LONGEST MEMORY
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Written in taut, poetic language, THE LONGEST MEMORY is set on a Virginian plantation in the 19th century, and tells the tragic story of a rebellious, fiercely intelligent young slave who breaks all the rules: in learning to read and write, in falling in love with a white girl, the daughter of his owner, and, finally, in trying to escape and join her in the free North. For his attempt to flee, he is whipped to death in front of his family, and this brutal event is the pivot around which the story evolves.
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A heartbreaking tragedy about a slave who died after punishment. The terrible guilt carried by his father is even more heartwrenching. Written in poetic language, this tale about slavery, hate, guilt, betrayal and love is a difficult read, from the different perspectives of people related to Chapel and also editorials from the newspaper. It is set in the 19th century in Virginia, at the height of the era of slavery.