Amos Fortune, Free Man

Amos Fortune, Free Man

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3.78 of 5 stars 3.78  ·  rating details  ·  2,550 ratings  ·  161 reviews
Amos Fortune was born the son of an African king. In 1725, when he was 15 years old, he was captured by slave traders, brought to America and sold at auction. For 45 years, Amos worked as a slave and dreamed of freedom. At 60, he began to see those dreams come true. A Newbery Honor Book.
Paperback, 192 pages
Published May 1st 1989 by Puffin (first published 1950)
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79th out of 91 books — 204 voters
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Wendy
I did my best to rate this what I might have rated it as a child, or maybe if I'd read it back when it was written.

As a book, I would probably rate it highly in a list of similar children's biographies for interest and readability.

Amos Fortune had a very interesting life, and a new biography of him would be great.

But this book is almost unreadably racist and patronizing. If it weren't for the award, it would certainly have been weeded from school and public libraries long ago. I don't know wha...more
Gale
LIVE FREE--AND LIVE TO DIE FREE!

This 1951 Newbery winner is a biography, so there is no need to critique the plot or character development. The book reads easily, being the reconstructed life of a proud African youth who was captured at the age of 15 in 1725--reminding us of Haley's Kunta Kinte. Amos never forgot that he was the first son of chief, nor that he must protect and inspire his crippled younger sister (who would assume the role of leader of her village). Indeed, for years he haunted...more
Ann Carpenter
I had grave misgivings before I began reading this book. It won the Newbery Award, yes, but it won in 1951, and it's a book about a black man written by a white woman. In 1950. That's enough to give me a bit of a pause entering into the reading experience.

On the whole, the book was not as racially insensitive as I thought it would be. That doesn't mean that it's a shining example of careful research and subtle characterization, just that it's not as bad as it could have been.

It's interesting to...more
Kelsey Ludemann
I read this book in 8th grade, and I decided to read this book for my Newbery Awards assignment because of the many years between the two readings. I am glad I did. I didn't remember the plot as well as I thought I would so a lot of it felt new to me. Elizabeth Yates is a wonderful writer and there are some very reflect-worthy quotes in this book:

"It puzzled Amos that the white people put so much stress on Sunday. Yet it seemed somehow similar to the stress they put on the color of a man's skin...more
Marfita
Nov 18, 2011 Marfita rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: no one
Shelves: children-s
There is precious little information about the man who became Amos Fortune and I would not send anyone to this book trying to find any. As a novel, however, it is very affecting. I'm sure research was done into the slave trade to get background information, but if Fortune left no written record himself of his youth, then that part of the narrative is so much marsh gas. If he had been just a villager, rather than a "king's son," where would his nobility have come from? He has to fall far. It isn'...more
Jill
A large portion of this book takes place in Jaffrey, NH, very close to where Dan grew up, and close to the location Dan and I were married. Any time we drive back and forth between our parents' houses Dan points out the church in Jaffrey where Amos Fortune is buried. He learned about him in school as part of a unit on New Hampshire history and notable people. He even did a rubbing of his gravestone. So I was interested in this story when I saw it on the list of Newberys and of the biographical N...more
Verena
I listened to the audiobook of this novel. The narration was fine, it wasn't particularly thrilling, but it had a dignity to it. The story itself seemed misleading. Taken from his African tribe to be sold as a slave in Boston, Amos initially ended up with a family that hadn't been slave owners, taught him to speak and read English, taught him a trade as a weaver, and accepted him as part of the family? In the 1700s? Not very likely. Then gets sold to another family after his prior master dies, a...more
Josiah
This truly is an exceptional juvenile biography, told in the form of an historical fiction narrative. Elizabeth Yates is one of the most sympathetic and caring authors that I have ever read, and she brings this benevolent approach to the sad but inspiring story of the heroic true figure Amos Fortune, an African prince who was sold into slavery at the age of fifteen and spent the next forty-five years working hard for various slave owners, trying to buy his own freedom and, eventually, the freed...more
Sarah Liggett
Amos Fortune is the name that a young African by selects for himself after he lost everything from his former life. Once the son of a chief, ruler of his people, and older brother to his crippled sister, Amos is captured by slavers and shipped across the sea to the Americas. After surviving the horrific crossing, and being sold to another man as property, he begins to build his life. He learns multiple trades, and works with dignity and courage his entire life. After surviving his masters, he f...more
Annelisa
I have/had fond memories of this book, which I first encountered in middle school. I found it in one of the many book bins in one of my classrooms. I kept thinking about it through the years, and was glad when I was able to get a copy later. However, after rereading the book in college, I find that I have some serious issues with it, much of which has been mentioned in earlier reviews. Handled the proper way, the story of Amos Fortune, a figure who no doubt had a fascinating and complex life, c...more
Jen
This may be the only book I've ever read about a slave living in the North rather than the South. And even though this was just the story of one man in particular and even though there are probably many other stories wherein things didn't work out quite as well as they did for Amos (relatively speaking), I think there's value in reading a different perspective. (It's similar to the interest I have in hearing about my mom's experience going to high school in California at the same time that the C...more
Christy
Puffin Books
1950
Elizabeth Yates
Nora S. Unwin
Newbery Medal
181 pages
Multicultural

I wonder would it would be like to live in Amos Fortune's shoes. What a life he had from being the son of his African tribe's leader, watching his father die, becoming the "king", and getting snatched away to be a slave in America. I wonder what it feels like to have years slip by knowing that freedom is there somewhere; knowing that hard work and a solid trade does not always bring respect.

I truly loved this book. I...more
Jori Richardson
Amos is raised as the prince of an African tribe, until he is one day kidnapped by slave traders. In 18th Century Massachusetts, he lives in slavery for nearly the rest of his life, always remembering his proud heritage and the freedom that he once had. Finally, as an elderly man, he is able to regain his freedom.
A simply written story, based on true events, chronicles the life and hardships of one man before and after he is released from slavery. I thought that this book was a bit too abruptly...more
TheKBSeries
I read this when i was young and didn't like reading much...besides we were forced to read this by school. i say that any book that school makes you read you will hate just because you are being forced. I hated this book. Although, i was young and didn't like reading so who knows.

But, i still have this book under my...school-forced-to-read-books-that-i-hate-and-will-be-haunted-by-for-the-rest-of-my-life-and-that-leave-such-a-bad-taste-in-my-mouth-and-such-a-depressing-feeling-in-me-to-know-that...more
Florence Baumgardner
Amos Fortune Free Man by Elizabeth Yates and Read by Ray Childs
ISBN 9780976193272
Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates and Read by Ray Childs is unabridged audio book Biography written about the life of At-mun son of an African King. The 1951 Newbery award winner. He is captured and taken to America and sold as a slave. Written for I-Intermediate ages 8-12. Great audio book about the this incredible man. Ray Childs voice allows you to fell the emotion of the story. While working with childr...more
Josh
The thing that struck me most about this book is that Amos is not tortured or horribly hurt in any way by being a slave. He isn’t raped or beaten or anything else. I think that this is what makes the book interesting. It does not matter that you are mistreated and hurt by being a slave. That is not really the point. That’s not what is horrible about racism. Racism is people not paying you for your work even though it is excellent. Racism is people not letting you sit in a pew at church. Racism i...more
Samantha
I read this with my son for his 8th grade history class. It starts out similar to Roots with At-mun (later Americanized to Amos) a proud, thoughtful prince of his tribe in Africa. Through good fortune, gaining him his last name, he is sold to kind families, learns a trade, and becomes a Christian. Amos has a positive attitude and strong faith that keeps him thankful and content through his long life as a slave and later as a free black man in early America. Though his lot is certainly easier tha...more
Madeline
When he and some of his people are captured and made into slaves, Amos Fortune, a prince from Africa, is sold in America, where he learns to speak English, and read and write. When he is resold, he learns a trade, tanning, from his new master. Then, at last, Amos buys his freedom, and the freedom of others, in order that his people can die free.
While I did really enjoy the story of Amos Fortune, the actual writing of the book was disappointing. The phraseology was distracting, with strange, run...more
Janetgetz
Mar 08, 2009 Janetgetz rated it 5 of 5 stars
Recommended to Janetgetz by: Third grade teacher
Although this book may be dated in its language, it remains a book that had an amazing impact on me. When I was in third grade my teacher read this to our class. She'd read every day after lunch, and I remember being enthralled. Years later as a graduate student I reread the book and as I began to read, I was hit with feelings about the book. Until then I didn't even remember reading it before. But the phrases and the scenes came back to me and I found myself in tears. It is a book I read to all...more
Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance
Amos Fortune was born At-mun, the son of a king in Africa. Before he knew it, he was seized and taken to America, to be sold as a slave. He was fortunate, however, and was sold to a kind Quaker who treated him justly and beneficently and allowed him to buy his freedom. All his life (and he lived a long life, living to nearly one hundred) Amos helped others become free, including all three of his wives.

With a copyright date of 1950, I anticipated there would be lots of racist elements to this bo...more
Anna
It was a good book overall. The story is about a man who comes to America as a slave and eventually buys freedom for himself and others. He married several women specifically to set them free. I really had no issue with the book except that it is hard to accept the only way for these women to be free is because of a man. I would like for them to be able to free themselves. The characters are good, though. I'm curious if this is an exception to the rule or if there are other stories like this- wh...more
Lori
Read this with my 11-yr-old son. An excellent story told by Newberry-award-winning author Elizabeth Yates is an excellent read for late elementary or middle schoolers focusing on one man's life beginning as an African prince, his life as a slave, his purchased freedom and his life in general. This book won the Newberry medal in 1951 and many other reviewers point to the dated writing and attitudes towards slavery. Amos was sold to a kind gentleman in New Hampshire and eventually purchased his ow...more
Libby
Tells the story of Amos Fortune, who was the son of a king in Africa, then captured and sold into slavery in just pre-Revolutionary War New England, eventually earning his freedom and buying the freedom of 3 successive wives. He also becomes a well-regarded tanner in the town where he settles.

There are many things I liked about this book: being based on a true story (although I don't know the proportion of fact to fiction) and the portryal of the choices Amos makes along his life, particularly...more
Bhg
Scrupulously researched, the author understands and probably shares, the religious tradition of her subject. I'm asuming Episcopalian, given the communion service he gave to his church.
Contemporary readers may choose to be offended by Amos Fortune's beliefs, and his behavior - unacceptable in today's secular, victimhood culture. Amos would be pained and disappointed at the rejection of his deeply held religious beliefs.
Highly recommended. It's what biography should be - it'll still be read w...more
Thomas Hogle
This is a well written book, I would feel comfortable giving this as a recommendation to most 10-12 year olds. Amos is a good example of a wonderful human being, he is given a tough road to hoe, but throughout the book he keeps his head up and stays focused on his freedom, and God his true freedom. For me personally, this book was a little slow and it lacked conflict, however you might disagree because Amos had a lot of troubling circumstances, I just felt like they were predicable in the text....more
Sara Stalder
Wow! Historical fiction must not be my kind of genre because I am normally not picky at all about books and I really did not enjoy this one very much. The story of Amos Fortune is a relatively interesting and inspiring tale of a man who was sold as a slave as a teen, comes to knoe the Lord, and lives out his life as a free, kind hearted man. However, I found this book to be kind of boring and very hard for me to finish. This might be because I have learned so much about slavery in school, that I...more
Christine
When this was originally published, it was probably groundbreaking. By today's standards, I wonder if it could even be considered non-fiction. I was very uncomfortable with the tone of the dialogue and thoughts of Amos. Factually, I find it hard to believe that thoughts and words can be ascribed to him in such detail. Without some sort of bibliography or post script explaining where this story came from and what documentation exists, especially of his thoughts and words, I have huge reservations...more
Theresa
my daughter recomended me to read this after it was on her summer reading list. it s a truimpht story from a sad begining of a young africa prince sent into slavery at the aculmination of his youth and the begining of his power, although he wanted to free his people, he found himself waiting, although he wanted to find his little sister and free her, he did not find her but on the way he freed three women, and two little girls before they died, and he was able to leave a legecy to his wife and h...more
Cheryl
This was a very interesting read for me...discussing some different aspects of slavery that you do not often read about. It is interesting to read about the issues pre-Revolutionary War and occuring in the North. Even more interesting because the story is based upon a real person.

Wonderful discussion about what it truly means to be free and how we become free...when we truly are free. A great quote from the book: "It does a man no good to be free until he learns how to live." Highly recommended...more
Julius
Hmph. This book lacked greatly to me the spirit and truth that was in the days in which it is set. The story was alright but the writing... How can I say that the writing was bad when in fact it was not? No, the writing was not bad, but rather lacked the feel of the tone of the story. This book, I must insist, would have been much better if it had been allowed a genre-based and time-period-based form of writing; short of that, a little spirit would have been nice! Many of the characters seemed n...more
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Amos Fortune, Free Man (Hardcover)
Amos Fortune, Free Man (Hardcover)
Amos Fortune, Free Man (Turtleback)
Amos Fortune: Free Man
Amos Fortune, Free Man (Audio CD)

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Elizabeth Yates, author of over forty books for children, was born in New York State on December 6th, 1905. Determined to be an author, she moved to New York City to launch her career. She worked a variety of jobs including reviewing book, writing short stories, and doing research. She moved to England with her husband and wrote her first book, High Holiday, based on her travels in Switzerland wit...more
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