Things Past Telling - One Slave's Epic Life. Best Narration Ever!

Historical Fiction by Sheila Williams

Meet Mama Grace

Are you old enough to remember the book and movie, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman? The novel was written by Ernest Gaines and published in 1971.

The award-winning made-for-television movie came out in 1974, my sophomore year of high school. I remember being mesmerized, glued to the television, dumbfounded by Jane Pittman's struggle and resilience. The lead role was played by Cicely Tyson, who won the Prime-Time Emmy Award for Best Lead Actress for her portrayal, as well as the 1974 Emmy Award for Actress of the Year.

That movie stuck with me and helped teach the fifteen-year-old me about Civil Rights in a town that was not noted for its diversity.

No doubt, the fictional Jane Pittman is a memorable character.

But Jane Pittman did not affect me as much as the fascinating main character in Things Past Telling. Maryam Prescella Grace, known as "Mama Grace." Mama Grace is more than 100 years old and remembers the experiences of her life, looking back over an extraordinary tale of survival and resilience in the midst of suffering and sorrow.

Same historical inspiration?

Ernest Gaines found his inspiration for The Autobiography of Jane Pittman from the WPA project completed in the 1930s and 1940s that interviewed former slaves and compiled in a book titled, Lay My Burden Down. One woman interviewed claimed to have been born in 1863, making her over a hundred years old during the Civil Rights movement.

Sheila Williams modeled her fictional character of Mama Grace on a 112-year-old woman listed in a 1870 Federal Census report for Ohio, along with the stories of her own female ancestors.

Since I haven't read the slave narratives in Lay My Burden Down, I can't say for certain, but I would bet that both Gaines and Williams used that mention of a 100+ year old former slave as their jumping off point for their historical fiction novels.

Mama Grace's Epic Life in Things Past Telling

Things Past Telling begins with a glimpse of Mama Grace's childhood in what is now Southern Nigeria. She had loving parents and lots of siblings, including older sisters who often teased her.

Her mother called her "Little Bird," a nickname for her African name which Mama Grace never divulges throughout the book, preferring to keep it only for herself. Throughout the novel, however, people assign other names to her, making "Little Bird's" ancestral, given name even more meaningful because no one else can hijack it.

I can't give too much away, but let me tell you that Mama Grace's story is heart-pounding, heart-wrenching, and heart-warming. As a ten-year-old, she is captured by slavers and endures the grueling ocean crossing. Her story involves a big pirate named Caesar from the same region as her. She is trained as a midwife by a highly skilled healer and seer of Caribbean descent. Little Bird is subjected to slave auctions, unthinkable brutality, and the degradations of being thousands of miles away from home. A child alone.

Luckily, Maryam Prescilla Grace is a born mimic and observer of others. Her attention to others on the slave ship teaches her phrases and words in many other languages, a knowledge which helps her survive. Her growing skill at healing and midwifery gives her a status and a freedom that other slaves will not have.

The story takes us from Africa, to the Caribbean, to America. First, the deep South and then a gradual movement North driven by circumstances beyond her control.

Things Past Telling is a beautiful story of loss, longing, and love! I was captivated by the tale.

The Joy of Audiobooks

If you love books, you know that listening to books easily triples your reading time! Because I listen to books while I'm gardening, cooking, mowing, cleaning, and driving, I can absorb so many more stories than I could without audiobooks. (Daggone it! It's just not safe to drive or chop vegetables with your eyes on a book!)

I have listened to hundreds of audiobooks, and I can truly say that Things Past Telling is one of the best narrations I've heard. The narrator's name is Robin Miles, and she gives the perfect infusion of Caribbean accents, differentiation of voices, and a stellar understanding of pacing and diction.

It's a GREAT listen. Don't miss it.

What reviewers say

A reviewer named "Robin" said this on Amazon's review, and I'd echo her statement:

"If ALL American children are taught these histories, told in the way this author has written this story, it would bring a depth of understanding sadly needed to grasp the tragedy and rare triumphs of the people enslaved in that part of our American history."

Other people felt the same way:

Librarian In a country where racism has never died and now boldly is displayed, this should be required reading for every high school student. It was heart wrenching but beautiful in its prose and universal truths. I run a book club and am a retired librarian. This is by far one of the best books I have ever read!

The Historical Novel Society says this:

This is a truly character-driven novel that explores how people define themselves, the creation of family and home, and the importance of memory and language. The descriptions of what a human can endure are vivid and raw, but so are Maryam’s triumphs. This is a very personal and emotional story based on historical figures and stories passed on to the author by her grandmothers. Fans of historical epics won’t be able to put this book down.

and

from the Washington Informer:

Once you let go and allow the story to sweep you away, you’ll see how absolutely dazzling it really is. Author Sheila Williams takes readers on a sort of adventure in the beginning, before plunging us into a horror story that’s told with a voice that’s mournful but calm and proud.

If you want a book that's both memorable and meaningful, get Things Past Telling by Sheila Williams. I am so glad I stumbled on this tremendous audiobook!

If you buy a book or product in any format that you’ve discovered through Literature Lust,  I earn a small commission on the sale. Thank you!   

---

 Buy Things Past Telling from Amazon (online retailer)   

Buy Things Past Telling from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)  

 Buy The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman from Amazon (online retailer)   

Buy The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)

 Buy Lay My Burden Down from Amazon (online retailer)   

Buy Lay My Burden Down from Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)