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The Water Dancer
416 pages, 2019
Young Hiram Walker was born into bondage. When his mother was sold away, Hiram was robbed of all memory of her—but was gifted with a mysterious power. Years later, when Hiram almost drowns in a river, that same power saves his life.
This brush with death births an urgency in Hiram and a daring scheme: to escape from the only home he’s ever known.
So begins an unexpected journey that takes Hiram from the corrupt grandeur of Virginia’s proud plantations to desperate guerrilla cells in the wilderness, from the coffin of the Deep South to dangerously idealistic movements in the North.
Even as he’s enlisted in the underground war between slavers and the enslaved, Hiram’s resolve to rescue the family he left behind endures.
This is the dramatic story of an atrocity inflicted on generations of women, men, and children—the violent and capricious separation of families—and the war they waged to simply make lives with the people they loved.
Written by one of today’s most exciting thinkers and writers, The Water Dancer is a propulsive, transcendent work that restores the humanity of those from whom everything was stolen.
In The Water Dancer, Ta-Nehisi Coates explores the power of memory. The protagonist, Hiram, has a unique ability to remember everything, which becomes a tool for survival. This book encourages us to value our memories and use them to understand and navigate our present.
The book takes a deep look into the struggle for freedom. Hiram, born into slavery, yearns for freedom and goes through a lot to achieve it. This story inspires us to fight for our rights and never give up, no matter how tough the journey gets.
Coates emphasizes the importance of family and roots. Hiram's quest to free his family from slavery shows us the lengths one can go to protect their loved ones. It's a reminder to cherish our family and never forget where we come from.
The Water Dancer doesn't shy away from showing the harsh reality of slavery. It's a stark reminder of a dark period in history, and it encourages us to learn from the past and strive for a better future.
Coates uses magical realism to tell Hiram's story, making it more engaging and thought-provoking. This book shows us the power of storytelling and how it can be used to shed light on important issues.
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The Water Dancer is a transcendent work of empathy and imagination, a powerful narrative that will resonate with readers.
Oprah Winfrey - TV host, philanthropistThe Water Dancer is a captivating novel that I found deeply moving. It's a beautiful exploration of America's past.
Barack Obama - 44th U.S. PresidentThe Water Dancer is a profound and stirring work of art, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
Elizabeth Gilbert - Author, Eat Pray Love