A Free State

A Novel

Fiction & Literature, Literary, Historical
Cover of the book A Free State by Tom Piazza, Harper
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Tom Piazza ISBN: 9780062284143
Publisher: Harper Publication: September 15, 2015
Imprint: Harper Language: English
Author: Tom Piazza
ISBN: 9780062284143
Publisher: Harper
Publication: September 15, 2015
Imprint: Harper
Language: English

The author of City of Refuge returns with a startling and powerful novel of race, violence, and identity set on the eve of the Civil War.

The year is 1855. Blackface minstrelsy is the most popular form of entertainment in a nation about to be torn apart by the battle over slavery. Henry Sims, a fugitive slave and a brilliant musician, has escaped to Philadelphia, where he earns money living by his wits and performing on the street. He is befriended by James Douglass, leader of a popular minstrel troupe struggling to compete with dozens of similar ensembles, who imagines that Henry’s skill and magnetism might restore his troupe’s sagging fortunes.

The problem is that black and white performers are not allowed to appear together onstage. Together, the two concoct a masquerade to protect Henry’s identity, and Henry creates a sensation in his first appearances with the troupe. Yet even as their plan begins to reverse the troupe’s decline, a brutal slave hunter named Tull Burton has been employed by Henry’s former master to track down the runaway and retrieve him, by any means necessary.

Bursting with narrative tension and unforgettable characters, shot through with unexpected turns and insight, A Free State is a thrilling reimagining of the American story by a novelist at the height of his powers.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The author of City of Refuge returns with a startling and powerful novel of race, violence, and identity set on the eve of the Civil War.

The year is 1855. Blackface minstrelsy is the most popular form of entertainment in a nation about to be torn apart by the battle over slavery. Henry Sims, a fugitive slave and a brilliant musician, has escaped to Philadelphia, where he earns money living by his wits and performing on the street. He is befriended by James Douglass, leader of a popular minstrel troupe struggling to compete with dozens of similar ensembles, who imagines that Henry’s skill and magnetism might restore his troupe’s sagging fortunes.

The problem is that black and white performers are not allowed to appear together onstage. Together, the two concoct a masquerade to protect Henry’s identity, and Henry creates a sensation in his first appearances with the troupe. Yet even as their plan begins to reverse the troupe’s decline, a brutal slave hunter named Tull Burton has been employed by Henry’s former master to track down the runaway and retrieve him, by any means necessary.

Bursting with narrative tension and unforgettable characters, shot through with unexpected turns and insight, A Free State is a thrilling reimagining of the American story by a novelist at the height of his powers.

More books from Harper

Cover of the book My Conference Can Beat Your Conference by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book True to Form by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book The Dead Run by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book The Reykjavik Assignment by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book The Sum of Our Days by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book Flight Behavior by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book A Most Discreet Inquiry (Historical Romance Mystery) by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book Dead Set by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book The Art of Crash Landing by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book Understanding Dreams by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book The Layout Look Book by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book Homo Deus by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book Reconstruction by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book Radical by Tom Piazza
Cover of the book Least Likely to Marry a Millionaire by Tom Piazza
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy