Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Dell (1980), Edition: 3rd Dell Printing-December 1977, 736 pages
Description
Fiction. Historical Fiction. HTML: It begins with a birth in an African village in 1750, and ends two centuries later at a funeral in Arkansas. And in that time span, an unforgettable cast of men, women, and children come to life, many of them based on the people from Alex Haley's own family tree. When Alex was a boy growing up in Tennessee, his grandmother used to tell him stories about their family, stories that went way back to a man she called "the African" who was taken aboard a slave ship bound for Colonial America. As an adult, Alex spent twelve years searching for documentation that might authenticate what his grandmother had told him. In an astonishing feat of genealogical detective work, he discovered the name of "the African"�??Kunta Kinte�??as well as the exact location of the village in West Africa from where he was abducted in 1767. Roots is based on the facts of his ancestry, and the six generations of people�??slaves and freemen, farmers and lawyers, an architect, a teacher�??and one acclaimed author�??who descended from Ku… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member cbl_tn
Roots is one of those books that's been around so long that I thought I knew a lot about it before I picked it up to read it. I had always assumed it was a novel, so I was very surprised to learn that the publisher markets it as non-fiction, and that the Library of Congress classifies it as
Even though I disagree with the way the book is marketed, I do like the way it's written. The characteristics that make it questionable as non-fiction are what give the book its emotional impact. Who can read it without being moved by the tragedy and dignity of Kunta Kinte's life, or Matilda's faith, or Tom's quiet strength, or the family's joy when freedom finally comes? It's one of the most influential books of the last quarter of the 20th century, and it continues to inspire Americans of all ethnicities to learn more about our own family histories and how our lives are shaped by those who came before us.
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non-fiction. Alex Haley called it "faction". Now that I've read it, my opinion hasn't changed. I would call it historical fiction. While the last 35 pages, where the author himself makes his appearance, is more memoir than fiction, those 35 pages represent less than 4% of the book's total. The rest of the book tells the story of Haley's ancestors embellished with thoughts, feelings, conversations, and detailed descriptions of their physical appearance. Although Haley does discuss his research process and some of his sources, he does not provide enough detail for other researchers to easily retrace his steps. These are characteristics of fiction, not non-fiction.Even though I disagree with the way the book is marketed, I do like the way it's written. The characteristics that make it questionable as non-fiction are what give the book its emotional impact. Who can read it without being moved by the tragedy and dignity of Kunta Kinte's life, or Matilda's faith, or Tom's quiet strength, or the family's joy when freedom finally comes? It's one of the most influential books of the last quarter of the 20th century, and it continues to inspire Americans of all ethnicities to learn more about our own family histories and how our lives are shaped by those who came before us.
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LibraryThing member Sauvik
For those who are interested in history, esp. outside the domain of a curricula, this is a must read book. For those who want to know about the anthropological details of the African Americans, this is a must read book. For those who want to feel empathy towards generations of misdeeds and
The story begins with an Mandinka (a tribe in Ghana) boy and tells the tale of his growing up in Africa, as a part of his tribe and customs that come with respect towards nature and other fellow tribesmen. The story evolves into a narrative of his abduction, transportation to America and enslavement. The story spans six generations and talks about the lives of slaves, the lives of masters and the lives of poor and rich classes of European Americans. The author himself is the seventh generation and fourth as a free human.
The story of Kunta, the first generation, is so detailed and so engrossing that the stories of latter generations feel like sketches. The latter events are also rushed through. This is it's only drawback. The last chapter reveals how the author has painstakingly traveled across continents, researched records in public libraries to trace his real roots - which gives the book a nice closure.
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mistreatment that have scarred an entire race, this is a must read book.The story begins with an Mandinka (a tribe in Ghana) boy and tells the tale of his growing up in Africa, as a part of his tribe and customs that come with respect towards nature and other fellow tribesmen. The story evolves into a narrative of his abduction, transportation to America and enslavement. The story spans six generations and talks about the lives of slaves, the lives of masters and the lives of poor and rich classes of European Americans. The author himself is the seventh generation and fourth as a free human.
The story of Kunta, the first generation, is so detailed and so engrossing that the stories of latter generations feel like sketches. The latter events are also rushed through. This is it's only drawback. The last chapter reveals how the author has painstakingly traveled across continents, researched records in public libraries to trace his real roots - which gives the book a nice closure.
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LibraryThing member jamclash
Brutality, geneology, triumph, engaging narrative, groundbreaking, and American history for all.
LibraryThing member Nandakishore_Varma
I read this book long, long ago: came across it while going through a book list here on Goodreads, and suddenly felt the urge to post a review.
Dear Kunta Kinte,
We are separated by time, space and culture. Throughout your largely tragic life, you would never have imagined that your story would ever
Mr.Kinte, that day the boy took a vow never ever to insult the dignity of another human being; also not forget these crimes against humanity, lest they be repeated.
Mr.Kinte, I am that boy. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the lessons your story taught me.
Yours sincerely,
Nandakishore Varma.
Dear Kunta Kinte,
We are separated by time, space and culture. Throughout your largely tragic life, you would never have imagined that your story would ever
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be written, let alone read by a bookish teenager in far-away India, for whom slavery till that day was only a fact learned from school textbooks, mucked up to pass hated history exams. However, Mr. Kinte, you would be pleased to know that reading your story, penned by your descendant Mr. Alex Haley, changed his whole outlook. He suffered with you, Mr.Kinte, as you lay chained up in the dark and dank hold of the slaving vessel: he felt the searing pain as your foot was cut off as punishment for trying to run away: he choked back the bitter disappointment, along with you, when your master told you that the money you had saved up was not enough to buy you freedom (namely, that you were too poor to pay for what you were worth!)and he suffered the agony of separation with you as your daughter was sold off. And that teenager hung his head in shame as he thought of similar atrocities perperated by his forefathers in the name of caste.Mr.Kinte, that day the boy took a vow never ever to insult the dignity of another human being; also not forget these crimes against humanity, lest they be repeated.
Mr.Kinte, I am that boy. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the lessons your story taught me.
Yours sincerely,
Nandakishore Varma.
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LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Book on CD performed by Avery Brooks.
Haley’s blockbuster history of his ancestors begins with the birth of a baby boy – Kunta Kinte – in a small African village in the Spring of 1750, and ends two centuries later in Arkansas.
It’s a gripping tale and Haley is a great story teller. I was
Haley’s narrative focuses on three of his male ancestors. Kunta Kinte’s story takes nearly half the book. His grandson “Chicken George” occupies much of the third of the book. And George’s son Tom, is the focus of the next major section as the family is emancipated at the end of the Civil War. I am struck by the fact that Haley gives little attention to the women in his ancestral line. Not only is Kizzy given short shrift, but Tom’s daughter Cynthia and granddaughter Bertha (who is Haley’s mother) are given less attention than their husbands – Will Parker and Simon Haley. And this, despite Haley’s statements that it was the “old women” – his grandmother, aunts and cousin who passed along the story of “The African” and his descendants. Still, this is a small quibble.
Avery Brooks does a magnificent job narrating the audio book. He is an accomplished actor and really brings the characters to life. His deeply resonant voice was mesmerizing, and despite his naturally deep timber he managed to give a believable voice to even the young girls.
While the book is catalogued by libraries as nonfiction / biography, Haley obviously had to invent the dialogue he uses for much of the book. (I find it interesting that more readers tag this as “fiction” than nonfiction.) When published the book was a runaway best seller, but also somewhat controversial. Haley was accused of plagiarism and he settled the case out of court, admitting that many passages from The African by Harold Courtlander appeared in his book. Additionally, many genealogists have questioned his research and feel that official records do not confirm the story much before the Civil War. None of this information takes away from the great story, however.
Haley’s blockbuster history of his ancestors begins with the birth of a baby boy – Kunta Kinte – in a small African village in the Spring of 1750, and ends two centuries later in Arkansas.
It’s a gripping tale and Haley is a great story teller. I was
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engaged from page one and found myself very interested in all aspects of the book – from Kunta Kinte’s boyhood in Africa, to his experiences as a slave, to the continued story of his descendants and how they kept the story of “the African” alive through the generations. Haley’s narrative focuses on three of his male ancestors. Kunta Kinte’s story takes nearly half the book. His grandson “Chicken George” occupies much of the third of the book. And George’s son Tom, is the focus of the next major section as the family is emancipated at the end of the Civil War. I am struck by the fact that Haley gives little attention to the women in his ancestral line. Not only is Kizzy given short shrift, but Tom’s daughter Cynthia and granddaughter Bertha (who is Haley’s mother) are given less attention than their husbands – Will Parker and Simon Haley. And this, despite Haley’s statements that it was the “old women” – his grandmother, aunts and cousin who passed along the story of “The African” and his descendants. Still, this is a small quibble.
Avery Brooks does a magnificent job narrating the audio book. He is an accomplished actor and really brings the characters to life. His deeply resonant voice was mesmerizing, and despite his naturally deep timber he managed to give a believable voice to even the young girls.
While the book is catalogued by libraries as nonfiction / biography, Haley obviously had to invent the dialogue he uses for much of the book. (I find it interesting that more readers tag this as “fiction” than nonfiction.) When published the book was a runaway best seller, but also somewhat controversial. Haley was accused of plagiarism and he settled the case out of court, admitting that many passages from The African by Harold Courtlander appeared in his book. Additionally, many genealogists have questioned his research and feel that official records do not confirm the story much before the Civil War. None of this information takes away from the great story, however.
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LibraryThing member drmaf
I read this book as a teenager and found it very confronting. Reading it again as an adult I found it to have much less of an impact. Though it captures the full horror of slavery, some parts just edge too close to soap opera. Make no mistake, there are moments in the book that are truly horriffic,
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the cutting off of Kunta's foot and the rape of his daughter are raw and shocking and still have immense power, but the book is over long and some of it seems like padding, other parts feel quite improbable and border on fantasy. Still a hugely important work, rightly celebrated as a modern classic and a greatly worthwhile read. Show Less
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
The teenage self who first read this book would have given it five stars without hesitation. The conception is brilliant. I don't think there's a better way to really absorb history, and really inspire people to dig deeper, than what this purported to do. To really have you come face to face with
But since publication, the book has drawn controversy. First, this was marketed--and is still widely regarded--as factual history, even if told in fictional form. But geneologists who retraced Haley's footsteps found that Haley's pre-Civil War genealogy is not, as he had claimed, substantiated by public records. And the book hangs precisely on the pre-Civil war family--838 of Roots' 888 pages dealt with events from Kunta Kinte's birth in Africa in 1750 to the end of the American Civil War in 1865. Just google Roots and "controversy" or "criticism" and you can read the details of the dispute over the book's historicity yourself. The "griot" Haley supposedly found linking him to an African heritage was no griot, and was reportedly pressured and coached into telling Haley what he wanted to hear. And as a Village Voice article by Philip Nobile detailed, Haley's own notes reveal that Kunta Kinte and Roots is largely a work of Haley's imagination.
All right then, what we're dealing with is a novel. Just Haley's attempts to put it over as history admittedly tarnishes the book for me now, but there's another problem. The 30 Anniversary edition I looked through alluded to the other major issue that has come up since publication: plagiarism. As part of a court settlement, Haley admitted to lifting passages from Harold Courlander's The African. The 30 anniversary edition makes it sound like it was only a few paragraphs, but I've read the court papers charged over 80 different passages were involved. And I can't say I buy Haley's explanation that the work of other researchers made it undifferentiated and unsourced among Haley's notes from where he inadvertently copied it. What was material from a novel doing in research notes? There was also a charge that Haley plagiarized Margaret Walker Alexander's novel, Jubilee--but those charges were dismissed by the court as unsubstantiated. On the other hand, one commentator who actually bothered to read Courlander's The African said he found no real similarities in plot or character with Roots. Maybe so, I haven't read The African. So, giving Haley the benefit of the doubt about the plagiarism being substantial, is Roots still worth reading as a novel in the tradition of Michener and Rutherfurd? I think so, but I admit knowing what I do, the book has slipped quite far down in my esteem.
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history by telling the story of one family, especially in fictional narrative form, where people of the past can be brought vividly to mind as people who bled and sweated and struggled. And Alex Haley had claimed not to be just writing a novel, but telling the story of his family--who he claimed he had traced back to its roots in Africa where his ancestor Kunta Kinte, in what is today Gambia, had been kidnapped into slavery and brought to America. There was nothing quite like that when it was published in 1976, and the miniseries based upon it was a landmark in American television. But since publication, the book has drawn controversy. First, this was marketed--and is still widely regarded--as factual history, even if told in fictional form. But geneologists who retraced Haley's footsteps found that Haley's pre-Civil War genealogy is not, as he had claimed, substantiated by public records. And the book hangs precisely on the pre-Civil war family--838 of Roots' 888 pages dealt with events from Kunta Kinte's birth in Africa in 1750 to the end of the American Civil War in 1865. Just google Roots and "controversy" or "criticism" and you can read the details of the dispute over the book's historicity yourself. The "griot" Haley supposedly found linking him to an African heritage was no griot, and was reportedly pressured and coached into telling Haley what he wanted to hear. And as a Village Voice article by Philip Nobile detailed, Haley's own notes reveal that Kunta Kinte and Roots is largely a work of Haley's imagination.
All right then, what we're dealing with is a novel. Just Haley's attempts to put it over as history admittedly tarnishes the book for me now, but there's another problem. The 30 Anniversary edition I looked through alluded to the other major issue that has come up since publication: plagiarism. As part of a court settlement, Haley admitted to lifting passages from Harold Courlander's The African. The 30 anniversary edition makes it sound like it was only a few paragraphs, but I've read the court papers charged over 80 different passages were involved. And I can't say I buy Haley's explanation that the work of other researchers made it undifferentiated and unsourced among Haley's notes from where he inadvertently copied it. What was material from a novel doing in research notes? There was also a charge that Haley plagiarized Margaret Walker Alexander's novel, Jubilee--but those charges were dismissed by the court as unsubstantiated. On the other hand, one commentator who actually bothered to read Courlander's The African said he found no real similarities in plot or character with Roots. Maybe so, I haven't read The African. So, giving Haley the benefit of the doubt about the plagiarism being substantial, is Roots still worth reading as a novel in the tradition of Michener and Rutherfurd? I think so, but I admit knowing what I do, the book has slipped quite far down in my esteem.
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LibraryThing member Katie_H
I put off reading this epic for quite awhile due to the size, but I am extremely glad that I finally checked it off my list. It is a highly researched, multigenerational story that spans 200 years of one family, the key ancestor being a Mandinka man named Kunta Kinte who was renamed Toby by his
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slave owners. Kunta's story is told, beginning with his birth in an African village, including his kidnapping and horrific journey to America, chained within the disgusting hold of a slave ship. His story is followed by that of his daughter Kizzy, which is followed by that of her son Chicken George, and so on. This particular family was more fortunate than most, in that they were bought and sold together most of the time, so their story is relatively continuous, and the lineages were not lost in oblivion. The author, Alex Haley, determined to learn his family's past, began his research based on stories his aunts had told him about an "African." He describes his research process and clarifies that "Roots" is based on geneological fact, but the dialogue and descriptions of daily life are taken from his imagination and historical research of the eras. Most impressive was Haley's interaction with the Mandinka griot in Kunta's Gambian village of Juffure, who, through classic oral tradition, confirmed the mythical story of "The African." Others have written that the quality of storytelling diminished in the latter generations of the saga, but I'd have to respectfully disagree. This was a fantastic book. It was eye-opening and interesting throughout, and I finished it rather quickly. Surprisingly it inspired me to find out more about my own "Roots," something I've never really been interested in learning about before. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in geneology, history, biographies, black studies, or slavery. Show Less
LibraryThing member krystalsbooks
each i time i reread this i am awe struck by its power.
LibraryThing member brose72
A tremendous book chronicling a family's history over a 200 year period from their homeland in Africa to their enslavement in the United States to their eventual emancipation. Unforgettable characters.
LibraryThing member williamcostiganjr
I agree with the comment below that the quality diminishes as we leave Kunta Kinte and move on to subsequent generations of the family. I think this book is still worth reading because the first several hundred pages are excellent. And the last few hundred pages aren't so bad either; they just
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don't live up to the start of the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member maquisleader
I read this one originally back in the 70's after watching the miniseries on tv. Great book, and the debate about if it's fictionalized or not really doesn't bother me. He did a lot of research and if it's historical fiction is fine by me.
I picked up the 30th anniversary edition this summer and I
I recommend finding an older copy at the book store or library instead of buying the new edition. The only thing I liked about the new one is that it was an oversized book with larger print. Easier on the eyes...
I picked up the 30th anniversary edition this summer and I
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was disappointed to find it riddled with typos and other errors. WTF? Actually, I think there was more than one editor because after Kizzy was born, there weren't any noticeable errors, but in the last section once again there were tons of them. Really sloppy job on what's a great novel.I recommend finding an older copy at the book store or library instead of buying the new edition. The only thing I liked about the new one is that it was an oversized book with larger print. Easier on the eyes...
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LibraryThing member lmcbrn
I really am liking this book. I remember seeing the miniseries as a kid. But this is my first reading of the book. I'm reading it on my Kindle.
LibraryThing member TadAD
Everyone saw the movie. I missed it, so I read the book. It was definitely worth it.
LibraryThing member saskreader
Huge saga, well-worth the time it takes to read.
LibraryThing member ark76
long, family history, african american history, geneology, epic
LibraryThing member Clurb
Roots follows the life of Kunte Kinte from his birth in a small African village, through his capture and sale into slavery in the United States and the life he builds for himself and his family there. This is a wonderful, all encompassing novel of strength, love and perseverance.
LibraryThing member jasongibbs
If you liked the mini-series, you MUST read the book!
LibraryThing member unlikelyaristotle
Essentially, this is a story of an African-American man's ancestry, starting with his ancestor, who was kidnapped from his village in Africa, and sold into the horrible life of slavery. The story moves on to every generation of this fascinating family, and you get the feeling that the history of
What a story. I think this was one of the first true stories I've read in my life, and what a pick! It was like a bucketful of cold water, waking me up to the reality of the world we live in. This book is an absolute epic saga, no words can truly describe its importance, and I really feel that every African-American should read this novel. This was a relatively long book, but I truly didn't feel it, I whizzed through it; every single page was action-packed, every single character I encountered in this book I either loved or hated with a passion.
Scratch what I said before about every African-American reading this book. EVERYONE should read this book. They may not like the style (although I truly enjoyed jt), but everyone can't help but be a richer person after reading.
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this one fascinating family is also the history of every African-American descended from slavery. What a story. I think this was one of the first true stories I've read in my life, and what a pick! It was like a bucketful of cold water, waking me up to the reality of the world we live in. This book is an absolute epic saga, no words can truly describe its importance, and I really feel that every African-American should read this novel. This was a relatively long book, but I truly didn't feel it, I whizzed through it; every single page was action-packed, every single character I encountered in this book I either loved or hated with a passion.
Scratch what I said before about every African-American reading this book. EVERYONE should read this book. They may not like the style (although I truly enjoyed jt), but everyone can't help but be a richer person after reading.
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LibraryThing member CarlaR
I first read this book when I was 8 years old, I remember the powerful influence it had on me back then. I re-read it and got even more out of it the second time. Truly a wonderful book.
LibraryThing member EmaNoella
A beautiful compilation of the story of an American citizen from the very beginning, the roots. From the first African to arrive here to the man who wrote the book, each generation is well described and interestingly realistic to what could have veer possibly happened. Though the dialogue can be co
This saga can make anyone appreciate the African American culture and respect them for all the hardships their ancestors have lived.
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siderably hard to read for it is written in slang, the book was written with a rather simple vocabulary which I am very grateful for considering it's great length. This saga can make anyone appreciate the African American culture and respect them for all the hardships their ancestors have lived.
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LibraryThing member Krista23
A great historical read, very captivating and heart-wrenching. Slavery in it's very rawest and developed through following the family through generations of trying to reach liberation in the United States.
LibraryThing member NanditaPeebles
Could not put this book down once I got into it. It broke my heart to see man's cruelty to his fellow men.
LibraryThing member silva_44
Couldn't put it down! Excellent!
LibraryThing member ClicksClan
My first book of this year was a reread, Alex Haley's Roots. I first read it many years ago as a bit of a challenge from a family member.
I picked it in part because I'd been wanting to reread it for a while (and I happened to have a free slot on my bookcase to pop it onto) but also because it was a
It turned out to be the right choice because during that first week we had a five-day power cut and grabbing extra reading material wasn't exactly top of my list of priorities during the dashes to and from the house. It also meant that I didn't have to worry about running out of reading material during down-time at work - so didn't need to carry more than one book around with me.
My copy is really battered and old, but it smells wonderful (yes, I'm one of those freaky people who likes sniffing her books, it's the reason why I just don't feel able to commit to a Kindle). This read through I noticed a few annoying typing errors though, which did pull me out of the story somewhat. It's something that I've found bothers me more as I get older, in the past I used to spot them and feel superior, but now they pull me out of the story in a way that they never did in the past. I have to stop and mentally correct them, sounding out my alternative to check that it's not just me misunderstanding. It was just in a couple of places, random things like not closing quotation marks, using the wrong character's name or a wrong spelling, but it was just enough to spoil any moment that was being built up.
Despite that, I really enjoyed rereading this book - if you can truly say that you enjoy reading a book which has graphic descriptions of the slave trade, torture and mutilation as well as the separation of families and rape of a main character. I realise that there's a bit of controversy about how real the story is (in relation to author Alex Haley's own family history) but regardless of that, the truth is, the events it describes are still very much real. They happened to real people. That makes it even more shocking and harder to read, which is why I think it took me longer to read it this time than previously. I'm older now and more aware of the truth behind the story.
There were times when I had to put the book down and leave it for a while before going back to it. Reading forty pages in one sitting which described Kunta Kinte's passage from Africa to America was really hard-going. I read it because there was nothing else I could be doing at the time (being in the middle of a power cut with no phone lines) but also because I wanted to get through that bit to get to the happier times that I knew were (briefly) ahead.
It did remind me of The Book of Negroes which I read a couple of years ago. The subject matter was, obviously, similar, but the sort of tone and story that they told made it easy to draw parallels between them. It's another book that I'm going to have to read again in the future.
Roots is a really fascinating story and I like the way that it's told, following the generations of the family. But it does, at times, feel a bit unbalanced. The first half of the book tells the story of Kunta Kinte, then the second half follows the next half-dozen generations. It feels like it very quickly whizzes through the other family members, without giving you a chance to build the same relationship with any of them. I do like the way that the end returns to the beginning, making the story come about full circle.
I picked it in part because I'd been wanting to reread it for a while (and I happened to have a free slot on my bookcase to pop it onto) but also because it was a
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good chunky book that would keep me going for at least the first week of the year.It turned out to be the right choice because during that first week we had a five-day power cut and grabbing extra reading material wasn't exactly top of my list of priorities during the dashes to and from the house. It also meant that I didn't have to worry about running out of reading material during down-time at work - so didn't need to carry more than one book around with me.
My copy is really battered and old, but it smells wonderful (yes, I'm one of those freaky people who likes sniffing her books, it's the reason why I just don't feel able to commit to a Kindle). This read through I noticed a few annoying typing errors though, which did pull me out of the story somewhat. It's something that I've found bothers me more as I get older, in the past I used to spot them and feel superior, but now they pull me out of the story in a way that they never did in the past. I have to stop and mentally correct them, sounding out my alternative to check that it's not just me misunderstanding. It was just in a couple of places, random things like not closing quotation marks, using the wrong character's name or a wrong spelling, but it was just enough to spoil any moment that was being built up.
Despite that, I really enjoyed rereading this book - if you can truly say that you enjoy reading a book which has graphic descriptions of the slave trade, torture and mutilation as well as the separation of families and rape of a main character. I realise that there's a bit of controversy about how real the story is (in relation to author Alex Haley's own family history) but regardless of that, the truth is, the events it describes are still very much real. They happened to real people. That makes it even more shocking and harder to read, which is why I think it took me longer to read it this time than previously. I'm older now and more aware of the truth behind the story.
There were times when I had to put the book down and leave it for a while before going back to it. Reading forty pages in one sitting which described Kunta Kinte's passage from Africa to America was really hard-going. I read it because there was nothing else I could be doing at the time (being in the middle of a power cut with no phone lines) but also because I wanted to get through that bit to get to the happier times that I knew were (briefly) ahead.
It did remind me of The Book of Negroes which I read a couple of years ago. The subject matter was, obviously, similar, but the sort of tone and story that they told made it easy to draw parallels between them. It's another book that I'm going to have to read again in the future.
Roots is a really fascinating story and I like the way that it's told, following the generations of the family. But it does, at times, feel a bit unbalanced. The first half of the book tells the story of Kunta Kinte, then the second half follows the next half-dozen generations. It feels like it very quickly whizzes through the other family members, without giving you a chance to build the same relationship with any of them. I do like the way that the end returns to the beginning, making the story come about full circle.
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Subjects
Awards
Pulitzer Prize (Winner — Special Citation — 1977)
Audie Award (Finalist — Non-Fiction — 2008)
National Book Critics Circle Award (Finalist — General Nonfiction — 1976)
Lillian Smith Award (1977)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1976
Physical description
736 p.; 6.88 inches
ISBN
0440174643 / 9780440174646