Equiano, the African: Biography of a Self-Made Man by Vincent Carretta

In this book Vincent Carretta fills out the picture Olaudah Equiano or Gustavus Vassa gives of himself in The Interesting Narrative. Carretta is at his best when he gives information not available to the reader of Equiano's autobiography: historical details that place the narrative in context, and details about Equiano's life after publication and the publication process itself. I found the material helpful. I was a little disappointed that Carretta was unwilling to take a strong stance on the contentions that Equiano was born in South Carolina. Carretta provides all the evidence on both sides, but sidesteps the question of which side is correct, and, more disappointingly, sidesteps the question of what's at stake. Despite these qualms, I enjoyed reading this book and was glad of the perspective it provides.