Shortly after the publication of the Dutch edition of his first book [The Book of Negroes],* the author received an email from a man there, a descendant of the enslaved of the Dutch colony of Suriname, who declared—as this book lecture title notes—that he planned to burn Hill’s novel. This lecture tells the story of this book and this encounter, and what happened with it. But, it is also is an excellent thoughtful and short meditation on race and the purpose of literature.

I have read several of lectures from this series and enjoyed them. I usually buy the hardcopy but I believe all of the yearly lectures are available digitally or as audio.

https://www.ualberta.ca/canadian-literature-centre/events-archive/kreisel-series... ( )

I love Lawrence Hill. This is a great musing on censorship and offense. ( )

A thoughtful look at racism, history, and censorship. ( )

Soon after Hill's book The Book of Negroes was made available in the Netherlands, he received a letter from a Dutch resident who informed Hill that he intended to burn the book because of the use of the word "negroes" in the title. The correspondent hadn't read the book, and didn't intend to read it. Hill replied with a very polite letter in part explaining that the title was taken from the name of a military ledger documenting the 3,000 African Americans who fled New York City for Nova Scotia, Canada at the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1783. The original document, which is central to the story in Hill's book, is kept in the National Archives in the UK. The story is of particular interest to Hill, a Nova Scotian whose ancestors were African American.

The letters brought about this slim book - really no more than an essay - discussing race relations in literature and in life, as well as censorship. Hill ends by saying as far as the issues were concerned in respect to history and the situation of peoples of the African Diaspora, he and his correspondent were on the same page. It is sad that the two were not able to meet and talk over the issue. Both would have been happier.

Although it must have been disappointing and frustrating for both men, we readers benefit by this thought-provoking and well-written piece.

Note: The Book of Negroes, originally published in Canada, was published in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand as Someone Knows My Name a title his daughter helped him choose. ( )