Trevor R. Getz

I have studied quite a bit of history, most of it more or less Eurocentric. This book opened my eyes to larger patterns in modern world history. In effect, it argues that European colonialism and imperialism have shaped the entire world over the last several centuries, affecting almost everyone on Earth as well as numerous species, ecosystems, technologies, etc. In particular, the account of how of the spread of the sugar economy restructured more or less the entire human race made me look show more anew at the bag of refined white sugar that I regularly see in the supermarket. Also, the suggestion that Nazi genocide (toward Jews and Slavs, among others) was simply an application of the colonizer/colonized distinction within Europe that Europeans had applied to other peoples around the world for several centuries made me stop and think. show less

I read this anticipating a graphic novel depicting the story of an African woman facing down "the Important Men" to get what she felt was her due. And I got that. But Abina and the Important Men is much more of a lesson on how to be a historian than it is a graphic portrayal of a historical event.

Getz does an admirable job---in my admittedly non-historian perspective---of showing how historians do their work: looking at primary sources of several varieties, piecing together the context for show more those sources, taking into consideration their own biases, painstakingly sketching in a deeper understanding of the past, and opening themselves to the critical assessments and alternate perspectives of their fellow historians. For that reason, I'd say that Abina is an excellent introduction for any hopeful future historians.

As a graphic novel, it's entertaining, but while Abina's story matters, it's only the beginning of a journey this book encourages its reader to undertake. show less

This is an intriguing peek into a piece of Gold Coast (Ghanaian) history. About half of the book is the graphic novelization itself, while the remainder of the book has source documentation, a section discussing the historical context of the events, a reading guide, & suggestions on how to use the book in classroom settings, ranging from about middle/high school to graduate students. (That said, I'm not quite sure who the best target audience would be... maybe high school?)

Abina's story is show more unique in that there are actual historical records of her lawsuit & proceedings, an unusual find given that she was an enslaved female who used the legal system to fight back. As we all know, history tends to be written by the winners/those in charge, so you don't often hear the stories of those without power.

Overall, an interesting slice of history (if a bit dryly presented at times).

Personally, I would like to see Abina's story through the eyes of a Ghanaian historian/author. A female historian/author too.

If graphic novels are not your thing & you are interested in a different, more complex enslaved woman's story (a fictional book based on historical events), check out The Infamous Rosalie (Haiti) by Evelyne Trouillot. show less

A fascinating "graphic history" based on an 1876 court transcript of a West African woman who was enslaved, escaped to British-controlled territory, and took her case to court. The graphic history is followed by an insightful historical context of the story, a reading guide reconstructing and deconstructing the methods used to interpret the story, and strategies for using Abina in classroom settings of various levels. A great study for world history course.