Books

The Known World by Edward Jones

Quick Synopsis: One of the most acclaimed novels in recent memory, The Known World is a daring and ambitious work by Pulitzer Prize winner Edward P. Jones.

The Known World tells the story of Henry Townsend, a black farmer and former slave who falls under the tutelage of William Robbins, the most powerful man in Manchester County, Virginia. Making certain he never circumvents the law, Townsend runs his affairs with unusual discipline. But when death takes him unexpectedly, his widow, Caldonia, can’t uphold the estate’s order, and chaos ensues. Jones has woven a footnote of history into an epic that takes an unflinching look at slavery in all its moral complexities.

My Thoughts: I don’t know much about slavery. I know it existed; I know it was terrible, perhaps the worst black eye in our country’s history, but that’s about the extent of my knowledge on the subject. Blame it on the ignorance of a white-boy born in the Northwest, more than 100 years after slavery was abolished. After reading this book, I still don’t know a whole lot about it, but at least I can say I know a bit more than I did.

The Known World is an EXCELLENT book that is not so much about slavery, as it is a story of slavery. It’s beautifully written. In fact to feel the full effect of the words you have to read slowly, which makes reading it even more enjoyable. I also liked the fact that the author didn’t use the story to bash the act of slavery or whites, it didn’t even paint many whites in a bad light, it just told a story. The reader is allowed to develop their own opinion.

I see this book being used by English teachers across the country, and rightfully so. It’s a better read than many of the books I was forced to read in high school and I actually feel like I learned something about a subject I was ignorant of beforehand. If you’ve already graduated and want to read a good story that shows “slavery in all its moral complexities” you should pick up a copy and start reading. You’ll be done with it in a week, you won’t want to put it down.