The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho

A Novel

By: Paterson Joseph

Narrated by: Paterson Joseph

Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

This program is read by the author, who also plays the lead role of Sancho in his play, Sancho: An Act of Remembrance.

"To be able to speak these intimate words into a listener’s ears is this writer-performer’s dream. I have always loved the spoken word, as it strikes me as the purest form of performance. In public storytelling terms, it is perfection. From my lips to your ears—to your mind—to a personal, unforgettable picture formed as a memory. Whilst my absolute favorite is the written word for the conveying of story, the next best has to be the audiobook."—Paterson Joseph, author, The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho

It’s finally time for Charles Ignatius Sancho to tell his story, one that begins on a slave ship in the Atlantic and ends at the very center of London life. . . . A lush and immersive tale of adventure, artistry, romance, and freedom set in eighteenth-century England and based on a true story

It’s 1746 and Georgian London is not a safe place for a young Black man. Charles Ignatius Sancho must dodge slave catchers and worse, and his main ally—a kindly duke who taught him to write—is dying. Sancho is desperate and utterly alone. So how does the same Charles Ignatius Sancho meet the king, write and play highly acclaimed music, become the first Black person to vote in Britain, and lead the fight to end slavery? Through every moment of this rich, exuberant tale, Sancho forges ahead to see how much he can achieve in one short life: “I had little right to live, born on a slave ship where my parents both died. But I survived, and indeed, you might say I did more.”

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt & Company.

©2023 Paterson Joseph (P)2023 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“It’s a tough task for a writer to set themselves, but the care and research shine through in every chapter. This is a tragicomedy of the first order, and not to be missed.“
—The Guardian

“Joseph channels the writing style of the day and draws on the real-life Sancho’s diaries to give voice to his hero’s rich interior life. Readers shouldn’t miss this exhilarating and rewarding account of a man living at the cusp of world change.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Paterson Joseph's The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho is a needed perspective of historical Black excellence on English soil. Witty and insightful, the novel is a critical perspective of what it means to want more and to become a master of one's destiny. Joseph gives life to the times, the politics, the friendships, and all aspects of a fully realized man, Ignatius Sancho. Crafted with care, respect, and the resolve to edu-tainment, Paterson Joseph does not disappoint in penning the story of a dignified man whose ascendency from enslaved to a wholly free British man needs to be known.” —Vanessa Riley, award-winning author of Island Queen and Queen of Exiles

Fantastic!

Fantastic read from start to finish I was captivated I felt like I was there and feeling Sancho’s pain and joy.

BRILLIANT!

This fictional account of the life of Charles Ignatius Sacho was beautiful written and performed by Paterson Joseph.

Through these secret diaries Charles recounts the story of his life from being born on a slave ship, sold into slavery at the age of two in New Granada and finally living in England.

This story of a Black man in England during the 18th century is dramatic, poignant, funny and tragic. I was mezmerized from beginning to end.

I look forward to more from Mr. Joseph.

A captivating account of a life well lived.

This story pulls you in from the beginning and folds you inside of it, and you feel all the triumphs and sadness and joy of this rare man of letters.