The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano

"This is the life story of the man who was pivotal in bringing to light the plight of the victims of the Atlantic Slave Trade. Without his testimony and knowledge, John Newton (he of the great hymn Amazing Grace) and William Wilberforce might have had a longer struggle in their quest to end the blight on human history. If you happened to watch the film Amazing Grace, then this book would make a lot of sense to you. This is an insightful read about an individual who had experience a lot of inhumane sufferings and still kept a sense of who is was as a human being and not chattel as the slave masters wanted him to see himself. In some ways I see that as a reflection on us today as to how we handle great adversities. This is a must read for all who are interested in the history of not just the dark times of the human race that is called slavery, but how some individuals (not just Solomon Northup's 12 years a slave, which I believe should be read in conjunction with Equiano's story) who were break enough to challenged those in power, even if it meant that their lives would be forfeited without a second though by people who would like the status quo to remain in their favour. I would not say that this was an enjoyable read, as something that has such a negative side is highly unlikely to be, but it is very insightful and thought provoking to those with a conscience." --Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 29, 2014.