My Jim

To help her granddaughter accept the risks of loving, Sadie Watson mines her memory for the tale of the unquenchable love of her life, Jim. Sadie's Jim was an ambitious young slave and seer who, when faced with the prospect of being sold, escaped down the Mississippi with a white boy named Huck Finn. Sadie is suddenly left alone, worried about her children, reviled as a witch, punished for Jim's escape, and convinced her husband is dead. But Sadie's will and her love for Jim animate her life and see her through. Told with spare eloquence and mirroring the true stories of countless slave women,My Jimrecreates one of the most controversial characters in American literature. A nuanced critique of the great American novel,My Jimis a haunting and inspiring story about freedom, longing, and the remarkable endurance of love. Look for the Reader's Group Guide at the back of this book.

Nancy Rawles is an award-winning novelist and playwright. Her novel Love Like Gumbo was the recipient of the American Book Award. She lives in Seattle.