Scan barcode
circularcubes's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
I was recently tasked with creating a short presentation on the life of significance of Phillis Wheatley, and it didn't take too long to realize that there is very little modern day scholars can say with absolute certainty about her life and work, let alone her private attitudes and opinions. This book, however, is one of the clearest and most thoroughly researched works I've come across that deal with Wheatley's life and work - in fact, it occasionally veers on the point of being overly thorough. Despite the long passages about important persons of the time and place which seem only marginally relevant, I was largely quite pleased with the depth to which this book was researched. I felt I had a more thorough understanding of Wheatley's life and situation once I finished this, and although I wish the author had gone into more depth about Phillis's relations towards the Wheatley household, I can't fault any decisions to stick to only what can be verified or surmised from historical fact. I would definitely recommend this to those interested in Bostonian revolutionary era society and early African-American artists and authors.
I was recently tasked with creating a short presentation on the life of significance of Phillis Wheatley, and it didn't take too long to realize that there is very little modern day scholars can say with absolute certainty about her life and work, let alone her private attitudes and opinions. This book, however, is one of the clearest and most thoroughly researched works I've come across that deal with Wheatley's life and work - in fact, it occasionally veers on the point of being overly thorough. Despite the long passages about important persons of the time and place which seem only marginally relevant, I was largely quite pleased with the depth to which this book was researched. I felt I had a more thorough understanding of Wheatley's life and situation once I finished this, and although I wish the author had gone into more depth about Phillis's relations towards the Wheatley household, I can't fault any decisions to stick to only what can be verified or surmised from historical fact. I would definitely recommend this to those interested in Bostonian revolutionary era society and early African-American artists and authors.
suddenflamingword's review against another edition
4.0
While detail-oriented, not in a way that denies a holistic view. In fact the details are reinforced by and reinforce the wide lens Carretta uses to try to grasp at Wheatley. Very engaging because of this society-in-the-individual approach. Carretta envisions her as secretly ironic and heading towards an abolitionist mindset, which, while I think can be read into her from what Carretta provides, isn't really thoroughly argued more than stated imo.
On a content level it's a fascinating and tragic story made more tragic by the dearth of documentation for such a vital African American figure, and on a meta-level an inspiring detective story about reviving the legacy of a figure who'd become both an abolitionist symbol for the possibilities of a people when not enslaved and later a Black Power symbol for the colonization of the black mind by white supremacy.
My only want would be an extra chapter, as opposed to the 5 page afterward, of how her legacy shaped future work. Nonetheless, a thorough book definitely worth the read if you're interested in American poetry.
On a content level it's a fascinating and tragic story made more tragic by the dearth of documentation for such a vital African American figure, and on a meta-level an inspiring detective story about reviving the legacy of a figure who'd become both an abolitionist symbol for the possibilities of a people when not enslaved and later a Black Power symbol for the colonization of the black mind by white supremacy.
My only want would be an extra chapter, as opposed to the 5 page afterward, of how her legacy shaped future work. Nonetheless, a thorough book definitely worth the read if you're interested in American poetry.
More...