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Identifying Roots

Alex Haley and the Anthropology of Scriptures

Richard Newton author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Equinox Publishing Ltd

Published:3rd Aug '20

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Identifying Roots cover

This volume presents a cultural history of Alex Haley’s Roots, examining the strategy and tactics Haley employed in developing a family origin story into an acclaimed national history. More than an investigation into Alex Haley’s legacy, Identifying Roots unearths the politics of beginnings and belongings. While we all come from somewhere, this book examines the terms on which our roots can work as a tradition to embrace rather than a past to leave behind. And it investigates why some of the texts we read also seem to read us back. Identifying Roots invites readers to reimagine the way we tell stories. A provocative study that draws upon Black studies, the history of religions, and anthropology, the book underscores the social drama and dynamics that define our scriptures. Nimbly moving between the stories of Alex Haley, his characters, and the world that received them, Newton reminds us that our roots are stories of consequence.

ISBN: 9781781795460

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 526g

322 pages