The Book of Negroes aka Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill

I have just finished reading this book. I highly recommend it. Lawrence Hill writes in such a fluid manner that his story enters your consciousness easily and smoothly. And his subject matter is compelling. For me personally, whose ancestor left the US after the Revoluntionary War, and came to Nova Scotia, I found myself pulled in all the tighter, at unexpectedly finding similar detail in the book. That is where the similarity ends, though, as the woman in The Book of Negroes is black, and her experiences here were nothing like my those of my white ancestor's.

In the US, Australia and New Zealand, "The Book of Negroes" is published under the title "Someone Knows My Name".

Now I want to find more info, like how much of what Hill portrayed in his novel was actual fact. I have some googling to do.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

It is a new day in the USA

As an outsider, a Canadian who has lived in the USA full time for the past 13+ years, I can truthfully say that I have not felt as welcome here in the past 8 years, as I do today. To the majority of US citizens who voted for Mr. Obama, I doff my chapeau to you. You. Are. Awesome. I was tickled to reside in your country as you chose this articulate, talented man, who happens to have a drop or two of "black blood", as your leader.

Snippet: So, I'm watching the recording of last night's Steven Colbert show, and he was interviewing the adorable and learned Rachel Maddow of MSNBC when I find out ... Holy Mackerel (or possibly Holy Cod...) Rachel Maddow's Mum is from Newfoundland!! How cool is that?

Just one little picky thing: if he would just start pronouncing her name properly: Maddow as in rhymes with shadow, not Maddow as in Dow-Jones. But they are both just as great as a Hello Heather square on your first day back in Cape Breton, so I'm not really complaining. Glad he had her on and acknowledged her grooviness.