ebooks The Trial of Phillis Wheatley by Mr. Ronald Brian Wheatley in History

Review

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. I did not think I would enjoy this as I don’t read much historical fictionBy msieeWhat an entertaining read this was! Honestly; I did not think I would enjoy this as I don’t read much historical fiction; but I truly liked this one. The Trial of Phillis Wheatley was written by Ronald B. Wheatley. There is not much about him that I could find. I am going to make a big assumption here and say that he is more than likely a descendant of the Wheatley family that took Phillis Wheatley in as a slave. The couple of lines that I did find on him via GoodReads and say that he is an attorney in Massachusetts; but that is all that you are going to get.Now; for those that may not be familiar with Phillis Wheatley; she is the first African- American woman to publish her work in the colonies (an area that included Massachusetts). She is well known for her poetry and elegies. About the age of 7; she was captured in Senegal (or Gambia…history is not clear) and sold to the Wheatley family. Her first name came from the ship; which she sailed on to Massachusetts. From an early age; the Wheatley family played a role in her education. She knew Latin and Greek and she could decipher parts of the Bible that were difficult to understand. The Wheatley family invested much in Phillis and knew that she was not like most others. She was considered a child prodigy. She even received special treatment that was not really given to slaves. As you will read; she refers to the Wheatleys as her family; and they are also verbal about her relationship to them. With time; Phillis began to collect her works and she sought publication; however; the true author behind her works was questioned and due to the doubt; many publishers refused to publish her works.John Wheatley (her slave master); sought the Governor so that he could have Phillis go before the Governor’s Council Chamber and attest to her works. This was very important because if she had the backing of the council; she would be able to publish her works and most importantly; history would be made in the literary world. I give this background as it pretty much sums up the book.The storyline may not be a word-for-word account of what transpired in the events leading up to the trial or even at the trial; but the characters are real. John Hancock; a name many will recognize by his flamboyant signature on the Declaration of Independence; served as Phillis’ defense attorney.The storyline was easy to follow and though the language should reflect 18th century English; that is not what is covered throughout the book; thus making it an easy read. If you are looking for an easy and entertaining book; this one will meet both needs. At 242 pages; I could have easily completed this reading in two sittings; but with work and other personal issues; I read the book over the course of a week.There is so much history covered in the dialogue of the characters as the Stamp Act was passed and created much was an issue. That amongst many others had citizens wondering who was loyal and who was not to England. In addition; there is also the issue of the emancipation of slaves. So for history buffs; this one’s for you.I gave this book 4 stars. It was well –written and easy to understand. Infused with history; it made for an interesting read. I felt connected to most of the characters; especially Phillis; as Ronald Wheatley made each one speak with passion that you could not help but wither take pity or reason with them.Would I read this book again? YES! I would definitely read it again and for just $2.99 at ; it is a keeper.19 of 19 people found the following review helpful. New View on LifeBy Ryan CliffordI am 21 years old; and I was never a reader. All throughout high school I refused to read books for pleasure; I even refused to read the mandatory reading assignments. Also; I never made it past my first semester of college. However; I recently picked this book up out of curiosity. This book has totally changed my view on literature and value of education. Instead of coming home after work and sitting down and watching movie after movie; my new desire is to read a good book. Thankfully; "The Trial of Phillis Wheatley"; has turned that routine around for me. Now; I want to read more often than watch television; I now want to read more to further my knowledge on subjects like history. I recommend this book to everyone; readers or not. Thank You Ronald Wheatley for this beautiful piece of art.6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Must read historical bookBy dianne wellsThe story of Phyllis Wheatley is presented by the author in a theatrical manner that made me feel as though I was actually present when Phyllis was challenged to prove the authorship of her poems because of her race. I became totally immersed in the issues of the times experiencing the tension of blacks verses whites; England verses America and the Colonial debates over British rule; abolition and taxation. Remarkably the Wheatley family did not treat Phyllis as a slave rather; they recognized and nurtured her talent and provided unprecedented education in literature. Without their generosity of spirit and the support of one of our Founding Fathers; John Hancock; America would not have been gifted with talents of our country’s first published black poet. I heartily recommend this book. The story was riveting; the writing artful; and the reader was left desiring more. Thank you for writing this wonderful book!