The Book of Negroes

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill is a sweeping historical novel set during the American Revolution and its aftermath. Published in 2007, the novel traces the life of Aminata Diallo, a West African woman who is kidnapped into slavery, survives the horrors of the Middle Passage, and becomes entangled in the struggles of the American Revolution. Through her eyes, readers encounter the complex history of Black Loyalists - enslaved and free Black people who fought for the British in hopes of securing their freedom.

Hill weaves together personal narrative and historical fact, drawing from the real historical document known as the Book of Negroes, a British military ledger that recorded the names and descriptions of Black Loyalists evacuated from New York in 1783. The novel spans continents - from Africa to South Carolina, New York, and Nova Scotia - following Aminata's pursuit of freedom and her attempts to reconnect with her lost family. Her account challenges conventional narratives about the Revolution and explores themes of identity, resilience, and the long shadow of slavery on both sides of the Atlantic.

The narrative moves between Aminata's present-day testimony before the British Colonial Office and her recollections of trauma, survival, and small moments of agency within impossible circumstances. Hill's prose balances historical detail with intimate character development, making this novel both an educational work and a deeply human story. Available now with Cash on Delivery nationwide across Pakistan.

• Historical fiction spanning 1754-1802
• Based on the actual British military ledger, the Book of Negroes
• Explores the lives of Black Loyalists during the American Revolution
• First-person narrative by protagonist Aminata Diallo