Amistad: The Thunder of Freedom

I became fascinated by the Amistad incident after seeing the Steven Speilberg movie (which is long on emotion but plays fast and loose with the facts). I have read all the available books on this subject, and while "Munity on the Amistad" by Jones should be considered the definitive non-fiction account it is far too academic in its presentation. Pesci's "Amistad" is a close second with its marshalling of the facts but second to NONE in their presentation. Though there are some composite charcters here, and the dialogue is imagined (no records exist of what was said outside of court), Pesci weaves the incident's many complex threads together while bringing to the forefront the humanity (or lack thereof) of everyone involved -- all while maintaining a increasingly escalating pace. One can only hope that he finds another historical event to treat in the same manner. This generation may have found its Gore Vidal. A gripping, outstanding read.

I became fascinated by the Amistad affair after seeing the Steven Speilberg movie (which is long on emotion but plays very fast and loose with the facts). While "Mutiny on the Amistad" by Jones is the definitive non-fiction account of this incident (factual, but very academic), I would put Pesci's novel "Amistad" a close second on its treatment of the facts, and second to NONE in its telling. There are some composite characters here and Pesci created most of the dialogue as there is no account of what was said outside of the court proceedings. However, Pesci sticks very close to the facts as they unfolded and uses history weave a tale that brings to life the human elements of this amazing event. Here's hoping that he turns his talents to some other historical episode. A gripping, thrilling read from start to finish.

Mr. Pesci, isn't just a writer, he is an artist who creates, through his words a manipulation of the senses. Amistad, took me into the belly of a slave ship, next to a dying child, to the height of rebellion. This man must not be overlooked as one of the great writers of our time.

I received this book as a gift and almost exchanged it for something else because I usually don't read historical novels. However, I decided to check-out the first few pages. They grabbed me and I quickly became completely fascinated with the story. Pesci does an excellent job of weaving in the numerous facts and personalities that inhabit this incredible incident. The writing is smooth (although the paperback copy I got had a few typos) and he moves easily from the action thriller that makes up the book's first part to the courtroom drama that ensues. Highly recommended, even if (like me) you are not generally one for history. I hope he writes something new soon.

I'm usually not big on history, but this was a gift so I decided to read until I got bored. I never did. In fact, it was one of those books that, as I got closer to the end, I didn't want it to end. It was a great story, well-written, and well-paced. Pesci made the transition from a thriller in the first few chapters to the legal drama that this incident became. He also put a human face on the participants, especially Sengbe Pieh and Roger Baldwin. Pehaps best of all, he interwined the exhaustive details and nuances of the Amistad event in such a way that it didn't feel like I was getting a history lesson. An excellent novel.