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Homegoing
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$27.27
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Trade Paperback
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9780735208193
Overview
Overview
Winner of the NBCC's John Leonard First Book Prize
A New York Times 2016 Notable Book
One of Oprah's 10 Favorite Books of 2016
NPR's Debut Novel of the Year
One of Buzzfeed's Best Fiction Books Of 2016
One of Time's Top 10 Novels of 2016 "Homegoing is an inspiration." --Ta-Nehisi Coates The unforgettable New York Times best seller begins with the story of two half-sisters, separated by forces beyond their control: one sold into slavery, the other married to a British slaver. Written with tremendous sweep and power, Homegoing traces the generations of family who follow, as their destinies lead them through two continents and three hundred years of history, each life indeliably drawn, as the legacy of slavery is fully revealed in light of the present day. Effia and Esi are born into different villages in eighteenth-century Ghana. Effia is married off to an Englishman and lives in comfort in the palatial rooms of Cape Coast Castle. Unbeknownst to Effia, her sister, Esi, is imprisoned beneath her in the castle's dungeons, sold with thousands of others into the Gold Coast's booming slave trade, and shipped off to America, where her children and grandchildren will be raised in slavery. One thread of Homegoing follows Effia's descendants through centuries of warfare in Ghana, as the Fante and Asante nations wrestle with the slave trade and British colonization. The other thread follows Esi and her children into America. From the plantations of the South to the Civil War and the Great Migration, from the coal mines of Pratt City, Alabama, to the jazz clubs and dope houses of twentieth-century Harlem, right up through the present day, Homegoing makes history visceral, and captures, with singular and stunning immediacy, how the memory of captivity came to be inscribed in the soul of a nation.
A New York Times 2016 Notable Book
One of Oprah's 10 Favorite Books of 2016
NPR's Debut Novel of the Year
One of Buzzfeed's Best Fiction Books Of 2016
One of Time's Top 10 Novels of 2016 "Homegoing is an inspiration." --Ta-Nehisi Coates The unforgettable New York Times best seller begins with the story of two half-sisters, separated by forces beyond their control: one sold into slavery, the other married to a British slaver. Written with tremendous sweep and power, Homegoing traces the generations of family who follow, as their destinies lead them through two continents and three hundred years of history, each life indeliably drawn, as the legacy of slavery is fully revealed in light of the present day. Effia and Esi are born into different villages in eighteenth-century Ghana. Effia is married off to an Englishman and lives in comfort in the palatial rooms of Cape Coast Castle. Unbeknownst to Effia, her sister, Esi, is imprisoned beneath her in the castle's dungeons, sold with thousands of others into the Gold Coast's booming slave trade, and shipped off to America, where her children and grandchildren will be raised in slavery. One thread of Homegoing follows Effia's descendants through centuries of warfare in Ghana, as the Fante and Asante nations wrestle with the slave trade and British colonization. The other thread follows Esi and her children into America. From the plantations of the South to the Civil War and the Great Migration, from the coal mines of Pratt City, Alabama, to the jazz clubs and dope houses of twentieth-century Harlem, right up through the present day, Homegoing makes history visceral, and captures, with singular and stunning immediacy, how the memory of captivity came to be inscribed in the soul of a nation.
- Format: TradePaperback
- Author: Gyasi, Yaa
- ISBN: 9780735208193
- Condition: New
- Dimensions: 9.10 x 1.00
- Number Of Pages: 480
- Publication Year: 2016
Language:
English
Customer Reviews
Rating Snapshot
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6 Ratings
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Poetic and Thought-Provoking
Kyle H. - 5 years 5 months agoThis is such a poetic and thought-provoking novel. At times, it is painfully difficult to read, but there is a magic here. It swept me away. #springpicks
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A divided family tree with deep roots
HPB S. - 6 years 1 month agoIt was very compelling. Yay has a gift of storytelling that makes the reader engaged in characters living through difficult experiences. A very good read!
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Breathtaking and Heartbreaking
Lauren R. - 6 years 1 month agoI don’t know how anyone could finish reading Homegoing and not find themselves changed afterwards. What a triumph of a debut from Yaa Gyasi. If there ever was a work of fiction that would be beneficial for American high school history students to read, this would be it. Homegoing is as expansive as it is devastating. Following one divided family, Gyasi traces the lineage of two half-sisters as they diverge from the Fante & Asante nations to the United States and modern day Ghana. Every chapter is a new branch of alternating generations, and we get to watch how each new character introduced is shaped by the traumas of their past. Even those that they may have no memory of, their generational pain rippling. Yaa Gyasi does not pull any punches or dull any edges. Her writing is beautiful, but I can’t imagine anyone sitting down and reading this in just one sitting, despite the shorter length. It felt like every chapter was crafted in order to find a different way to break your heart. The parts with the most levity happened when you’re least expecting them. I loved seeing the life and actions of one character mirror another on the other side of the world. They were seeking different types of freedom, for themselves and descendants they may not have even given any thought to yet. If you have yet to read this, prepare for tears, some smiles and a whole lot of tenacity. #RequiredReading
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Life changing book
KALIE B. - 6 years 4 months agoI read this book twice last year, and imagine it will be one I revisit often. It’s my top recommendation to anyone who asks what they should read next, and I have an extra copy to be able to gift to someone at any time - that’s how good this book is. It will shake you, shock you, break your heart, and will completely move you. All in the best way possible. It should be required reading. #summerreading
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Historical fiction that is equal parts heartbreaking and breathtaking.
Daniel M. - 6 years 5 months agoI've never been one for historical fiction. Sci-Fi and Fantasy are my go-to genres for pleasure reading but on the recommendation of a friend I gave Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi a try. How she can pack so much story into 300 pages is a feat unto itself, starting in 18th century Africa and continuing through to modern times. Each chapter takes the point of view of a different descendant of a woman called Maame beginning with her daughter Effia followed by Effia's half-sister Esi. Effia is wed to a British slaver to be his "African wife" someone to keep him company while his real family is back in Britain. Her line remains in Africa through most of the novel while her half-sister Esi, who Effia doesn't even know exists, is sold into slavery and sent to America. Each chapter draws you into one of the rich characters and just when you want to read an entire book about that person Gyasi moves on to the next and creates a new character who is just as engaging as the last. You are always left wanting more. Thankfully you are never left in the dark too long about any of the characters. Through their children's stories, you find out what became of them. There are moments when you might cry, and often you finish a chapter and sit for a moment in amazement, wondering how Gyasi can weave such an incredible tale filled with so many unique characters and voices. This book should be required reading. I want to win the lottery just so that I can buy a copy for everyone I know. Please, whatever you are doing now, stop and pick up Homegoing.
HPB Staff Review