Why read Nearer My Freedom?

Book cover of Nearer My Freedom: The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano by Himself

Book description

Millions of Africans were enslaved during the transatlantic slave trade, but few recorded their personal experiences. Olaudah Equiano's The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano is perhaps the most well known of the autobiographies that exist. Using this narrative as a primary source text, authors Monica Edinger and…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Nearer My Freedom as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Jasmine A. Stirling

Author

This is a nonfiction novel in verse, every word of which was drawn from the autobiography of the 18th-century enslaved man Olaudah Equiano. Equiano’s book was the first widely read autobiography by an enslaved person in the English language and tells the story of how he works towards, and achieves, his freedom.

I love the concept of verse adaptations of primary sources and am enthralled with the approach, especially for young readers, but for adults too. The novel itself is masterful, and Equiano’s life is astounding.

Everyone should read this story.

As a writer, I’m always on the hunt for…

From Jasmine's 3 favorite reads in 2023.