Not only was the concept brilliant the execution was superb. How did Percival Everett arrive at a great idea, he has the literary and intellectual gifts to make a masterpiece. How did he think of re-writing the story of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Huck's companion, the runaway slave, Jim? Well, that's what he's done with James.
Always trust MJV! She said to re-read Huckleberry Finn before reading James. So, I did and it was the correct approach. Surprising how little of Huckleberry I remembered from reading it decades ago. Without the re-read James would not make as much sense. James lays bare the white supremacist understanding of Twain's novel.
Naturally it's not easy to see life through the perspective of an enslaved person. His view of the world challenges typical perceptions. The book moves hilarity to pain. Seeing the brutality of slavery and it's all compassing effect is depressing. It's not easy to think about such terrible suffering, but we should. Ann Patchett asks "Who should read this book? Every single person in the country." She's correct!
Takk for alt,
Al
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