Juba: A Novel

Reviewed by: Karen Sandlin Silverman - Scarborough High School / Scarborough Middle School, Scarborough, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 13, 2016

Review

CREAM Juba is a fictionalized historical account of the life of William Henry Lane, a free black teen living in the Five Points section of New York City while slavery still existed in the United States. Lane went by the stage name of Master Juba and scrambled to become a professional dancer, not simply a minstrel show performer. He became known as Boz's Juba after a chance encounter with Charles Dickens. Dickens wrote about Juba in his book American Notes and this led to Juba being offered a chance to tour and dance professionally in England. The author'fs widow Constance Myers provides an epilogue about the writing of the book. The book includes much primary source material -- photographs, copies of playbills, and reviews. Published posthumously.

Overall Book Score: excellent