[Book] Someone Knows My Name

by Lawrence Hill

It is a history fiction book that Suyong recommended. I am not familiar with the modern history of the United States. Moreover, I cannot possibly imagine the life of African who was trapped in her own land at the age of eleven and lived in South Carolina, New York, Nova Scotia, Sierra Leone, and finally London. However, compared to my previous years... I can say that I know a lot more than before since I moved to the States. It is mainly because I am more exposed to this culture and tried to know more since I have my feet on this soil.

Maybe my knowledge about slavery has been only limited to some scenes in movies such as 'Gone with the Wind' or very simple sentences in world history class. When I first had this book in my hand, I was pretty intimidated by the thickness of the book. Last page number is 486... wow... Mainly due to the strong recommendation from Suyong, and partially my own curiosity, I started reading it.

What would I say after reading this book? I recommend it although it is pretty thick book. This book taught me a lot. It let me think again about my attitude or perspective to other (?) side of the world. My thoughts on Amazon or Africa (especially those places in 1700's) was... under-developed and under-civilized. However, are (or were) we really civilized and better people than them? Who traded people and still cannot stop killing each other in wars all over the world... No way...

Other interesting thing that I found in this book is the units. Often times, she uses sentences such as

'... walked for three moons... (three months)'

'it was ten times the distance a man could throw a stone (to describe how wide the river is)'

'Eleven rains (when being asked the age)'

I couldn't help smiling when I read those sentences. yeah... that can be a unit! Why not? :)

One more thing is her description about money.

Money (coins) = round pieces of metal

She doesn't understand why they use those different kind of coins instead of barter. She thinks chickens are more valuable than those coins. Also you know what? Her opinion was right when there is a deflation and nobody accept or use coins for the trade! We invented money... but it restrains people who own it. How irony it is...

Even though she was enslaved and had a hard life, she was a smart person and therefore she had a chance to learn languages and also how to read and write. Although this asset (her literacy) distinguished her from other enslaved people and provided her more opportunities than other people, her life was as hard as anyone else enslaved.

We take it for granted... out freedom. And complains that we are becoming slaves of internet, cell phone, and so on. How small things that we're complaining now. She was born free, but captured and suffered long period time in her life. One who have lost freedom (and anything else) may truly value it.

Language is one of the most important motives in this book along with freedom and home. How many languages do we have in this world? Speaking different languages lead to many issues... really many. Do chimpanzees or other primates use different language if they inhabit different locations? Very curious about it.

Anyway, throughout reading this book, I had been uncomfortable. Whenever I opened the book, I had to expect reading her another sad story. I do not think that I would read this book again, but definitely I learned a lot and would pay more attention to black people and history, early American history, and also African history. Also my freedom, thank you.