendous lives of African American women before the Civil War and since.
This is all told through the prism of an artefact passed through generations of an African American family, a sack embroidered with the bare details of its history.
I have to say the book is not tightly written. Admittedly there has to be a lot of supposition in a story that by necessity is poorly documented, but the book is full of repetition and a lot of conclusions are drawn on very thin evidence.
The author is also fond of long digressions, some of which are very informative, such as the importance of cloth manufacture in slave society, but others less so, such as the chapter on pecan nuts.
She also seems to contradict herself, for instance she seems to think that Ashley's name was changed by her new owner, but on the other hand her grandchild Ruth (the embroiderer) calls her that and implies she was still alive in 1921.
In other words, this book is a vast edifice built on small foundations, but well worth reading for a rare view into the horrendous lives of African American women before the Civil War and since.
informative
slow-paced
I liked the analysis of Ashley's sack and its significance in many realms. The book discussed slavery, the culture of the American South and Charleston specifically, textiles and crafts, women's and mothers' roles, and the histories of many women and families of the formerly enslaved. Very interesting and meaningful.
Carefully researched, thoughtfully written, and extremely moving, this book examines “the space between the stitches” on a cloth sack that was passed from mother to daughter when they were separated during slavery, and that was shared between several generations of Black women before arriving in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History
I know, firsthand the power of an artifact that unite families. This beautifully written book shows how one item holds so much power within generations…holding onto hope. This is not just Ashley‘s sack, but generation after generation struggles that tell a story.
Loved every minute and every single detail shared in this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ +
Loved every minute and every single detail shared in this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ +
This was not the time for me to read this. It is an amazingly well researched and presented premise but it dragged me down (probably as it should). I couldn't finish it but will come back to it at a later time. Very raw and revealing. We cannot NOT teach what happened in this time period! We all have to deal with this.