Loved this.
Big thanks to Mark for the recommendation.

This is an absolutely wonderful book with a totally engaging protagonist. It's the story of Aminata Diallo who is stolen from her family in Africa and sold in America. It takes place from the mid 1700's through the beginning of the 1800's. It was hard to put down, and I know I will be thinking of it for weeks to come, if not longer.

Compelling, heartwrenching fictional but thoroghly researched story of a woman's journey from a village in Africa to slavery in SC to NY to Nova Scotia to England.

http://www.gerberadaisydiaries.com/2012/09/september-book-club-book-review-someone.html

Epic: heroic, grand, majestic, poetic.

All of the above could be used to describe Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill.

Aminata Diallo has been stolen from her tribe, witnessed her parents being killed, and has been trekked by slave traders to the Slave Coast of Africa to make her long journey to America as a slave. All at the age of 11.

Fortunately, she’s been taught well by her parents and knows both her mother’s trade as a midwife, and her father’s gift of languages. They will be essential to her survival and future.

Her journey takes her to the low country of South Carolina, to the urban centers of Manhattan during the Revolutionary War, on a ship to the coast of Nova Scotia as a Black Loyalist, to the new colony of Freetown Sierra Leone, and finally, as an abolitionist for the British.

This was not a pleasant narrative. Slavery is awful. But I was engrossed in Aminata’s (ah MEEN a tah) tale from the first page: her struggles, her pain, her loss – but also her endurance, her talents, her wisdom, and ultimately, her survival.

I haven’t read a novel with such heart and scope since The Poisonwood Bible or possibly,Gone With the Wind.

If you want to get lost in a difficult story and life of an incredible woman, open your soul to Aminata.

You’ll be glad you know her name.

I read this historic and thought-provoking book called The Book of Negros, though in US, NZ and Australian markets it has been published as [b:Someone Knows My Name|875441|Someone Knows My Name|Lawrence Hill|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348403987s/875441.jpg|860779].

Amazing tale - hard to believe it is based on a truth story and the treatment of captured people / slave trade. Breaks my heart, but this book was a good read - recommend it if people want a historic book that is easy to read but a different part of our recent history.

This book provided alot of insight into what happened to slaves in the late 1800's. I liked that their slave vessel landed in NS and the book mentions places I've been to. It was quite sad in parts and she led a hard life, but its important to remember history.

Wow! A slavery story told from the perspective of Aminata, from her life in Africa before she was taken, to life on the slave boat, life on a plantation, and the many other places her life leads her. I learned so much about the history of slavery from this book, yet it was written in such a way that I didn't feel like I was learning. That's my favorite kind of book!

One of the best books I've ever read. ihave visited the Baths at Virgin Gourda and there is a real vibe that you get being there. Not so far from non-fiction.