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Under-the-Radar Read

Posted by Melody on Monday, Feb 8, 2016

I can't stop talking about this memoir of African American life and prison life in the 19th Century. The Life and the Adventures of a Haunted Convict by Austin Reed is "the first known prison narrative by an African American writer," editor Caleb Smith wrote in the Yale Alumni magazine. The Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library purchased the manuscript, and Random House published it as a book this winter.

This book is a remarkable find. Perfect for history buffs, rare manuscript nerds, and African American prison researchers, this book was written by an African American man born free in the 1820s but living much of his life in confinement. Reed was a natural storyteller and his memoir reads like a novel. He documents his experiences both in prison and as a free man, the cruelties of the whip and other 19th Century torture tactics as well as adventures and opportunities he encountered while living free.

This book has not received a ton of press at this point. The New York Times highlighted the find in 2013 before the manuscript was edited for publication, and the Smithsonian Magazine picked up the story for its arts and culture section. It doesn't have a long holds list and we'll be buying the e-book and e-audio versions soon.

If there is one nonfiction book you read in 2016, make it Austin Reed's groundbreaking memoir.

 

About the Author

Melody's picture

I've been at the library for more than 10 years now, and I still find joy when choosing the best books for our readers. My current reading journey is taking me book by book through different genres. I'm challenging myself to find books that are enough outside my wheelhouse that I'd pass them by on first glance. The genre I'm looking forward to... more

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Comments

Submitted by Heidi Kuchta on February 9, 2016 - 4:14pm

Wow, sounds awesome! I will definitely be reading this. Thanks for the heads up.

Submitted by Robin on February 9, 2016 - 4:25pm

What an interesting find! Thanks for sharing.

Submitted by Melody Dworak on February 7, 2017 - 10:06pm

Hi, Marcia. I do not have any discussion questions to share. I'm sorry I cannot be of help.

Submitted by Marcia Watt on February 5, 2017 - 5:52pm

Can you send me discussion questions for The Life and the Adventures of a Haunted Convict? Guelph Public Library is reading this book for book club and cannot find any discussion questions online. Thanks.

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