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Summary: great book
Review: this book is amazing, very well written, a thousand times better than the movie. wonderfull book.
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Summary: Great!
Review: I read this book a year ago and I was 13 years old. I thought that It was a very good book. It was interesting and it was about real people. It changed my views on slavery.
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Summary: New eyes, new world...
Review: I'm 21 and missed the phenom that was the mini-series. I picked up "Roots" after having read "Queen" and enjoying it immensely. I was a little frustrated with the first 150-200 pages that chronicle Kunta Kinte's life in Africa. It was interesting, but I was expecting to read about antebellum American history, and this didn't appear to be it. I was quickly over it as Mr. Haley guided me on a sojourn through seven generations of Kunta Kinte's progeny. I found the story to be an educational and entertaining tale.Then I hit page 702. Alex Haley was born. All along I knew this story was a dramatic interpretation of his family history, but suddenly, my God, these people were real. Their sufferng was real. The inhumanities they faced were real. That young man who lived a rightous and rightful life in Africa (HOW IMPORTANT THAT I LEARNED ABOUT HIM) and had it stolen from him was, too, real. Just another reminder of how cavilier our lives have become; how much we take as granted. Truly, I am better having read this book. Even with my blue eyes and ruddy cheeks, I found there a great and valuable piece of my own heritage as an American and the nature of us all as human beings. How ashamed I am to be a member of a species that could commit such atrocities. And how proud to be of those that bravely overcome them.
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Summary: America's Biggest Flaw
Review: Roots is a wonderful saga of a man trying to find from where he came. As Alex Haley takes you through his family tree, the reader is astounded by the intensity of the writing. I was amazed that a human being would do the things described in the book. Beginning with the birth of Kunta Kinte in an African village, Haley takes you through the long journey to slavery - and the long journey out again. This book is both heart-warming and tragic, as this black family struggles with slavery in remembrance of their indomitable African heritage. I would highly recommend this book to those who can handle the truth of our country's biggest flaw - slavery
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Summary: An Important Novel
Review: Roots is an important novel. It was a part of the process of African-Americans coming to understand themselves. This process started with the "black is beauty" movement and its most recent development is the growing popularity of the holiday Kwanzaa. This book dispelled the notion, taught by western society, that blacks should be ashamed of the African origins and enslavement of their ancestors. Root is an important American novel but that is not the reason why you should read it. It should be read because it is an excellent example of the historical novel. Fact and fiction are mixed together to bring alive the rich history of America. As you read this novel you will marvel at the bravery and dignity of the African named Kunta Kinte and his decedents. You will witness the brutality of the past and see historical events through a new perspective. You will feel pride as you see the human spirit triumph. Mr. Haley's writing style is not very artistic but it is clear and precise. He truly recreates the past in a manner that will keep you turning the pages. If you saw the television adaptation, you will also see the changes that were made to the tale to avoid alienating the majority of the audience. I highly recommend this book to all that are eager to gain knowledge and enrich their souls.
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Summary: Unforgettable Experience
Review: Roots is an unforgettable experience in both visual and reading senses.I cannot forget watching the miniseries in 1977 on TV.Each whiplash that Kunta Kinte got for refusing to call himself Toby felt like cutting into my back.Kizzie getting sold must be the all time heart breaker on TV and fiction.This scene and the book in general has affected my life in many ways.A must read because it can affect your life for the good.The book must be made required reading in schools.
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Summary: Outstanding
Review: Alex Haley's superb narrative of his family genealogy ranks with the great works of American writing. Combining fact with historical fiction, Haley (1921-92) begins by describing his ancestor Kunta Kinte from African village life, to the horrors of the slave ship in 1767 and servitude on a Virginia plantation. Few expressions are more powerful than when Kunta Kinte and his wife Bell vanish from the pages after their daughter Kizzie is sold away. "Roots" then focuses on Kizzie, Chicken George, and other descendants on up thru freedom and the eventual birth of the author. The story fades a bit near the end - Haley was behind schedule and dodging bill collectors as he wrote the final chapters. Still, this is an outstanding and very readable narrative about ordinary (yet remarkable) human beings. Haley even details tracing his ancestry to Kunta Kinte's native village in present-day Gambia. "Roots" became an immensely popular ABC miniseries in 1977, setting thousands of other Americans to tracing their family histories.
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Summary: Top 3 greatest books ever written
Review: I would put this 2nd only to the Bible. This is truely a book for the ages. Very emotional. You just have to expeience it for yourself. This book, in a way, changed the world.
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Summary: A LARGE WINDOW INTO SLAVERY
Review: I saw the movie when I was a teenager in the 70s. But I never read the book. My wife suggested I take a look at the book since we are into genealogy. I find the book strong and insightful into a world that many of us do not know. Also I found myself emotional at time while reading it. I suggest those who read reviews, take a new look at this book again or read it for the first time concerning this lost part of American History. You may find yourself struggling with the first 100 pages and with the black slang dialogue, but I assure you that you will enjoy it. It has been suggested to me that I read the sequel; Queen, by Haley. So there it goes and enough said; ENJOY !! TRIPP
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Summary: Roots:The Saga of and American Family
Review: Roots is quite possibly the best book I've read! A must read! The way that Haley writes is unique and enjoyable! I had to read it for English and wasn't mad at all about it! Don't worry about it's length, it reads fast and, did I say that it was wonderful?
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