Rambles of a Runaway from Southern Slavery, the compelling story of a lesser-known fugitive, is a welcome addition to the literature on runaways who escaped to Canada. This narrative of Henry Goings skillfully portrays a bondman on the run with detailed notes and excellent introductory material. The editors and the University of Virginia Press should be commended for discovering and publishing such a well-researched volume."—
Rambles of a Runaway from Southern Slavery is a hitherto overlooked and forgotten American slave narrative. In their new edition of his work, Calvin Schermerhorn, Michael Plunkett, and Edward Gaynor ground Goings's reminiscences in verifiable data drawn from a wide variety of primary records and sources. In doing so, they offer an original and substantial contribution to the slave narrative tradition in the United States and Canada.
" Rambles of a Runaway from Southern Slavery is a hitherto overlooked and forgotten American slave narrative. In their new edition of his work, Calvin Schermerhorn, Michael Plunkett, and Edward Gaynor ground Goings's reminiscences in verifiable data drawn from a wide variety of primary records and sources. In doing so, they offer an original and substantial contribution to the slave narrative tradition in the United States and Canada. "—William L. Andrews, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
" Rambles of a Runaway from Southern Slavery, the compelling story of a lesser-known fugitive, is a welcome addition to the literature on runaways who escaped to Canada. This narrative of Henry Goings skillfully portrays a bondman on the run with detailed notes and excellent introductory material. The editors and the University of Virginia Press should be commended for discovering and publishing such a well-researched volume."— "—Daina Ramey Berry, University of Texas at Austin, author of Swing the Sickle for the Harvest Is Ripe: Gender and Slavery in Antebellum Georgia
"Goings's short, five-chapter narrative was written over time as he grew increasingly cynical. In his initial leap from slavery, he entertained hope for the human condition, but during his time in Canada, he soured on the whole enterprise. The superb editing of this narrative includes enlightening notes on topical names, places, and issues; the original Drew interviews; and the appendices Goings strangely included with his text.... Highly recommended. "—author of CHOICE
"With the first paragraph-which includes "Of the date of my birth, I have no knowledge"- the author opens a door onto a dark part of American History. "—author of dailyprogress.com
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This is a superbly researched and highly important contribution to the field of nineteenth-century American studies…It is commendable indeed that the University of Virginia Press and the editors have brought to light such a well-researched and engaging volume.
"—Elif S. Armbruster, author of 19th Century Studies
