The Confessions of Nat Turner - Likewise Book Reviews

"A beautiful and ugly work of literature. In his fictionalized retelling of the 1831 Virginia slave rebellion, William Styron forces us to confront the the violent and paradoxical nature of American slavery and Christianity.<br/><br/>Through the eyes of Nat Turner - leader of the slave rebellion - we see the arbitrary and often absurd situations that characterize the life of an American slave. His internal narrative is fascinating. As a slave who is much smarter than his masters, Nat Turner often makes us laugh with his witty observations of the often dysfunctional interpersonal relationships of plantation life. But his nimble intellect also reflects on the contradictions and philosophical absurdities of a main stuck in Kafka-esque situations in which he has almost no control. Turner also shocks us with his juxtaposition of everyday observations and plans for extreme and bloody retribution.<br/><br/>Turner's constant meditations on religion and sexuality - and the tension between them - provides another deep intellectual current within the novel. I'll likely need to read the book again to come to a firm conclusion about what I think Styron is trying to say. On a first reading, I got vibes of both profound hopefulness and deep cynicism. The afterword also has some interesting thoughts on Styron's literary choice to portray Turner with "stern piety" as opposed to "demonic fanaticism."<br/><br/>The book is also noteworthy for being "one of the first politically incorrect texts of our time." I hadn't had any idea of the furor Styron stirred up with this book. After its initial positive (and Pulitzer-prize-winning) reception, it was attacked by many in the African American academic community. Styron's take on all this was that "my problem was less that of my work than that of my color". In any case - it was a fascinating topic of conversation during book club.<br/><br/>Full review and quotes at <a href="http://books.max-nova.com/confessions-nat-turner/">http://books.max-nova.com/confessions-nat-turner/</a>"