Synopsis
In 1776, Thomas Paine's pamphlet, "Common Sense," inspired 150,000 readers to fight for their freedom against Great Britain. But at the same time, African Americans could get their hands chopped off for merely holding a book. This is the remarkable story of Helen Manning, an 11-year-old slave who started her own revolution by secretly teaching herself to read.
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About the Author
"The Thief of Letters" is Janet Mountain Johnson's debut novel. To gain insights into Helen's struggle for literacy, Janet taught herself to read ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics by comparing pictures and captions in history books. Recalling the time she read on a knickknack in the mall the words "An offering the king gives the goddess Hathor, mistress of the West," Johnson said, "It was the same feeling of exquisite, secret triumph that I tried to portray in the book." Another time, Janet was looking in the encyclopedia and read what some scribe had written in a tomb thousands of years before. She thought, "Hey, that's misspelled."
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The Thief of Letters
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0971801304I4N00