Jan/Feb '12 Group Read: Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill

[Becky, Moddess]

Discuss this book here... Remember to mark all spoilers!

[Becky, Moddess]

Anyone reading this?

[Melodi | booksandchicks]

I read this book about 2 years ago and absolutely loved it. What I especially liked was where the book starts. (I think I can share this without spoiling). It was very interesting starting the read in Africa and the actual capture, march, and voyage prior to arrival in America. So many books about slavery don't give that aspect of the people, so i found it interesting.

Having read it so long ago, I've forgotten much of it, but I was impressed by the inner strength of amitah (?), the main girl. I think that resonated with me and shows how strong we really can be.

[Catherine]

I'll be reading the book (have it from the library) but have a book to finish before I get to it. I'm really looking forward to it; it sounds very good and interesting.

[Julie]

Becky wrote: "Anyone reading this?"

I'll be reading it in June hehe

[Christy]

I started this book last night and was drawn into the story of Aminata instantly. Excellent writing and an amazing story so far. I look forward to discussing it here!!!

[Lasse]

Yes it is a great book I read it last year.

[Rue]

Becky wrote: "Anyone reading this?"

Just got it from the library- will probably start tomorrow.

[Dem]

I loved this book, a real page turner and an education in itself.

This is my review.
www.goodreads.com/review/show/196640135

[Ioana]

I will listen to it after my current audio book...I think there is no line at the library for the audio version.

[Jessica]

I started it yesterday. I'd intended for it to be my carpool book (I usually have to wait around 30 minutes in line to pick up my kiddo at school) but after starting it, I'm interested enough to bring it in the house. :-)

I agree with @Melodi though that the beginning actually being the beginning of her journey as well is fantastic.

[Victoria_Grossack]

Have just purchased it - expect to read it this weekend.

[Catherine]

Just started the book and I am hooked! Love the first person pov. and the way the story is being set up.

[Nancy]

I started 2 days ago and I'm almost 3/4 way though! It's a really engaging novel and I am constantly rooting for Aminata :D

[Becky, Moddess]

I just started this one on my Nook... It's really good so far. The beginning reminds me a bit of the beginning of Roots. If I enjoy this one half as much as I loved Roots then I'll be pleased. :)

[Nancy from NJ]

I have never read Roots - I do have the book and think I will try reading it this year for the big book challenge.

[Becky, Moddess]

Roots is amazing, Nancy. I highly recommend it. :)

[Victoria_Grossack]

I'm about 16% of the way in and have loads of questions. Does anyone know if this was based on a particular true story - an individual - or is it based on the experiences of a group of people?

What I find amazing is (a) general inhumanity of one people to another - although of course slavery was hardly a new practice but had probably persisted for millennia and (b) how Aminata can empathize with others - Fanta, and Chukera, and even the red-headed toubab.

[Nancy from NJ]

Thanks Becky. I just moved this title to the front of my TBR's. I also just reserved Someone Knows My Name,

[Becky, Moddess]

9%: (view spoiler)[ Poor Aminata... To have to be taken from everything and everyone she knows, and watch her parents murdered in front of her, and even separated from her faith... I can't even imagine how horrible that would be.

That last part is hard to grasp for me, not being a religious type. I feel like if you believe, belief is enough. I guess that she was raised to believe that vocal prayer is needed for Allah to hear, and it makes me sad to think that she might have felt that Allah was no longer able to hear or care for her because she was prevented from praying. (hide spoiler)]

[Monique]

still waiting for this book to come in for me at the library-- i'm next on the waitlist, so should have it soon. excited to read it! :)

[Becky, Moddess]

It's really fascinating to see through Aminata's eyes as she experiences all of these changes.

[Becky, Moddess]

Victoria_Grossack wrote: "I'm about 16% of the way in and have loads of questions. Does anyone know if this was based on a particular true story - an individual - or is it based on the experiences of a group of people?

..."

I don't know if it's based on anyone's story in particular. It could be anyone's story. It's shameful that things like this were so commonplace.

I think regarding your second point, about Aminata's ability to empathize with others, I like that she is the contrast to the others' indifference and hatred. She's wary, and rightly so, but she still sees people as people. That makes the difference.

[Rue]

Victoria_Grossack wrote: "I'm about 16% of the way in and have loads of questions. Does anyone know if this was based on a particular true story - an individual - or is it based on the experiences of a group of people?

..."

At the end of the book there is a section about the fictional and historic people in the story. I would wait until you've read the whole thing because there are probably a few spoilers. Aminata's story is based on true stories and real people, but she herself is fictional.

[Rue]

I absolutely loved this book. I'm so glad I found this group and decided to try the group read. I'm a book devourer, so I go through them pretty quickly.
I learned so much about the slave trade and the abolitionist movement that I hadn't heard of before, I think I may read some of the non-fiction that the book is based on.
Thanks!

[Victoria_Grossack]

Thanks, Rue! I'm learning a lot as well - according to my Kindle I'm 46% of the way through.

[Ioana]

I am listening to the audio version, and just started it this morning, on my commute to work. I love it, I can't wait for my commute back home to listen to it some more.

[Victoria_Grossack]

Well, that certainly held my attention! The details were extremely well done and although our heroine wandered all around the map, I did not find it as confusing as I felt it might be at first. I also thought the attempt to tell and write down names was very significant. What do people want to have remembered most after they die? Their names - even the kings of Egypt had their names chiseled into the walls in cartouches.

Do I think the book was perfect? Not quite. The criticisms involve spoilers, but here they are:

(view spoiler)[I thought the appearance of her daughter at the end was a huge coincidence. I thought the character was stupid/naive beyond belief to go off with the African slave traders. I thought the betrayals on the part of Solomon Lindo and the Witherspoons were really out of character. I know that they involved her children which is why she could not be forgiving, but they also seemed inconsistent with other actions. I think Lindo would have attempted to buy her son and I can't imagine the Witherspoons not leaving at least a note for Aminata that they were afraid of the riots and taking May with them to get her away from danger. (hide spoiler)]

Despite these quibbles it was an engrossing read.

[Tracie]

I finished this book several days ago and was surprised how quickly I was able to get through it. The author really did his research, the info on the indigo trade, the slave ship crossing and other events were accurate and horrifying. I learned a lot and it makes me want to read more. It's not easy for me to read these kinds of details but we need to know what happened, we need to know history, no matter how gruesome.

[Charlene]

I read this book last year. Thought it was fantastic. Well researched and well written.

[Becky, Moddess]

I'm still working my way through this one. I'm about 39% done now, and it's fascinating.

I really love Aminata. I love how she describes things, especially unfamiliar things. I'm surprised by that too, because I would think, being scared half to death and utterly confused by everything, that I wouldn't be much for detail... and yet it doesn't feel strange that Aminata remembers it so vividly.

I am loving this book so far, and I'm really glad that this one was chosen. It's fascinating.

[Christy]

I finished up this book yesterday. Amazing story!! I can't wait for a few more folks to finish up so we can discuss!!!
Aminata began to feel like family to me by the end of her story. I admired her and her courage in facing her trials and tribulations head on.

[Jackie]

I just started this today. I'm not very far in...maybe like 25 pages, but I really like it so far.

[Becky, Moddess]

Jackie, I think you'll love it. I am.

[Becky, Moddess]

OH my gosh, this book is killing me. I love it, but it's hard to read. :(

[Jackie]

Becky wrote: "OH my gosh, this book is killing me. I love it, but it's hard to read. :("

I agree! I'm up to chapter 9- about mid way. It's hard to read, but hard to put down as well. I love Aminata as a character and how she tells her story. So sad. I haven't teared up yet, but man I came close to it when (view spoiler)[ Mamandu was taken away from her :( (hide spoiler)]

I love these two quotes:
"To gaze into another person's face is to do two things: to recognize their humanity, and to assert your own."

"But I have longed loved the written word, and come to see in it the power of the sleeping lion. This is my name. This is who I am. This is how I got here. In the absence of an audience, I will write down my story so that it waits like a restful beast with lungs breathing and heart beating."

[Becky, Moddess]

Jackie, I marked both of those quotes too!

[Becky, Moddess]

I have about 30 pages left. Should definitely finish tonight.

[Becky, Moddess]

Finished. Wow. I loved it.

I do feel like there were some inconsistencies... Like Aminata saying in the beginning that she was born in 1745 but then the next chapter, dated 1745, has her as a child, speaking with her parents and asking them lots of questions.

She could have been wrong about when exactly she was born, but it seems like she'd have been around 5 years off her guess, and everything else is so vividly remembered.

Toward the end, things start to repeat as well, I noticed.

But all in all, a great book. I'm very glad that this one was chosen. :)

[Ioana]

I still have a couple of chapters to go, but I can't wait to finish it. I really like this book...

[Francesca]

I just picked up the book from the library tonight...can't wait to start reading.

[Jackie]

I finished this last night. I ended up giving it 4 stars. I thought it was amazing, but the ending was a bit lame. Some things were a bit repetitive and the whole (view spoiler)[daughter thing at the end was sorta hokey to me. (hide spoiler)]

Becky, I didn't even notice the date in the beginning. I did question how she could remember her childhood from such an early age so clearly though. I also wondered how she knew the exact date of her birth, since they didn't keep records back then and it was rare for someone to know when they were born. This part of the story didn't bother me, but distracted me a bit whenever age was mentioned.



Victoria, I have to agree with your quibbles. (view spoiler)[ I thought she was stupid for going with the slave traders as well. I did understand her yearning to go home, but for such an intelligent person she sure didn't think the whole thing through. Then again even smart people make stupid mistakes and it did show some of her flaws. *shrug*

I also thought that the Lindo and Witherspoon plot lines were out of character. I especially didn't understand the Witherspoons leaving out of the blue with her daughter. It wasn't like they could adopt her. She wouldn't have been accepted in their society and most likely wouldn't be able to inherit anything they left her. I also couldn't see them treating her like a maid either...not after all the nice things they did for Aminata.

What really bothered me was that it just didn't fit in with what we were told. When Aminata inquires about it she was told the Witherspoons had been planning on leaving for a while. To me that implied that they were planning on leaving with May all along since Aminata knew nothing of their plans, but that's not true. It just so happened that Aminata decided to leave her for a couple of days. Anyway, this bothered me enough to mark the book down a star. (hide spoiler)]
-----------------------


I was wondering what you guys thought of the name change? In Canada and in the UK it's known as The Book of Negroes: A Novel, but they felt American audiences wouldn't touch the book so they renamed it to Someone Knows My Name. Personally, I like the second one better because I feel that it encompasses Aminata's journey through life. It stresses the inhumanity of the slave trade and traders. Also, prior to reading the book I didn't know anything about The Book Of Negroes as a historical document, so I was a bit offended by the title when I first saw it.

For anyone interested here is a link that will take you the to the transcribed document: http://www.blackloyalist.com/canadian...

[Charlene]

Jackie wrote: "I finished this last night. I ended up giving it 4 stars. I thought it was amazing, but the ending was a bit lame. Some things were a bit repetitive and the whole [spoilers removed]

Becky, I di..."

Jackie - Thanks for posting that link.

[Becky, Moddess]

Jackie, I agree with you regarding the ending. (view spoiler)[I kinda had a feeling that something like that would happen, and in THAT aspect, I felt it was a little manipulative. But in a way, I was OK with it because I wanted Aminata to have SOME happiness. She'd had such a hard time... Even though her slavery was easier than most (in my opinion - I mean, slavery was NEVER EVER OK, but she wasn't beaten or raped repeatedly, etc) but she'd lost everything else - her freedom, her children, her husband, her home etc, and that made me sad. :( I wanted her to have SOMETHING, even if it was sort of too little, too late.

But then I think about it, and there was one person who was arguing for slavery, and referred to how much Aminata had gained from it as well. And I couldn't deny that either. If she'd remained at home, she'd never have been allowed to read - Look at Fanta's attitude toward her father teaching her some of the Qur'an. She'd have been circumcised, and ended up as someone's 4th or 5th wife. She'd likely have never had the impact on anyone else's life that she did as a slave.

That doesn't justify it, and I'm sure that she never would have chosen the life she had if she had a choice, but she did have opportunities that she would never have had otherwise. I thought it was interesting (and very well done) that Hill could make me think about it in these terms. I am very very anti-slavery in any form. I think it's awful to force anyone to do anything they don't choose to do.

/soapbox. (hide spoiler)]

[Victoria_Grossack]

The thing is, the ending could have been emotionally the same but far more plausible with just one or two changes!

[Jackie]

You're welcome Charlene!

I agree Becky. (view spoiler)[ I did want her to have some happiness because of her struggles, so I was glad her daughter showed up. But I have to agree with Victoria as well that a few changes could've made it plausible and better.

I'm so glad you brought up the opportunities thing. It was something I forgot to mention. Like you, I never thought of it that way and was a sort of flabbergasted to find myself agreeing with the slave trader who mentioned it. But I thought about it most of last night and came to the conclusion that Aminata is the exception in many ways. She was lucky that she had a father who believed in education and was openminded enough and willing to extend the love of learning and reading to his daughter. If she didn't have her type of family background I don't think she would've made it as far in life. I really don't think she would've been open to taking the educational opportunities she was given. (hide spoiler)]

[Victoria_Grossack]

Re opportunities:
(view spoiler)[
Yes, if she had become a wife of the chief her life would have been limited in other ways.

There are tragedies which are terrible for the individuals but which end up serving us in history. Think of Pompeii...
(hide spoiler)]

[Ioana]

Jackie,
Thanks for the link and for opening my eyes.

I know...historical fiction...but sometimes it is hard to tell how much of it goes into a book. I had no idea that the Book of Negroes was actually real, a real document, with real names of real people. Puts everything into a different perspective...Thanks.

[Jackie]

You're welcome Ioana! The author's note in the back tells you what he changed. I was pleased to find out that much of it is historically accurate. I learned quite a bit from reading this book.

[Monique]

really enjoying this {audio} book! some parts are hard to listen to, but i really admire Aminata's strength.