Gretchen Holbrook Gerzina is all set to come out with her new book ‘Mr. and Mrs. Prince: How an Extraordinary Eighteenth-Century Family Moved out of Slavery and into Legend. With the release date of the book being set on 22nd January 2008, the wait finally seems to be on the verge of being richly rewarded. With the book, Gretchen seems to have struck the perfect balance between extensive research and impressive story narration. It has been based on the true story of a pre-Civil War African-American family, living in North America, while comparing it with the life of the slaves in the South.
The Book
‘Mr. and Mrs. Prince’ revolves around the life of Lucy Terry and Abijah Prince, individuals who have accomplished many things in life. Lucy is a dedicated wife and mother, apart from being the first African-American poet who has received recognition. Abijah Prince, a veteran of the French & Indian Wars, is her husband and is leading the simple life of an entrepreneur. Like most of the people living in America, they have a dream - of having a small family, full of love, & a home where they can live together happily. After purchasing land in Vermont and Massachusetts, they are practically on the verge of having their dream fulfilled.
However, it gets shattered when their prejudiced neighbors start forcing them to run away from their home. However, they decide to stay back and fight for their rights - first in front of the neighbors and then in court. As the story moves on, we get to know about the history of a real pre-Civil War black family, along with the nature of slavery in New England. Through this book, Gretchen has endeavored to remind people of the injustice meted out during that time as well as make them aware of those ill-fated souls, who have either been forgotten or not recognized by us since long.
The Author
Gretchen Holbrook Gerzina is one of the most popular African-American writers of the present times. Her famous contributions to the field of literature include Carrington, Black London, Black Victorians/Black Victoriana and Frances Hodgson Burnett. Apart from being involved in the literary field, she works as Tappe Vernon Professor in Biography at Dartmouth College. Gretchen also chairs the English Department at the college, becoming the first African-American woman to do so in the Ivy League. She has also won grants from Fulbright and the National Endowment for Humanities. Last, but not the least, she hosts ‘The Book Show’, a nationally syndicated weekly radio program.
