Kindle
$13.49
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Paperback
$15.53
Audio CD
$5.46
$15.53 with 46 percent savings
List Price: $28.99

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Friday, May 10. Order within 20 hrs 41 mins
In Stock
$$15.53 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$15.53
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Sharon Ewell Foster
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part 1: The Witnesses: A Novel Paperback – August 2, 2011

by Sharon Ewell Foster (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 38 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$15.53","priceAmount":15.53,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"15","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"53","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"74Dxa5JT5YOVAmAGYte4ps8G%2BTb3cJiF6u3RW4y74zZY80vS7zwPMEXBUnV5spEpifQZzve%2F%2F8YcHbkSLNfAx7UP%2Fvn%2BlG5Z4Po7BO6YWGaikSGHSVo1kQz8djxX0vwAvrCS7wvWIyy8vbwmilaTkQ%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

A riveting novel about tragic hero Nat Turner’s uprising, capture, and trial—and how he impacted life in the United States forever.

The truth has been buried more than one hundred years . . .

Leading a small army of slaves, Nat Turner was a man born with a mission: to set the captives free. When words failed, he ignited an uprising that left over fifty whites dead. In the predawn hours of August 22, 1831, Nat Turner stormed into history with a Bible in one hand, brandishing a sword in the other. His rebellion shined a national spotlight on slavery and the state of Virginia and divided a nation’s trust. Turner himself became a lightning rod for abolitionists like Harriet Beecher Stowe and a terror and secret shame for slave owners.

In The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part 1: The Witnesses, Nat Turner’s story is revealed through the eyes and minds of slaves and masters, friends and foes. In their words is the truth of the mystery and conspiracy of Nat Turner’s life, death, and confession.

The Resurrection of Nat Turner spans more than sixty years, sweeping from the majestic highlands of Ethiopia to the towns of Cross Keys and Jerusalem in Southampton County. Using extensive research, Sharon Ewell Foster breaks hallowed ground in this epic novel, revealing long-buried secrets about this tragic hero.
Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 2
    The Resurrection of Nat Turner
  2. Print length
    480 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    August 2, 2011
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.3 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9781416578031
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1416578031
  8. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part 1: The Witnesses: A Novel
$15.53
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part 2: The Testimony: A Novel
$21.99
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Foster (Passing by Samaria), acclaimed author of several books she calls ‘gospel novels,’ writes vividly about faith and slavery in this fast-paced narrative…Foster describes the Southern hierarchy of women and slave owners and rebellious and submissive slaves with equally deft passages…the story is riveting and expertly told by an inspired, practiced storyteller.” ― Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Sharon Ewell Fosteris a critically acclaimed, award-winning author, speaker, and teacher. She is the author of Passing by Samaria, the first successful work of Christian fiction by an African American author, and The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part One: The Witnesses, which won the 2012 Shaara Prize for Civil War Fiction. Sharon is a Christy Award-winning author whose books have earned her a loyal following that crosses market, gender, and racial boundaries. She regularly receives starred book reviews and is also winner of the Gold Pen Award, Best of Borders, and several reviewers’ choice awards.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 141657803X
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Howard Books; Original edition (August 2, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781416578031
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1416578031
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.3 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 38 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Sharon Ewell Foster

Sharon Ewell Foster

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Nicknamed "the Picasso of the Pen, Sharon Ewell (rhymes with JEWEL) Foster is a Daily Guideposts contributor, a Romantic Times Career Achievement finalist, and is a double-finalist for Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award. Formerly, a Defense Department instructor, writer, analyst, and logistician, she is a now a critically acclaimed, award-winning author and speaker. Her books have been previously published by Simon and Schuster, Random House, and Multnomah Publishers.

She uses her experience as a researcher, as mom, and her work with the military to write stories full of adventure, wisdom, intrigue, and that sparkle with accurate details and a dash of romance!

Her writings have earned her a loyal following that crosses market, gender, and racial boundaries. She has earned glowing reviews in Kirkus Review, Booklist, Publishers Weekly, Romantic Times, Ebony Magazine, Library Journal, Christianity Today, Baltimore Sun, and many other publications, and has been interviewed on numerous radio and TV programs.

She is winner of the Civil War Institute's 2012 Shaara Prize for Excellence in Civil War Fiction for her novel, The Resurrection of Nat Turner. Her first historical novel, Passing by Samaria, was chosen as the NAACP Book of the Year in 2000 and won her the Christy Award. She is author of eight other books, including the Essence bestselling Ain’t No River, also a Christy Award finalist and winner of the Gold Pen Award, and Abraham’s Well, winner of the Romantic Times Best Inspirational for 2006. Born in Texas, raised in Illinois, she now resides in North Carolina. Visit http://officialSharonEwellFoster.com

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
38 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Mary E. Trimble
5.0 out of 5 stars It’s stark frankness is enlightening and answers questions about attitudes, slavery, and hardships of the period.
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2018
Verified Purchase
Sharon Ewell Foster has written a memorable novel, The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part One: The Witnesses, based on the true character, Nat Turner (1800-1831), a slave born on a Virginia plantation.

Nat Turner’s mother, enslaved after being kidnaped from her home in Ethopia, was raped by her master, Benjamin Turner, resulting in the birth of her son. Nat was much loved by his mother who often spoke about his upper-class African heritage. Benjamin Turner allowed Nat to be instructed in reading, writing, and religion. He was an exceptional student, to the dismay of other slave owners, fearing an educated slave could cause trouble.

And trouble he caused. Nat Turner became a preacher who claimed he had been chosen by God to lead slaves from bondage.

The novel goes into some detail about the kidnapping of Africans, bringing them to America to be sold to land owners as laborers. Ill treated, often without proper clothing for the cold Virginia winters, nor given adequate food, the plight of a slave was dismal. Punishments, often undeserved, were harsh. Families were often separated for profit.

At first Nat Turner tried talking to various people about the injustices of slavery, claiming it was against God’s will. When that failed, he led an uprising that left over fifty white people dead. The resulting trials were a mockery of the law with unsubstantiated testimonials, unreliable witnesses, and death to many innocent slaves whose execution actually brought profit to their owners. Nat Turner’s rebellion brought nationwide attention to slavery and fueled abolitionists’ cause.

The Resurrection of Nat Turner discusses the injustice and horror of slavery. The novel is quite graphic and at times relentlessly grim. The cruelty and bigotry of people who considered themselves Christians was troubling. The novel, though at times dark, is obviously well researched. I enjoyed Sharon Ewell Foster’s writing style and appreciated seeing another view of African religion and its parallels to what we call Christianity.

This novel’s sequel, The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part Two: The Testimony, reveals the story of Nat Turner through his own eyes.

For another view of our nation’s history, read The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part One: The Witness. It’s stark frankness is enlightening and answers questions about attitudes, slavery, and hardships of the period.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Gretchen Oh
5.0 out of 5 stars Be prepared for some grim reality in this one.
Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2011
Verified Purchase
Don't pick up this book unless you're prepared to rub your nose into one of the darkest chapters in American history on almost every page. I've enjoyed reading Sharon Ewell Foster before and have read most of her fiction, enjoying the humor, the insights into black American culture, the historical background, so I was not expecting a narrative so relentlessly grim. Nevertheless, the story was gripping and I would not allow myself to quit before reaching the bitter end. (It did not help that I was trying to recover from the stomach flu the day I read what happened to Nat Turner's body after he was hanged. ) I grew up in white America in the midwest and was only vaguely aware of race as an issue until I was coming of age during the 60's and found myself shocked and repulsed by the extent of bigotry in this country, a sensitivity that has never left me. So I was quite surprised at what a difficult read this book was for me. I think the ugliest and most sickening part was the depraved and horrifyingly cruel attitudes and behavior of southern whites, even clergy, who nevertheless saw themselves as good, Christian people. The total subversion of the judicial process among the powers-that-be, and the mob mentality of those who hung out at the local still were only a little less troubling. I don't know if I'm up for part 2, but will probably end up reading it; I'm hoping it will cover the end of slavery and be a bit more upbeat? On a brighter note, this novel has piqued my interest in a new area: the Great Church that existed throughout Africa and the Middle East, particularly in Ethiopia, before Catholicism came to dominate the scene. The concept that some of the slaves may have come to the New World with a truer, deeper, older and more authentic Christian faith than their white masters ever imagined is an intriguing twist on history! I have to give this book 5 stars, but if you decide to read it, don't expect light entertainment; there isn't any. I keep wanting to ask the author, after so many months or researching and writing this material, "are you OK?"
10 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Jim Duggins, Ph.D.
5.0 out of 5 stars Tales of Man's Inhumanity
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2012
Verified Purchase
You will read "The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part One: The Witnesses," by Sharon Ewell Foster with the same awful fascination one gawks at auto accidents on the freeway. "The Resurrection" will also excite the same horror that bad accidents do. One can only shudder at the degree of man's degeneracy revealed in author Foster's novel.

This story told in Part One is reserved for descriptions of particular witnesses both good and evil. This talented "show" not "tell" writer leads the reader to feel present on the scene; you are there in the middle of the action, a participant in these sadistic acts upon the innocent captives, then enslaved in the American south. At times, the atrocities carried out in these pages are almost too terrible to continue reading. This book doesn't neglect anything, the blood and gore, the beheadings and hangings, the reader experiences it all.Neither does "The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part One" neglect the sexual sadism that also sometimes played a role in the mistreatment of black people in slavery.

Yet another fascinating aspect of author Fosters' research and writing is the portrait of the social classes, rich and poor, slaveholding and not, and the place of slavery in their lives. In this, too, the evil of the courts, the wildly corrupt judicial system is spellbinding, if disgusting, to see.

For all readers interested in American history, "The Resurrection of Nat Turner, Part One: The Witnesses" is a MUST read. This book will leave you thinking for a very long time after you've finished it. Sometimes we believe 150 years is not such a long time for forgiveness after all.
Helpful
 Report
Jack
4.0 out of 5 stars The Resurrection of Nat Turner Part I
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2014
Verified Purchase
As a white American who had ancestors who owned slaves and ancestors who fought to free slaves in our Civil War, and descendants who are part African American, I have a much better understanding of the situation and greater empathy for those who had their lives stolen.
Helpful
 Report