I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly

  Hold Onto Your Hats

Sincerelyornot of Oregon, 10/13/2011

If this book were a song, it would probably be "I'll fly away." The narrative is well written,and the explanation for how a slave learned to read and write (when that was, technically, illegal in many states) is both realistic and clever. As usual, good historical details (chicory root makes a cup of coffee... sort of...), lots of anecdotal family moments, and helpful dates to keep a timeline in perspective. Well worth the time, so hold onto your hat and enjoy "I thought my soul would rise and fly."