Take a photo of a barcode or cover
648 reviews for:
All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake
Tiya Miles
4.12 AVERAGE
648 reviews for:
All That She Carried: The Journey of Ashley's Sack, a Black Family Keepsake
Tiya Miles
4.12 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
Really in depth about topics many of us don't read enough about.
This one had been on my list for awhile, and I'm glad I've read it now. I've read a few books about Black history, but this one told about the Black woman's experience in America in such a different way. I hope, going forward, I consider keepsakes from a different angle. I love at the end how she talks about "tote" (like a sack) and the derivation and meaning of the word, too.
A cotton sack embroidered with spare sentences that encompass so much—separation, loss, hope, live. Dr. Miles, using a survival kit given from an enslaved mother to her daughter who was sold, constructs a history of life for enslaved women and men living in South Carolina. The paucity of material and written evidence made the narrative difficult, but through extrapolation from related sources, the reader can get a sense of the importance of not just the sack, but the significance of the items as well. I thought several of the sections, particularly on hair, clothing, and the domestic arts of needlework, cloth making, and sewing laid out so many hidden cultural messages. The accompanying materials enhanced her narrative.
informative
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
super duper informative, but the actual writing got repetitive after a while
informative
inspiring
reflective
Easily one of the most important and enlightening books I have ever read. Tiya Miles painted a clear and painful picture of life for enslaved women. I was touched many times by the focus on enduring love of mother to children and thoroughly amazed by her ability to gleam so much meaning from a single article. This has altered my entire perspective on the history of slavery in the United States and what it means to live in constant fear of being separated from family. Despite the subject matter, this book was hopeful.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual violence
I didn’t mind the general broad sweep of the book due to the nature of the subject. However there was a bit too much discussion of the philosophy of history for my taste.
emotional
informative
medium-paced