This Week, I'm Reading...
Master Slave Husband Wife, by Ilyon Woo
I’m not far into Master Slave Husband Wife, but it’s a fascinating story, and I’m looking forward to reading more. This 2024 Pulitzer Prize-winning biography tells the true story of an enslaved couple, Ellen and William Craft, who in 1848 undertook a daring escape to freedom. Ellen, whose father was her enslaver and whose mother also had a white father, is able to “pass” as a disabled white man traveling with his manservant—actually, her husband. The title is a reference to their relationship during this harrowing journey from Georgia to the north. But it also refers to Ellen’s aunt, who was married in all but the law to a white man. By Georgia law, that husband could not free his wife from slavery. So, they lived as master and slave. They may have inspired Ellen and William’s disguise. As the Crafts’ journey progresses, author Woo loops back to fill in earlier pieces of their story and to give historical context. Even when the facts are thin, she’s able to gather enough details to carry the story forward. It’s a great read—or listen, in this case—and I’m looking forward to learning more about this unusual couple who accomplished “one of the boldest feats of self-emancipation in American history.”
What are you reading this week? Let us know in the comment section below!
I'm reading Marilyn Robinson's Jack. I had forgotten that I had read this before. What I'm reading is familiar, yet I don't remember what will be next or how it ends. My goal is to finish it before
June 1.
For an antidote to the national and international turmoil in the news, I've added a couple of pages each day from Rosemary Gladstar's new book. The Generosity of Plants: Shared Wisdom from the Community of Herb Lovers is a collection of botanical information plus short writings and quotes from other herb lovers that she has collected over the years. Every page is gorgeously illustrated with full page photography or other artistic rendering of a plant - even the end pages. It's a blessing to behold and soothing to read.
This was a great read! This week I am reading *The Heirloom Gardener* by John Forti. Some of it is "standard stuff" in the pollinator/critter circle, but he writes well. Cheers!