The Dahomean

A story about Africans; their beliefs and their culture. The rivalries between tribes, how they sold each other into slavery, and their feelings about each other. Very well written and quite an insight into the history of the African nations.

compulsive reading from start to finish, makes you think about the history of slavery with a good story line

I read this book as a reprint under the title "The man from Dahomey". It is an excellent novel capturing the intricacies of the life of a rich tribal chief in Africa who was sold into slavery. Frank Yerby's character development is excellent and detailed and the novel is thoroughly entertaining. The ending is however a true tragedy. I rate his novel 5 stars even though I prefer his brilliant novel of ancient Greece "The Goat Song".

The author created a tale that defies American stereotypes of captured and enslaved Africans. Mr Yerby painted a past life of the slave, Wesley Parks, that was a very interesting rendering of the culture of an African elite who was the governor of a province in the Dahomean empire This was a potrait of a complete man who had strong cultural ties, many skills and was a born leader. Unfortunately, Hwesu was born into a decadent society that enriched its rulers by conquering, capturing, selling and enslaving its neighbors. The jealousy and rage of relatives led to Hwesu\Wesley being enslaved. This is a story of love, passion, violence, inhumanity and survival. Hwesu was much more than a slave and his homeland much more complicated than popular American stereotypes.