Roots

Recently I finished reading Roots by Alex Haley. I think that this book is probably on my list of books that everyone should read. I have not seen the movie/miniseries yet, but the book is definitely worth reading.

This book is not appropriate for middle schoolers or high schoolers in my opinion. Some things are mentioned in the book that should not be read by teenagers. However, the book as a whole is incredible as it traces a family through one of the darkest periods in our nation's history. It is frustrating to read the book and not know what happened to a particular family member because the history ends with someone being kidnapped or sold, but that is a reality for many families in our nation. The description of the slave ships that brought the slaves from Africa to the Americas is so detailed that it almost makes you think that Haley was there himself.

The book is a long book. I understand that there are some controversies surrounding the book since, it appears, that a portion of the book may be plagarized and it is not clear whether Haley was trying to write nonfiction or historical fiction. However, in spite of these problems, the book should be read in order to provide a glimpse of life during that time period. It is a long book, but it is well worth the time it takes to read it.