Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
The author’s newest book of historical fiction is set in the Buxton Settlement, a “Negro” refugee colony established in 1849 in Ontario, Canada. A good secure life, education, and advancement were all possible for black slaves who escaped from the United States to Buxton on the Underground Railroad.
3 Comments
This is a fabulous book! Everyone should read it. I actually listened to the audio and couldn’t recommend it more highly. The narrator did a great job portraying Elijah of Buxton. His voice added so much to the story, perhaps because I’m a white girl born in 1971 and therefore am reasonably clueless about what it would mean to be a slave or a free black boy during slavery times.
I’ve read other books by Christopher Paul Curtis and enjoyed them, however this is my favorite.
I readily admit that I can become engrossed in a book and have to remind myself that it is fiction. Elijah of Buxton was a book that forced me to stop more than once and say to myself “it’s just a story.” The thing is that it is written in a way that you can see it happening. It could be true. I laughed. I cried. I could read it again and again.
One more thing… now that I’ve read this story I want to go to the Buxton settlement in Canada. We pride ourselves in America as being the land of the free. But, for slaves, America was not even close. Canada was the land of the free. I want my children to see this place and try to have some idea of what it was like for these runaway slaves and their families so that they can know just how blessed we are to have the lives that we have.
— Shonica Jan 22, 02:34 PM #
this is one of the most amazing books i have ever read in my life.everyone who can read should read this book
— khashiana Mar 10, 02:08 PM #
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