The Underground Railroad – Colson Whitehead

I was skeptic to read this at first because usually a fiction piece that’s based on historical facts isn’t appealing to me – I’d rather read the true history it’s based upon.  But this was recommended so I gave it a try.  And was pleasantly surprised.  The story was powerful, accurate, compelling and plausible.

Cora is a slave, an outcast even and when she meets Caesar, he offers her and provides her an opportunity to escape.  They do but in the process she kills a young boy and now she’s hunted ruthlessly by a ruthless slave catcher, Ridgeway, who is motivated by the fact of Cora’s mother being the only runaway slave he has never apprehended.

Escaped, her exploits on her journey north reveals an accurate depiction of the time period between those that were against slavery and risked their lives to help free slaves and those that fought relentlessly to secure that frightful institution.  And her eyes became widened as she witnessed these truths as she slipped further from the land of slavery.

The key to this read is that the underground railroad is an actual thing.  A train system built underground with train stops being the destination for the escaped slaves to reach.  With conductors, platforms, etc. this railway system was vast and timely as well.  Colson beautifully married the idea of keeping each train stop hidden from slave catchers with the reality of hidden stowaways being disguised during the true Underground Railroad.

It was a tough business, slavery, and enough isn’t said of how often slaves attempted to escape.  The narrative that they were content is false.  The only contentment came was with caring for their children and hoping they can have a better life.

Good Read.