“I’m reading Amy Godine’s ‘The Black Woods: Pursuing Racial Justice on the Adirondack Frontier.’ It’s about a project of abolitionist Gerrit Smith, who gifted parcels of land to Black New Yorkers in 1846 and 1847. It was a way to enfranchise the Black men – as they did not have the right to vote without $250 of landed property, but it was also part of Smith’s vision to use his fortune for civic rights, creating Black neighborhoods in the wilderness. John Brown was briefly part of the experiment, and the book explores the various communities, but in a contextual way, so even if you have no interest in that part of the world, it’s still the story of race in this country, in a way you have yet to read it.
“Amy is an old friend – it’s how I know of the book. She spent a whopping 17 years on it. I’d read anything of hers – she’s so smart and biting and astute. But I’m biased. I celebrate holidays with her and vacation with her. You know who doesn’t celebrate holidays with her? Ken Burns! And he’s still mighty enthusiastic. Here’s what he has to say: ‘The Black Woods is a beautifully written, painstakingly researched, and uncommonly nuanced story, heretofore a footnote in the ongoing saga of race in America. But here is a real story, liberated from the chains of arrogant historiography and willing to look into dark corners of our national narrative and climb to summits that offer a panoramic ‘us.’ ‘” — DEBRA SPARK, novelist, essayist and Colby College English professor
Mainers, please email to tell us about the book on your bedside table. In a paragraph or two, describe the book and be sure to tell us what drew you to it. What makes it a can’t-miss read for the rest of us? For readers, the long, dark nights equal the cozy reading season: We want to hear what you are reading now and why. Send your selection to pgrodinsky@pressherald.com, and we may use it as a future Bedside Table.
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