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nyiemah06's review against another edition
informative
sad
slow-paced
I was wondering why this book was never published. I don't understand what I've just read. When was the story supposed the start? I can't rate this book.
bridgetdeveney's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.0
nancyadelman's review against another edition
4.0
"Barracoon" is derived from the word 'barracks' and a Spanish word, meaning 'hut.' A Barracoon in the 19th century was a place to keep Africans while they waited for a slave ship. It could be anything from a hut, a lean-t0, or a fortress or castle, any sort of structure designed to keep people hostage would suffice as a Barracoon.
The last slave ship was the Clotilda which arrived with 130 Africans in Alabama around 1860. Among them, Kossula, or Cudjo Lewis who was taken and ultimately became the last survivor of the last slave ship. He was taken and forced to become a slave for about five and a half years. After his release, he married an African woman and they raised five children on land given to them. Author Zora Neale Hurston spent several months visiting Cudjo, interviewing him, and sharing stories. Cudjo tells his story in his own words; Hurston really only transcribed his words.
Cudjo's story is an interesting one and one that I would have gladly read more of, had it existed. The story is transcribed in his dialect, which some readers may find annoying. I rather liked it, and wished I could have spent some time with him myself. For Hurston and Cudjo, I would have given this book five stars. Unfortunately I felt shortchanged by this book because Cudjo's story only takes up 77 pages, not even half of this book. The majority of this book is occupied by introductions written by other authors, forewords and prefaces and notes in the appendix. And it is for this reason that I can only give this book four stars. I loved Cudjo and found his story compelling reading, the other authors' commentary not so much.
The last slave ship was the Clotilda which arrived with 130 Africans in Alabama around 1860. Among them, Kossula, or Cudjo Lewis who was taken and ultimately became the last survivor of the last slave ship. He was taken and forced to become a slave for about five and a half years. After his release, he married an African woman and they raised five children on land given to them. Author Zora Neale Hurston spent several months visiting Cudjo, interviewing him, and sharing stories. Cudjo tells his story in his own words; Hurston really only transcribed his words.
Cudjo's story is an interesting one and one that I would have gladly read more of, had it existed. The story is transcribed in his dialect, which some readers may find annoying. I rather liked it, and wished I could have spent some time with him myself. For Hurston and Cudjo, I would have given this book five stars. Unfortunately I felt shortchanged by this book because Cudjo's story only takes up 77 pages, not even half of this book. The majority of this book is occupied by introductions written by other authors, forewords and prefaces and notes in the appendix. And it is for this reason that I can only give this book four stars. I loved Cudjo and found his story compelling reading, the other authors' commentary not so much.
quintusmarcus's review
5.0
Remarkable book: the story of Cudjo Lewis, the last surviving African brought over on the last slave ship, as told to Zora Neale Hurston. What's most interesting is the longest passage in the book, in which Cudjo describes his life in Africa before his village was destroyed by the Dahomey tribe that kidnapped him.
daisyfriesen's review
4.0
Really interesting book. This is the story of Kossula, beginning with his childhood in Africa and kidnapping by a neighboring tribe and sale to white men. He tells about his years in slavery and his life after he is free. It's told in his own words, so you have to get used to his way of speaking, but once you understand the rhythm of his speech and the words he uses, it flows. This is a short, quick read.