Middle Passage
Author: Charles R. Johnson
Desc: It is 1830. Rutherford Calhoun a newly freed slave and irrepressible rogue is desperate to escape unscrupulous bill collectors and an impending marriage to a priggish schoolteacher. He jumps aboard the first boat leaving New Orleans the Republic a slave ship en route to collect members of a legendary African tribe the Allmuseri. Thus begins a daring voyage of horror and self-discovery. Peopled with vivid and unforgettable characters nimble in its interplay of comedy and serious ideas this dazzling modern classic is a perfect blend of the picaresque tale historical romance sea yarn slave narrative and philosophical novel.