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Product Description
Rajani Sudan, Southern Methodist University
"[T]ruly innovative edition of a compelling novel about 18th-century slave rebellions in Jamaica..."
Book Description
"Three-Fingered Jack," the protagonist of this 1800 novel, is based on the escaped slave and Jamaican folk hero Jack Mansong, who was believed to have gained his strength from the Afro-Caribbean religion of obeah, or "obi." His story, told in an inventive mix of styles, is a rousing and sympathetic account of an individual's attempt to combat slavery while defending family honour. Historically significant for its portrayal of a slave rebellion and of the practice of obeah, Obi is also a fast-paced and lively novel, blending religion, politics, and romance.
This Broadview edition includes a critical introduction and a selection of contemporary documents, including historical and literary treatments of obeah and accounts of an eighteenth-century slave rebellion.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fictional portrait of a Black folk hero, 3 Feb 2011
By Patto - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Obi; or, The History of Three-Fingered Jack (Broadview Editions Series) (Paperback)
Obi was published in 1800, ten years after the slave-bandit, Three-Fingered Jack, was decried in the Jamaican papers for terrorizing the populace with his gang of runaway slaves.
In William Earle's novel, however, Jack is more lone avenger than gang leader. He lives by himself in an inaccessible mountain cave, and robs, fights and kills alone. Protected by an Obi (Obeah) charm against the bullets of the Whites, he seeks revenge for the enslavement of his mother, his family and his race.
Three-Fingered Jack fired the imagination of early nineteenth-century writers at a time when the horrors of slavery were widely deplored and slave rebellions plagued the British West Indies. Jack's story passed into folklore and even became a musical on the London stage.
Earle was only nineteen when Obi was published. His descriptions of Jamaican life and topography were often inaccurate and his writing style a bit simplistic. Nonetheless, Obi was an impressive achievement for a young writer - totally engaging and moving.
As always with Broadview editions, there are excellent appendices. One is by a doctor who examined the contents of Jack's Obeah charm, composed of grave dirt, the blood of a black cat, a dried toad and other noxious ingredients.
The introduction sacrifices readability to scholarship, but if you can plow through it, it's full of information about Jamaican history, Obeah as distinct from Voodoo, Obeah herbal healing vs. dangerous Western remedies and many other fascinating topics.
Included is a wonderful timeline tracing historical and literary events from the inception of the slave trade to its abolition.
I'd recommend Obi to any reader interested in the history and literature of slavery.
5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic that passes the test of time with flying colors, 10 Feb 2006
By Midwest Book Review - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Obi; or, The History of Three-Fingered Jack (Broadview Editions Series) (Paperback)
Obi or, The History of Three-Fingered Jack is a new edition of a novel originally published in the 1800's. Based on the escaped slave and Jamaican folk hero jack Mansong, who was believed to have found strength in the Afro- Caribbean religion of obeah, or "obi", Obi or, The History of Three-Fingered Jack is a dramatic saga of his struggle to survive, resist slavery, and defend his family's honor. A mix of religion, politics, romance, and social critique, Obi or, The History of Three-Fingered Jack is as compelling a read today as it was over a century ago. The Broadview edition features a critical introduction and a selection of modern documents including historical and literary writings concerning obeah and accounts of an eighteenth-century slave rebellion. A classic that passes the test of time with flying colors.
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