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The Birth of a Nation
Stars: 4/5
My plan was to read this book *before* watching the film of the same name by Nate Parker. The book provides context to the movie without many spoilers, allowing the movie to retain its emotional impact. I had read The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion by Stephen Oates some years back (see my review there), so if you are looking for a book specifically about Nat Turner that is an excellent one as this book is a companion piece to the movie. In this book, there are essays by distinguished authors about Nat Turner, other slave rebellions and their leaders, Nate Parker outlining his journey in making the movie from inception to wrap, and there is commentary from others who contributed to making the film.
I may be a little late to the game - the movie and book came out in 2016 - but if you haven't done so already, I suggest immersing yourself in both, as I did. As Nate Parker so eloquently puts it, he's hoping you will become 'activated', "...that words like healing, resistance, self-determination, faith, equality, and justice will find a useful place in your daily vocabulary. That we all, collectively, have a riotous disposition toward injustice. That we use our occupational, social, and technological tools to rise up against injustice that exists in our daily ecosystem." p.31.
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