The Life and Times of Hannah Crafts

It was the biggest mystery of Black literature—and this author figured it out. Who wrote The Bondswoman’s Tale—a recently discovered novel—the first novel written by an African American woman? But why should I care? Why not leave this mystery alone? Instead of just revealing the identity of the author, though, this stunning biography asks us about how women’s lives, particularly those of women who survived captivity, might be different. 

Hecimovich shows us, though, that this book, “Hannah Crafts” (a pen name), writes of happy reunions between a mother and daughter; she avoids depictions of sexual abuse. She draws on… show more.