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sean_burciago's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
howlia31's review against another edition
5.0
A very helpful insight into the life of a former slave. Kossola's words speak for themselves. The most striking thing about this book is the contrast between Hurston's conceptions and experiences as a black American woman and Kossola's worldview and experiences as a male African former slave. He speaks of the differences between his African worldview and that of the black Americans he encounters, with the latter looking down upon the former as savage, much like their white American counterparts. It is wonderful to be able to hear the words of Kossola himself. In my reading, it seemed Hurston's conclusions about Kossola are built upon her own worldview rather than the his words. His stories are what shine through, in their deserving place at centre stage.
lazy_raven's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
I like that they kept the way he spoke original rather than whitewashing it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Slavery, War, Child death, Death of parent, and Gore
thechanelmuse's review
5.0
Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" is heart-wrenching and groundbreaking to not only have Cudjoe Kazoola Lewis' (his original name was Oluale Kossola) story split between what is present-day Benin and Africatown in Mobile, Alabama, and the revelation of a hidden part of Black American history, his voice shines throughout almost as if he's speaking directly to you, not Zora, at his home.
What stands in the way of his testimony completely standing on its on and maintaining your full attention is the claims of whether Zora Neale Hurston plagiarized another writer's work or not without proof for lengths that sandwich's Cudjoe's voice. That is so unnecessary and shifts the focus from Cudjoe to suspected theft. Why publish this book just to try to taint it?
In spite of, I came for his story and so that's what the focus on my rating is on.
What stands in the way of his testimony completely standing on its on and maintaining your full attention is the claims of whether Zora Neale Hurston plagiarized another writer's work or not without proof for lengths that sandwich's Cudjoe's voice. That is so unnecessary and shifts the focus from Cudjoe to suspected theft. Why publish this book just to try to taint it?
In spite of, I came for his story and so that's what the focus on my rating is on.
ajudeholbert87's review against another edition
5.0
This is an incredibly important narrative from the words of Cudjo Lewis, the last living former slave. It is a shame that this book would not be published until today. While reading in the vernacular can be difficult for some, had this book been published when it was written in 1931, we could have had a better understanding of the life of African-born slaves towards the end of the Civil War. I had never even heard of “Africatown” prior to reading this book, and look forward to doing more research on it.