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marystevens 's review for:
Roots: The Saga of an American Family
by Alex Haley
Having dispensed with my ancestors, I'm on to my sons' people; or at least to Alex Haley's family. Alex Haley knows all his ancestors back a thousand years.
The first 143 pages are about his ancestor Kinte Kunta who was abducted as a teenager in 1767. It's a fascinating picture of life in Gambia (W Africa). What a marvelous culture they had in that harsh place!
The next 50 pages cover the 4 month passage to America. It was very hard to absorb, but I've no doubt it is accurate. A third of the captives on most ships died from the conditions aboard ship before they ever had a chance to be slaves. I put it down several times but I forced myself to read every word.
The rest of the book takes us through 200 years of Haley history, slave and free. None of it as gruesome as the voyage over.
I gave it 5 stars because it is such an achievement. The writing style would be a 3.5.
Everybody should read this book. I've no idea how the movie is.
The first 143 pages are about his ancestor Kinte Kunta who was abducted as a teenager in 1767. It's a fascinating picture of life in Gambia (W Africa). What a marvelous culture they had in that harsh place!
The next 50 pages cover the 4 month passage to America. It was very hard to absorb, but I've no doubt it is accurate. A third of the captives on most ships died from the conditions aboard ship before they ever had a chance to be slaves. I put it down several times but I forced myself to read every word.
The rest of the book takes us through 200 years of Haley history, slave and free. None of it as gruesome as the voyage over.
I gave it 5 stars because it is such an achievement. The writing style would be a 3.5.
Everybody should read this book. I've no idea how the movie is.