Knopf Publishing Group
Homegoing
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Winner of the NBCC's John Leonard First Book Prize
A New York Times 2016 Notable Book
One of Oprah's 10 Favorite Books of 2016
NPR's Debut Novel of the Year
One of Buzzfeed's Best Fiction Books Of 2016
One of Time's Top 10 Novels of 2016
"Homegoing is an inspiration." --Ta-Nehisi Coates
The unforgettable New York Times best seller begins with the story of two half-sisters, separated by forces beyond their control: one sold into slavery, the other married to a British slaver. Written with tremendous sweep and power, Homegoing traces the generations of family who follow, as their destinies lead them through two continents and three hundred years of history, each life indeliably drawn, as the legacy of slavery is fully revealed in light of the present day.
Effia and Esi are born into different villages in eighteenth-century Ghana. Effia is married off to an Englishman and lives in comfort in the palatial rooms of Cape Coast Castle. Unbeknownst to Effia, her sister, Esi, is imprisoned beneath her in the castle's dungeons, sold with thousands of others into the Gold Coast's booming slave trade, and shipped off to America, where her children and grandchildren will be raised in slavery. One thread of Homegoing follows Effia's descendants through centuries of warfare in Ghana, as the Fante and Asante nations wrestle with the slave trade and British colonization. The other thread follows Esi and her children into America. From the plantations of the South to the Civil War and the Great Migration, from the coal mines of Pratt City, Alabama, to the jazz clubs and dope houses of twentieth-century Harlem, right up through the present day, Homegoing makes history visceral, and captures, with singular and stunning immediacy, how the memory of captivity came to be inscribed in the soul of a nation.
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Book Details
ISBN:
9781101947135
EAN:
9781101947135
Binding:
Hardcover
Pages:
320
Authors:
Yaa Gyasi
Publisher:
Knopf Publishing Group
Published Date: 2016-07-06
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Found this as a recommendation on Goodreads. Beautifully written. Enjoyed it from the first few pages, and I learned so much. Highly recommend.
After the first few chapters, really pages, I knew this was going to be a heavy read for me. Not one of my typical reads where I engage to forget the everyday stress. This was going to make me engage in a history, engulfed in beauty yet pain. It provided a deeper understanding that grounded my spirit and soul, in such a calming, powerful way. I was in a quiet space while reading, knowing I would experience each word so deeply and I needed to be in that space to feel deeply, go through every emotion, but not to stay angered by the past....despite being angered by the past. Definitely worth the read, and I loved how you find the connections to past stories, with each new chapter and new key character of it.
There were too many characters and I had to keep a list of who was who. It was a good read but somewhat confusing.
I am at a loss for words. This is by far one of the moat beautiful works I've read in years. I am in tears, moved by the words I've read and so sad to leave these characters behind.
Growing up in the south, I know figments and fragments of the story, but definitely not enough to really understand. As an adult, I’ve been fortunate to read books that have expanded my understanding and the story gives me goosebumps when I think about it. I wish I could understand more and look forward to rereading this book over and over.
