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Zora Neale Hurston

Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo"

Zora Neale HurstonNonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 2018

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Book Brief

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Zora Neale Hurston

Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo"

Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 2018
Book Details
Pages

193

Format

Biography • Nonfiction

Setting

Alabama • 1920s

Publication Year

2018

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston is a firsthand narrative of Oluale “Cudjo Lewis” Kossola's life, detailing his joyous youth in Africa, the agonies of the Middle Passage aboard the Clotilda, enslavement in the United States, and rebuilding his life in Africa Town, Alabama. The narrative intertwines Kossola's recollections with Hurston's reflections on her interviews with him and those experiences. This book discusses slavery, extreme violence, murder, and police brutality.

Informative

Melancholic

Mysterious

Emotional

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

4.4

37,227 ratings

79%

Loved it

17%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston offers a poignant and powerful account of Cudjo Lewis, the last survivor of the transatlantic slave trade. Praised for its historical importance and Hurston's empathetic narrative style, some critiques note its reliance on dialect as potentially challenging. Overall, the book is valued for illuminating an essential part of American history.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo"?

Readers who appreciate in-depth oral histories, African American narratives, and works like Alex Haley's Roots or Ta-Nehisi Coates's Between the World and Me will find Barracoon compelling. They value firsthand accounts and historical insights into the transatlantic slave trade and its enduring impact.

4.4

37,227 ratings

79%

Loved it

17%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

193

Format

Biography • Nonfiction

Setting

Alabama • 1920s

Publication Year

2018

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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