The autobiography of Harriet Ann Jacobs may have changed many of the names (including her own, she wrote under the name Linda Brent) but did not alterThe autobiography of Harriet Ann Jacobs may have changed many of the names (including her own, she wrote under the name Linda Brent) but did not alter the circumstances of her life. Originally published in 1861, the book documents her young life as a slave, the 7 years hiding in her grandmother’s attic, and her eventual escape to the free states. As a slave she was chronically harassed by her owner’s father, referred to as Dr. Flint, who used threats, intimidation, and even jailed her family in his pursuit of Ms. Jacobs. She is able to avoid his grasp despite her extreme disparity in power.
The author notes that as awful as her daily existence was, hers was not the average slave story. She recounts the brutal treatment, whipping, starvation, and deprivation that was common for most people of color, and the disenfranchisement of freemen/women. She shares her firsthand observations about living as "personal property" and thus not being able to own property, of the constant fear, not knowing what might happen to yourself or your family, even after she was established in north. While the hypocrisy of the God-fearing slave owners, who worshiped Jesus, a North African, on Sunday, and tortured other human beings during the week runs through her story, but so too does her devout faith, which gave her strength to survive, along with the love of her children.
Although her autobiography documents a historical period, it is no less relevant today. Jacob’s story should be a reminder that slavery is not a thing of the past, but exists throughout the world. Millions of women, particularly emigrants, are kept in sexual servitude, oppressive poverty, and human trafficking continues to exploit those most vulnerable among us (The UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Person). Jacobs reminds us how slavery injurers all concerned: the exploited, the exploiters, and the children of both. Today hate crimes are on the rise in tandem with political populism, and the "othering” of those who are different continues to be a norm, Jacob’s firsthand account should be held up as an example of the consequences to our society....more
I had always been curious about Dahl, who had a reputation for being a spectacularly unpleasant person but remains a cherished author of children's liI had always been curious about Dahl, who had a reputation for being a spectacularly unpleasant person but remains a cherished author of children's literature. Treglown's objective biography outlines several possible causes for his abrasive personality, including being a spoiled boy in a family of girls, honing his duplicity as a spy in Washington, several personal tragedies, and chronic pain from a war injury which led to a lifetime of substance abuse. The biographer establishes the scene for several of his published works, particularly his adult fiction which I am unfamiliar with, as well as his acclaimed books for children. An interesting note is that several of his best loved books were shaped by good editors, who cautiously worked with the challenging author to give focus to his stories. This biography raises the question, should we separate the author from his work? In the case of Dahl, whose work continues to shock and delight legions of readers with dark and macabre themes that children and parents enjoy, it might be best to keep the messy biographical details of the author out of the picture....more
I had the good fortune to meet Mr. Crisp in the mid-90s through performance artist, Penny Arcade, who I worked with when she staged "Bitch!Dyke!FaghagI had the good fortune to meet Mr. Crisp in the mid-90s through performance artist, Penny Arcade, who I worked with when she staged "Bitch!Dyke!Faghag!Whore!" at the Village Gate. Mr. Crisp was—without a doubt—an original person. In New York he was known for his purple fedora, lavender ascot and the elegant way he held himself, his bearing so regal that he was artfully cast as Queen Elizabeth in Sally Porter’s film of Virginia Woolf’s gender-shifting “Orlando”. His startlingly honest observations about societies’ quirks are from an outsider’s point of view and are delivered with Mr. Crisp’s patented charmingly acerbic and self-effacing humor and the driest wit imaginable. At the core of this auto-biography is a man who is a walking contradiction in terms. Mr. Crisp is a social misfit who lives openly, though quietly, as a flamboyant homosexual in pre-sex-lib London. He is peacock-proud of his appearance, literally becoming artwork (his primary profession is as an artist’s model), and his most fascinating subject is himself, yet he also revels in his deficiencies in keeping house and confused about the chaos he creates by his alternative appearance. He pokes gentle fun at his friends and marginalized flatmates, especially the hooligans and diligently unoccupied denizens of SoHo. You will either find him hysterical or sad, but most likely somewhere in between. A picture of Dorian Gray, only funny and with extensively more flair....more
Like a few others, I picked this book up in error, thinking it was Gertrude Stein’s "name dropping" version. However, I might have been better off witLike a few others, I picked this book up in error, thinking it was Gertrude Stein’s "name dropping" version. However, I might have been better off with this actual biography. Ms. Simon’s thesis is that there would never have been a Gertrude Stein without an Alice B. Toklas, who promoted and inspired her (and perhaps not a Picasso without a Stein); Ms. Toklas was the person who engineered the myth around the author and poet and was a significant muse for her body of work. This well-researched book gives insight into one of the most revered lesbian relationships of the 20th century, and highlights all the painters, writers and poets that they sponsored and/or inspired. One of those examples of how one person can be a substantial influence without creating anything on her own. Ms. Toklas was at the crux of one of the most interesting artistic periods in history....more
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