The Birth of a Nation
Nat Turner and the Making of a Movement
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- £11.99
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- £11.99
Publisher Description
This official tie-in to the highly acclaimed film, The Birth of a Nation, surveys the history and legacy of Nat Turner, the leader of one of the most renowned slave rebellions on American soil, while also exploring Turner’s relevance to contemporary dialogues on race relations.
Based on astounding events in American history, The Birth of a Nation is the epic story of one man championing the spirit of resistance as he leads a rough-and-tumble group into a revolt against injustice and slavery.
Breathing new life into a story that has been rife with controversy and prejudice for over two centuries, the film follows the rise of the visionary Virginian slave, Nat Turner. Hired out by his owner to preach to and placate slaves on drought-plagued plantations, Turner eventually transforms into an inspired, impassioned, and fierce anti-slavery leader.
Beautifully illustrated with stills from the movie and original illustrations, the book also features an essay by writer/director, Nate Parker, contributions by members of the cast and crew, and commentary by educator Brian Favors and historians Erica Armstrong Dunbar and Daina Ramey Berry who place Nat Turner and the rebellion he led into historical context. The Birth of a Nation reframes the way we think about slavery and resistance as it explores the passion, determination, and faith that inspired Nat Turner to sacrifice everything for freedom.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Parker is the producer, director, and star of the 2016 film that ironically bears the same name as the famous 1915 D.W. Griffith Civil War movie. This audiobook is the official tie-in to Parker's film. His diction is precise, his reading clear, and his passionate attachment to resistance against oppression always in evidence. In the first half, he reads his essay explaining his lifelong fascination with Nat Turner, who exemplifies, for Parker, the defiant attitude and conduct of certain 19th-century slaves an attitude that he believes is evident today in the Black Lives Matter movement. In the second half, Parker reads essays by others exploring the historical context of Turner's slave rebellion and its relevance to contemporary events and discourse. A 37Ink hardcover.
