Song Yet Sung

James McBride

Feb 2008 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Good Lord Bird, winner of the 2013 National Book Award for Fiction, Deacon King Kong, Five-Carat Soul, and Kill 'Em and Leave, a James Brown biography.

In the days before the Civil War, a runaway slave named Liz Spocott breaks free from her captors and escapes into the labyrinthine swamps of Maryland’s eastern shore, setting loose a drama of violence and hope among slave catchers, plantation owners, watermen, runaway slaves, and free blacks. Liz is near death, wracked by disturbing visions of the future, and armed with “the Code,” a fiercely guarded cryptic means of communication for slaves on the run. Liz’s flight and her dreams of tomorrow will thrust all those near her toward a mysterious, redemptive fate.

Filled with rich, true details—much of the story is drawn from historical events—and told in McBride’s signature lyrical style, Song Yet Sung is a story of tragic triumph, violent decisions, and unexpected kindness.

Ratings and reviews

redemption, revenge, reality, and raw rage are in this book. the details and intricacies of the characters is amazing. although brutal, this book is beautiful and brave. mcbride, is without a doubt a rem8x of Ellison and Hurston and Baldwin. it took me 3 days read this book. only because I had to work

I could not put this book down. The characters are developed and the time era was well researched. The writing is well done. James McBride is a great author. I'm glad to have found his book!

This book is one of my favorite reads of all time! Excellent page turner, a must read!

About the author

Awarded a National Humanities Medal by President Obama, James McBride is an accomplished musician and author of the National Book Award-winning The Good Lord Bird, the #1 bestselling American classic The Color of Water, and the bestsellers Song Yet Sung and Miracle at St. Anna, which was turned into a film by Spike Lee. He is also the author of Kill 'Em and Leave, a James Brown biography. McBride is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at New York University.