THE ODYSSEY OF PHILLIS WHEATLEY A Poet's Journey Through American Slavery and Independence

Sold into slavery at an early age in 1751, Phillis Wheatley asserted her natural genius and became a poet celebrated in the American colonies and Britain. This audiobook serves a double role as a historical biography and a literary one. Kim Staunton's able narration serves both aspects well. She keeps the narrative flowing despite the author's overly detailed digressions on such topics as the history of the Atlantic slave trade and New England maritime commerce. But it is in the author's examination of Wheatley's poetry that Staunton shines. Her recitation makes the poems nearly sound like her own as she captures the poet's tone of intimacy. Wheatley was inspired by Homer's ODYSSEY, and the author uses that as a metaphor for her short but fascinating life. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2023]