Review of 'The History of Mary Prince: A West Indian Slave Narrative', by Mary Prince

I normally start my book reviews with a witty one liner, but occasionally you come across a book that isn't appropriate for something like that. This is truly the most harrowing and thought-provoking book I have ever read. I don't want that to put you off. It's an absolute must-read and completely necessary, especially for white people like me, to understand the horrors that we have inflicted upon others in the past. White people are not perfect, a lot of people think that we are which has only become more evident in recent times. I honestly believe that only learning and reading about our conquests and victories fuels this fire. Yes, Britain won both World Wars, we had the biggest empire in the world, but these things came at the expense of others, perhaps our dignity, and it's so important that we recognise that, that we recognise our white privilege and are thankful that our ancestors did hot have to endure the horrid treatment, only a fraction of which is written in this book. Let's educate ourselves about the past so we can build a better and equal future for every single person on this planet.

Mary Prince dictates the story of her slavery in Bermuda and Antigua. Born into slavery and separated from her family at a young age, Mary tells the tale of her abuse and that of other slaves at the hands of various owners. Her account is accompanied by written support of her employer in England, as her previous owners tried to contradict and disprove her claims to avoid giving her permission to buy her freedom.

We never find out how Mary Prince's story ends, but by educating ourselves about this terrible history, we can ensure that it never happens to anyone again.

I don't have a picture of the actual book because I read it online for free, but I've attached a picture of the Albert Dock in Liverpool, where so many slaves were transported to and from as one of the major slave ports in the country. While it's a beautiful and vibrant place now, we must not forget its history.

This book contains physical, verbal, emotional and sexual violence and abuse.