PERHAPS THE GREATEST VICTORY OF THE OPPRESSED OVER THEIR OPPRESSORS IN ALL HISTORYThe end of slavery started in what was then San Domingo. In 1791,the enslaved people of the most prized French sugar plantation colony revolted against their masters. For over twelve years,against a backdrop of the French Revolution,they fought an epic black liberation struggle for control of the island. Theirs was the first and only successful slave revolution. It was the creation of Haiti as a nation,the first independent black republic outside of Africa,and an international inspiration to the persecuted and enslaved. This is the impassioned and beautifully drawn story of the Haitian Revolution and its incredible leader: Toussaint Louverture.The text of this graphic novel is a play by C. L. R. James that opened in London in 1936 with Paul Robeson in the title role. For the first time,black actors appeared on the British stage in a work by a black playwright. The script had been lost for almost seventy years when a draft copy was discovered among James's archives. Now this extraordinary drama has been reimagined by artists Nic Watts and Sakina Karimjee.
MEDIA REVIEWS
Publisher: Verso BooksISBN: 9781788737906Number of pages: 272Weight: 1435 gDimensions: 241 x 158 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
The drawings are fantastic and the energy palpable on every page.A marvellous adaptation of one of the most important black history and slave history books ever written. C.L.R. James would be delighted.An epic work of graphic history - a compelling,dramatic,detailed,delicate,and human rendition of this incredible tale of resistanceThe inspiring spirit of the men,women and children who made the Haitian Revolution has been beautifully and vividly brought to life as never before. This extraordinary work is a wonderful tribute to not only C. L. R. James but also to the greatest ever movement to demand Black Lives Matter.A historically important story,cinematic drawings,a powerful work.The basis for this graphic novel is C. L. R. James'1934 play,adapted by Watts and Karimjee; readers who don't know what to expect from the graphic-novel adaptation of a play will be pleased with the result...An important piece of history that shouldn't be forgotten.Adapting C.L.R. James's 1934 play,Karimjee and Watts's evocative black-and-white drawings channel the rebellious spirit of the Haitian Revolution in its fight for Black liberation.This fiery primer offers education and insights into Haiti's fight for independence.This is the impassioned and beautifully drawn story of the Haitian Revolution and its incredible leader: Toussaint LouvertureTheir illustrations do justice to the original work,beautifully rendered and depicting dynamic characters and exciting drama.The comic book format,constantly zooming out to the big picture and in on the details,proves immensely suited to the complex parallels between personal and universal struggles around which James's play revolves.
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