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Lawrence Hill on The Book of Negroes

When Lawrence Hill sits down with CBC's Nora Young for this 2007 interview, it has been almost 200 years to the day since the abolition of slavery in the British colonies. His novel, The Book of Negroes, is a timely imagining of the experiences of a free African girl captured and forced into slavery in the middle of the 18th century. Hill discusses the darker side of the experience of blacks in Canada and he answers questions about the novel itself. He explains how he chose his protagonist's name, his decision to write from a woman's point of view, why he chose to make Aminata strong and resourceful, and the recurring theme of the power of the written word.
Medium: Radio
Program: The Arts Tonight
Broadcast Date: March 23, 2007
Guest(s): Lawrence Hill
Host: Nora Young
Duration: 15:15

Last updated: February 28, 2012

Page consulted on March 28, 2012

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