Riveting ... An engrossing account of Hecimovich’s efforts to verify Crafts’s authorship of her novel and the startling details he uncovers along the way ... Hecimovich...draws readers close with often riveting passages. He introduces us to Crafts in a dramatic and breathtaking scene ... Hecimovich’s book is filled to the brim with similarly vivid scenes and anecdotes about Craft’s drive to document her story, and his tireless efforts to discover Craft’s identity and reconstruct her trajectory.
Interspersed with photos, descriptions of pertinent historical events, drawings, and digitized archival documents, this excellent biography will appeal to many readers, especially those interested in genealogy, literature, and African American history.
Captivating ... Hecimovich sheds light on key aspects of Bond’s life, including her friendships with other women who escaped from slavery and whose experiences she worked into her novel. Part literary detective story, part suspenseful escape narrative, this impressive account ties together its many disparate threads into a riveting whole. It’s a must-read.
