The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man Audiobook By James Weldon Johnson cover art

The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

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The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

By: James Weldon Johnson
Narrated by: Duncan Brownlehe
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The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, a 1912 novel by James Weldon Johnson, is a fictional autobiography which was originally published anonymously. It chronicles the intricacies of racial identity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries through the life of its biracial narrator. The book portrays his journey through America's color lines, from his attendance of a black college in Florida to an elite New York nightclub, from the rural South to the suburbs of the Northeast, and a visit to Europe. Throughout the work, the author employs places, character, and incidents from his own life, making it a fine example of a "roman à clef." The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man inspired a generation of writers such as Zora Neale Hurston, Ralph Ellison, and Richard Wright.

Public Domain (P)2019 Museum Audiobooks African American Classics Biography
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The first thing I love about this book is Duncan Brownlehe's brilliant narration. I started listening to a free version of the same book by another narrator but had to stop because the presumably white narrator botched Black southern speech, cadence, and emotions. There was no way I would spend five hours listening to that deadpan reading. After sampling Brownlehe's version, I decided to buy it. My first advice is to pass on free audiobooks if you could get better-narrated versions.

The story of a light-skinned Black man who decided to pass for white is spectacular, fresh, and relevant. Even though this book inspired Richard Wright and others, I enjoyed it more than his Native Son. The story almost feels like science fiction, even though it is based on thousands of similar light-complected African Americans deciding to cross the color line. The conclusion is heartbreaking when the protagonist realizes he "sold his birthright for a mess of pottage."

I highly recommend this forgotten but seminal gem of the Harlem Renaissance.

Achingly Beautiful

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Amazing narration!!! Good Story and yes I would recommend this book to others. All in all Good Read

Interesting Book

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I highly recommend this book. Though it was written a century ago it reads very modern. The author takes the reader in and the narrator excellently conveys the feelings of the main character.

Amazing story and excellent narrator

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James Weldon Johnson grants a distinct and equally valid voice to the experience of many who do not occupy the definable pigment-driven social constructs. There’s a raw honesty that digs beyond the color levels to reveal the nuances to the essence of our humanity or lack thereof.

A thoughtful and provocative examination

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