"Eshun’s hybrid of biography and memoir is an extraordinary feat of empathy, as he navigates the personal experiences of black historical figures with nuance and depth."
"Toni Morrison argued that black lives are spoken of as objects of history, not as subjects within it, raising the question of how to humanize historical figures without proper source material."
"Eshun’s use of the second person allows readers to intimately connect with figures like Ira Aldridge, sharing in their grief and experiences in a profound way."
"Aldridge's portrayal of Othello elicited revulsion from audiences, illustrating the painful disconnect between his sensitivity and the public's perception of him as a black performer."
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