All Different Kinds of Free

By: Jessica McCann

Narrated by: Mia Bankston

Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

A free woman of color in the 1830s, Margaret Morgan lived a life full of promise. One frigid night in Pennsylvania, that changed forever. They tore her family apart. They put her in chains. But they never expected her to fight back.

In 1837, Margaret Morgan was kidnapped from her home in Pennsylvania and sold into slavery. The state of Pennsylvania charged her kidnapper with the crime, but the conviction was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. It was the first time a major branch of the federal government had made a pro-slavery stand, and the ruling in Prigg v. Pennsylvania sewed the bitter seeds of the states' rights battle that eventually would lead to the Civil War.

Yet, the heart of this story is not a historic Supreme Court ruling. It is the remarkable, unforgettable Margaret Morgan. Her life would never be the same. Her family had been torn apart. Uncaring forces abused her body and her heart. But she refused to give up, refused to stop fighting, and refused to allow her soul to be enslaved.

About the author: Jessica McCann's work as an award-winning journalist has been published in Business Week, The Writer, and many other publications. All Different Kinds of Free is her first novel. Learn more about McCann online at www.jessicamccann.com.

©2011 Jessica McCann (P)2012 BelleBooks, Inc.

Intense and Powerful

Such a great story to learn about the difficulties and evils African Americans faced as free citizens and also as slaves.

Overall I was just greatful for the coverage

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I think the listening time was well spent hearing that there was a black woman named Margret Morgan, who dared to fight back for her freedom. I think it was worth listening just to hear her story. But I would probably encourage you to read it on your own.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I felt like the dialect and language was not appropriate. I’ve read a lot of period novels and I’m always baffled with the way the English language has transformed over the years. But in this book I didn’t feel like the language transplanted me into Pennsylvania in the 1830s. I kept feeling like some of the dialect that was used by the slaves for instance at the Bean plantation was not quite right. Not even whites in the South used those words in those days (at least not in the ones I have read). I kept feeling like, “Margret wouldn’t say that”… As I mentioned previously this was just my impression, you may not agree.I just didn't feel like I was in Pennsylvania, Maryland or anywhere else in the South.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narrator has a great voice but I felt like her rendition was a little too melodic and slightly disconnected from the character. I enjoyed the beginning, her ecstasy with freedom was very apparent and in my mind appropriate. However, when she started to discuss her anguish with losing her children it sounded much the same (her tone). I would have enjoyed the story more if the narrator would have abandoned her open mic performance. I don’t know that is just my opinion. You may thoroughly enjoy it.

Was All Different Kinds of Free worth the listening time?

Sure

Any additional comments?

Don't let my review deter you, see for yourself

sam

Loved this book would like more like this. I really enjoy books based on true events.

I enjoyed this book.

I enjoyed listening to this book that I listened to it twice. Very good read

recommend book

I enjoyed the narrator the book had me emotional sad at some points but I did enjoy it and it was an easy listen so I would recommend this book

truly believable

loved it so much i I listened twice
the characters were so vivid and believable. The ups and downs were a true depiction of the life of a free black in the era when blacks were on the cusp of emancipation

JUST OK

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No... not exciting enough.

What was one of the most memorable moments of All Different Kinds of Free?

idk

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Clear proper soothing

Did All Different Kinds of Free inspire you to do anything?

No but it was a good history lesson

Any additional comments?

no additional comments

It was OK

I had high hopes after reading the reviews. I will not be listening to it again. There was alot of unanswered questions and It ended very flat. I realize that the subject matter of these types of books have very few happy endings but a sense of completion would be nice.

Excellent!!

I really enjoyed listening to this book!! I will definitely recommend to all of my friends.

Entertaining

Overall a good story. Loved the inspirational shout out to God our Heavenly Father. The narrator sounded too mechanical, however, and ruined a lot of the story for me, I think I would have been more emotionally engrossed otherwise. And some parts just seemed hard to believe, like it seemed Margaret had a bit too much freedom to roam at will, (to sit under a cypress tree or "go down to the water to happen upon a boat) while enslaved on the plantation to be believable.
Anyway, overall a good story to listen to while commuting.