Feldman's Faves: February 5, 2024

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE

To my fellow 80’s fans, the recent death of Carl Weathers (who will always be Apollo Creed to me) hit’s hard.  I can’t tell you how many times I have watched the first four Rockys in my life.  Very sad to see him go.

If anyone has any doubt about the saying that this is Taylor Swift’s world and we are all living in it…..you should see what happened last night at the Grammys.  Breaks yet another record.

Along the theme of big shocks – yes, hometown hero, Austin Mathews won the All Star MVP this year. Yes he deserved it, but….

As many of you might recall,  the original intention of this forum was to invite all of you to share your recommendations when it comes to books and podcasts.  Well that hasn’t panned out exactly that way but that’s ok. Nevertheless, I am very happy to hand over this week’s review to Shazia who is focusing on Black History Month and the spectacular event we have planned at Goodmans this WEDNESDAY.

I will let Shazia’s words speak for themselves – please see below.

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February is Black History Month and in Canada, this year’s theme is “Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build”. Celebrating Black Excellence means highlighting the rich heritage and accomplishments of the Black community, honoring historical achievements, and inspiring collective efforts to shape a more inclusive and equitable future.

The legacy of Black Excellence is artfully displayed in the 2007 novel The Book of Negroes, by the esteemed Canadian literary icon, Lawrence Hill.

We are so lucky to have Lawrence joining us on Wednesday, February 7, to talk to us about his work and legacy. In that light, this week’s theme is Lawrence Hill’s The Book of Negroes. 

THE NOVEL: The Book of Negroes

A work of historical fiction, this novel follows the life of Aminata Diallo, an African woman who is captured as a child from a village in Africa and sold into slavery. The narrative unfolds through Aminata’s perspective, as she navigates the harsh realities of slavery, witnesses the cruelty of her captors and honours the resilience of her fellow captives.

Aminata’s journey takes her from Africa to the American South, to New York, and ultimately to Nova Scotia, as she faces unimaginable challenges and searches for her own identity. Aminata's story serves as a powerful testament to the strength of those who endured the brutality of the transatlantic slave trade.

The title The Book of Negroes refers to a historical document that recorded the names and details of 3,000 Black Loyalists, enslaved Africans who supported the British during the American Revolutionary War and were granted freedom in Nova Scotia.

Lawrence Hill skillfully weaves together historical events and personal narratives, and somehow manages to make the reader both laugh and cry (me included!). “The Book of Negroes” is a poignant and thought-provoking exploration of the human experience, highlighting both the atrocities of the past and the indomitable spirit of those who survived.

For more information about the historical document, the novel, and important clips of interviews with Lawrence Hill, see Canadian Encyclopedia: Book of Negroes.

Note: The novel has been translated into more than eight languages and has sold more than 800,000 copies worldwide. It won the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize, the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and the Commonwealth Prize for Best Book. It was also the first book to win both CBC Radio’s Canada Reads and Radio Canada’s Combat des livres.

THE MINISERIES: The Book of Negroes

Lawrence Hill worked with filmmaker Clement Virgo to adapt his novel The Book of Negroes into a six-part TV miniseries. The miniseries premiered on CBC TV on 7 January 2015, and became the number one program in its time slot.

Most of us have access to watch the miniseries for free on CBC Gem. If you have 45 minutes before February 7, I highly encourage you to spend this time watching Episode 4 of the miniseries.

In this Enoch Pratt Free Library Podcast, Lawrence says the following about Episode 4: “The fourth episode is the one that dramatizes and explains, through drama, the creation of the document, which is known as the Book of Negroes. The document kept by the British Navy to document the exodus of 3,000 African Americans from Manhattan to Nova Scotia, Canada in 1783 after serving the British on the losing side of the American Revolutionary War. And that document is so unknown and the title has been so provocative, initially my American publisher didn’t want to use the word “negroes” in the title even though it related to a specific historic document. And I thought you might be interested in seeing just exactly, through drama, what this document is and how it came to be made.”

Note: In March 2016, the miniseries won a leading 10 Canadian Screen Awards, including Best TV Movie or Limited Series, Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Limited Series (Lawrence Hill and Clement Virgo), Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Limited Series (Clement Virgo) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program (Aunjanue Ellis). It also won a Special Jury Prize at the 2015 Banff Television Festival, a Writers Guild of Canada Award for best miniseries and five Directors Guild of Canada Awards including best television movie/mini-series.

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THANK YOU SHAZIA – THIS IS GREAT. I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO JOIN US ON WEDNESDAY.

Thank you for your ongoing engagement and participation.And remember to stay safe, stay healthy and to docket daily.

Jon