Washington Black Audiobook By Esi Edugyan cover art

Washington Black

A Novel

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Washington Black

By: Esi Edugyan
Narrated by: Dion Graham
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About this listen

ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW'S TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • MAN BOOKER PRIZE FINALIST • “A gripping historical narrative exploring both the bounds of slavery and what it means to be truly free.” —Vanity Fair

Eleven-year-old George Washington Black—or Wash—a field slave on a Barbados sugar plantation, is initially terrified when he is chosen as the manservant of his master’s brother. To his surprise, however, the eccentric Christopher Wilde turns out to be a naturalist, explorer, inventor, and abolitionist. Soon Wash is initiated into a world where a flying machine can carry a man across the sky, where even a boy born in chains may embrace a life of dignity and meaning, and where two people, separated by an impossible divide, can begin to see each other as human.

But when a man is killed and a bounty is placed on Wash’s head, they must abandon everything and flee together. Over the course of their travels, what brings Wash and Christopher together will tear them apart, propelling Wash ever farther across the globe in search of his true self. Spanning the Caribbean to the frozen Far North, London to Morocco, Washington Black is a story of self-invention and betrayal, of love and redemption, and of a world destroyed and made whole again.

©2018 Esi Edugyan (P)2018 Random House Audio
Action & Adventure African American Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Caribbean African American Historical Fiction
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Critic reviews

“Perfectly executed . . . Soaring . . . More than a tale of human bondage, it’s also an enthralling meditation on the weight of freedom, wrapped in a rousing adventure story stretching to the ends of the earth.” Renée Graham, The Boston Globe

“Terrifically exciting . . . An engrossing hybrid of 19th-century adventure and contemporary subtlety, a rip-roaring tale of peril imbued with our most persistent strife . . . Discover what the rest of the world already knows: Edugyan is a magical writer.” —Ron Charles, The Washington Post

“Riveting . . . [A] towering achievement . . . Edugyan is one of our sharpest and deepest writers of historical fiction.” —David Canfield, Entertainment Weekly

What listeners say about Washington Black

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A deep book set in an adventure story.

This is a book for which I had high hopes of a five star rating. I was thinking it would compare well to Whitehead's Underground Railroad. Perhaps unfairly, I thought the books would be quite similar -- both were fantastical journeys out of slavery, both were included on the Manbooker longlist for the years of their qualification. But really, the books are not the same story. I did like Whitehead's book more, but this one is deeper than many reviewers are noticing.

In Washington Black, Esi Edugyan gave us a young protagonist who is born into slavery, and whom we meet at about the age of 10. In the first part of the story we focus on meeting the characters. George Washington Black ("Wash") is a slave on a plantation in Barbados. He has no family, and is cared for primarily by a female field slave. Erasmus Wilde is the new manager/owner/master of the plantation, and his brother Christopher Wilde ("Titch") is a scientist and adventurer. Titch seems to be a free-thinker and a dreamer, who has followed in the footsteps of their father. Titch has built a hot air balloon and convinces Erasmus that Wash is the perfect manservant, due to his small size.

This is where our story changes. That focus on Wash's life in slavery and his relationships with other slaves changes to a story of adventure. Titch and his balloon take Wash to Africa with many stops along the way. Wash becomes an artist and illustrates Titch's work. Wash's life changes dramatically along the way, and when I chose to think beyond the YA feel of the adventure story I recognized the deeper meaning of this part had to do with the story of how a young man finds his own identity when he is held back by the world. Wash was never given the tools or the hope that he would ever have freedom to create his own place in the world. But Titch's balloon takes him out of slavery, and now Wash is finding his way despite the fact that the vengeful Erasmus placed a bond on his capture.

Ultimately the book is about more than slavery or even the abolitionist movement. It is about how we unite with people of color, how we can be allies. So when I reflect upon its similarities to, and differences from, The Underground Railroad it occurs to me that the author intended a different outcome. Whitehead used the structure of his novel to show all the varying horrors of slavery. Edugyan is using hers to tell the story of what happens to a man who is free for the first time and trying to recover from slavery.

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14 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Good Read

Wasn’t what I expected. Dion Graham did a phenomenal job and I would listen to him again. Story kept me engaged that being said not sure if I would listen again. Once was enough.

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1 person found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Captivating

Hook from the start; connected with the story. The reading was outstanding. Consumes my desire to complete the first listening so I could listen to it again to deeply absorbs it second time.

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great prose

Best book I have listened to this year. Very well written . An adventure/ survival story for adults.

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Amazing odyssey

Began listening with trepidation as I have difficulty listening to accounts of cruelty which must be a part of any tale of slavery. The cruelty is there but also the wonderful Washington and his travels and experiences and the beauty of his character and mind. A great story I couldn't wait to return to. Beautifully narrated as well. Highly recommended!

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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautifully written; beautifully narrated

At first, I thought I wouldn't be able to listen to this book -- it certainly begins in a sobering and brutal way with the description of Wash's life of slavery. But that's not all this story is about. It is a beautifully-written book, full of adventure, wonderful and complex characters, love and courage and so much more. I wanted one more chapter at the end. Highly recommend.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story for long drives

Loved this story, but in my car it was hard to hear the narrator's voice. At times he uses a whispering voice.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Must Listen

I am grateful for the community for the honest reviews or I may never have found this book. Gorgeous writing. Passionate reading. a new classic.

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A must read/listen

Beautifully written and narrated. The author is exceptionally talented. I will make it a point to read all her books now.

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So interesting

I absolutely loved this story and the narration was exquisite. I was sad the book came to an end.

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