Welcome to Litsy!

Not bad short novel of a picaresque black man involved with an illegal slave ship who take a mystical tribe captive. Reminds me somewhat of Ring Shout. Some magic realism and a gruesome survival story.

Starting a historical novel about slavery etc. that I have wanted to read for a long time.

The storytelling is compelling and genuine, featuring a strong female protagonist who navigates challenges with poise and confidence. It's evident that the author conducted thorough research and every detail is grounded in real events.

4.5⭐️ I really enjoyed this book (liked it so much that I spoke for 15 minutes on the book on my YouTube channel [mjreadings on YouTube if you‘re interested]). The only thing that didn‘t make it a 5⭐️ was that it was slow paced in the beginning. I read it about 10+ years ago for another #bookclub and reading it again now blew me away once again. #2025 #historicalfiction #fiction #africanamerican

“I remember wondering, within a year or two of taking my first steps, why only men sat to drink tea and converse, and why women were always busy. I reasoned that men were weak and needed rest.”

#weeklyforecast

Finished two books this week (will post my review of My Name is Lucy Barton in the next couple of days).

Almost done with The Maid; slowly getting my way through Book, Most Fun and Billy Boyle. Will be starting my upcoming reads in the next day or two.

My #weeklyforecast for the coming week.

Doris (a white woman) was minding her own business in her sleepy English cottage when she was kidnapped, shipped off and sold into slavery to serve Black people.

This book takes all the justifications for slavery and racism and by turning them onto white people along with a slice of satire and silliness, really shows how ridiculous (and arrogant) us whites are.

I liked this, but I'd hoped to love it.

Another Grandin W 🤑 My interest in Herman Melville & admiration for Grandin dovetail in “The Empire of Necessity”, in which Grandin takes the real slave uprising that inspired Melville‘s “Benito Cereno” as a jumping off point for a grand history of slavery in the Americas, and especially Spanish America. Magisterial. 🌟5/5🌟