The Freedom Business

by Marilyn Nelson, Deborah Muirhead (Illustrator)

The true narrative of a slave from Africa, crafted in verse by Marilyn Nelson. Born an African prince, Broteer Furro was captured by slave traders at age six. As he stepped onto a cargo ship, the vessel's steward purchased the boy and gave him a new name: Venture. He landed in Rhode Island and worked through a lifetime of slavery to buy not only his own freedom but the freedom of his wife and children. Remarkable in his own time for his ambition and physical stature, Venture Smith became history's first man to document both his capture from Africa and life as an American slave. In this breathtaking volume, Marilyn Nelson's poems sit opposite the text of Smith's own narrative. Nelson's controlled verse layers this edition with insight into Smith's stoic eighteenth-century prose. Deborah Dancy's stark watercolor collages highlight the tension between the economical language of the narrative and the turbulent emotion within the poems.

Genres: Poetry, History, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography

72 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2008

About the author

Marilyn Nelson is the author of many acclaimed books for young people and adults, including CARVER: A LIFE IN POEMS, a Newbery Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Honor Book, and A WREATH FOR EMMETT TILL, a Printz Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Honor Book. She also translated THE LADDER, a picture book by Halfdan Rasmussen. She lives in East Haddam, Connecticut.

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/marilyn-...

Reviews

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Marilyn Nelson has herself another Coretta Scott King winner here, though I admit I found the narrative part taken from Venture Smith's autobiography to be more interesting than her poetry. Nevertheless, she turns a nice phrase here and there--the poem "Meg" is absolutely beautiful, "Farm Garden" bursts with pride, "A Voyage by Sea" oozes despair. I must read more about this interesting man. This should win a Printz Award too next year!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the layout of the book - the way Marilyn Nelson's poems are set side-by-side with the narrative of "Venture, a Native of Africa."

Note her words in the preface: "I cannot pretend to have understood him at first. Venture Smith seemed very much a man of his times: an eighteenth-century rationalist for whom everything--including himself and his wife and children--had a price. I longed to see him rise above the age in which he lived, to condemn the system that put a price on his head and the heads of his people."

What is the message for us today? How do we rise above the age in which we live? What system must we condemn?

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book from the library to read the narrative of the enslaved person, Venture. I didn't realize that it was side by side with the Marilyn Nelson's poems, which loosely followed the narrative. I'm not a big fan of poetry, but the poems seemed okay. At times, they ascribed feelings and motives to Venture that were modern-day, and that didn't agree with his account. Nelson says in the preface that she is aware of this; the poems are her reaction to reading his story. I'm sure they would raise good discussion points.

This book is labeled young adult. I don't know if it's meant for younger children; it would be fine for any age child with good reading skills. It is great that Nelson, in putting the book together, made Venture's story widely available.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was recommended at a YA literature workshop I went to as a great non-fiction selection. First I should preface this review with the fact that I'm not a big fan of non-fiction, and if I wasn't trying to bulk up my arsenal of recommendations for when I (hopefully) start teaching, I would not have picked up this book. So my review is likely at least somewhat tainted with my general ambivalence towards non-fiction.

With that said, I think this is really historical fiction. The slave narrative is non-fiction, but the poetry is better labeled as historical fiction.

I enjoyed the slave narrative, as much as you can "enjoy" the heartbreaking life story of Venture. It is condensed from its original version for the purposes of this book.

The book is set up with the narrative on one side and the poetry on the other. The poetry was just okay for me. I read the narrative straight through and then went back to the poetry. It felt like it was trying too hard next to the original words of the slave narrative.

One other part of the book that I found incredible distracting was the artwork. Even with the explanation of the artwork, I thought it got in the way more than added to experience of the book. Again, I think the artwork was trying too hard to be aesthetically impacting when the slave narrative is really the star of the show.

As a teacher, I would use this book in excerpts in conjunction with the social studies teacher's American history unit. Some of the poems would make for decent quick reading minutes, as would parts of the narrative. As a recommendation to students, I would likely suggest the original narrative before I would this book to advance students, but would suggest this book to more reluctant readers to get them interested in the historical time period.

[Tamara Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our library offered me a special edition of this book that appears to be only available for purchase through the Florence Griswold museum website. It pairs Marilyn Nelson's poems inspired by the slave narrative of Venture Smith with American paintings from the Florence Griswold Museum.

This simply beautiful book of art and poetry inspired by Connecticut's historical landscape should be required reading for every one of our state's classrooms. The concept of blending quintessentially New England landscape artwork with the story of Venture Smith's pursuit of freedom is, honestly, stunning. At the same time, it's accessible for people of all ages to enjoy. In my mind, that makes the work ingenious.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freedom Business is a unique, compact book of poetry and biographical writing. Powerful in its simplicity. Testament to a bleak life and the times he lived through. Persistence above all else. How could freedom have ever cost so much? Oddly, in my opinion, the nearly abstract artwork accompanying it ends up bringing a spot of beauty to the written words. Black history month in a nutshell: Past, Present and Future.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so admire Wordsong history/poem books, which are beautifully rendered, emotionally-compelling ways to delve into real-life events. Marilyn Nelson is such a fine poet. Some of my favorite lines from Venture's story:

Yes, everything I own is dearly bought,
but gratitude is a never-emptying cup,
my life equal measures pain and windfall.

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is amazing stuff. It's not always easy for me to read poetry, but I truly appreciated this. The left hand page is the memoirs of a slave and the right hand page is poetry by Nelson that interprets the memoir.

[Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a thrill to see Marilyn Nelson give a riveting reading at Split This Rock Poetry Festival in DC in March 2012. This book is gorgeous, heart-breaking, masterful.

[Sonia Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤❤

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

To Venture Smith's Progeny

Say, can you see?
Freedom ain't free.
Body costly
To be redeemed
From slavery.

by Paul Hsu 2-16-16

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A fascinating story of Venture or Broteer Furro, his name before enslavement. He really worked hard and had more hard knocks that any person should. Ms Nelson's poetry didn't do much for me. At first it was just a rewording of the slave narrative from the previous page, later it felt like it moved toward fiction. I really picked this up because I had heard of the slave narrative and this was the only edition I could find. I'm glad it is available. I hope others will find more in the poetry than I did. Lovely artwork!

[Stuart Levy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting blend of narratives of an African prince captured and put into slavery, mixed with the poetry of Marilyn Nelson.