• Things Past Telling

  • A Novel
  • By: Sheila Williams
  • Narrated by: Robin Miles
  • Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (418 ratings)

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Things Past Telling  By  cover art

Things Past Telling

By: Sheila Williams
Narrated by: Robin Miles
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Publisher's summary

“This is a truly character-driven novel that explores how people define themselves, the creation of family and home, and the importance of memory and language. . . . Fans of historical epics won’t be able to put this book down.”—Historical Novel Society

“Emotionally satisfying. . . . A remarkable character portrait.”—Publishers Weekly

The author of The Secret Women tells the story of a brave and enduring woman as indomitable as Ernest Gaines’ legendary Miss Jane Pittman, in a breathtaking novel that combines the epic romance and adventure of Outlander, the sweeping drama of Roots, and the haunting historical power of Barracoon.

Things Past Telling is a remarkable historical epic that charts one unforgettable woman’s journey across an ocean of years as vast as the Atlantic that will forever separate her from her homeland.

Born in West Africa in the mid-eighteenth century, Maryam Prescilla Grace—a.k.a “Momma Grace” will live a long, wondrous life marked by hardship, oppression, opportunity, and love. Though she will be “gifted” various names, her birth name is known to her alone. Over the course of 100-plus years, she survives capture, enslavement by several property owners, the Atlantic crossing when she is only eleven years of age, and a brief stint as a pirate’s ward, acting as both a spy and a translator.

Maryam learns midwifery from a Caribbean-born wise woman, whose “craft” combines curated techniques and medicines from African, Indigenous, and European women. Those midwifery skills allow her to sometimes transcend the racial and class barriers of her enslavement, as she walks the razor’s edge trying to balance the lives and health of her own people with the cruel economic mandates of the slave holders, who view infants born in bondage not as flesh-and-blood children but as investment property.

Throughout her triumphant and tumultuous life Maryam gains and loses her homeland, her family, her culture, her husband, her lovers, and her children. Yet as the decades pass, this tenacious woman never loses her sense of self.

Inspired by a 112-year-old woman the author discovered in an 1870 U.S. Federal census report for Ohio, loosely based on the author’s real-life female ancestors, spanning more than a hundred years, from the mid-eighteen-century to the end of America’s Civil War, and spanning across the globe, from what is now southern Nigeria to the islands of the Caribbean to North America and the land bordering the Ohio River, Things Past Telling is a breathtaking story of a past that lives on in all of us, and a life that encompasses the best—and worst—of our humanity.

©2022 Sheila Williams (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about Things Past Telling

Average customer ratings
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Fulfilled

I absolutely loved this novel. The author was able to captivate you and bring you along this journey of a slave from a child to an elderly woman. We all know the stories of slaves being beaten and killed. However, this novel shows the story of a slave with a craft and how it made room for her. The narrator was outstanding. I would highly recommend this listen!

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful Listen

A sad part of history told with truth and dignity. I enjoyed the narration. One of the best narrations I have ever heard! Story was told with unexpected phrases that were sing song and graceful that just pulled you into the story but also spoke of terrible cruelty of the time. Wonderful book.

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11 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I couldn't stop listening!

This story was mesmerizing and I would recommend it to everyone interested in learning about thing they don't teach you in history books.

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Perfect narration to a 10 star book

Ive never ever cried over a book, until now. Oh man, cried my eyes out and will think about Maryam forever. I felt so attached to her I just wanted to hug her and cry with her. Although the Maryam I got to know in this book wouldn’t allow that type of blubbering lol

I hate this part of history, and experiencing it through Maryam’s eyes just broke my heart in a million pieces.
I loved her so much, her determination and wit and wisdom. I felt her losses and rooted for her in the little triumphs she had. I wanted so much more for her.
I was so angry at the disgusting racist pigs and men who ran and ruined her life.
I felt so much love and appreciation for the kind souls that helped her along the way.
I’ve never had such strong emotions provoked from a story.
Ugh, this is beautifully written about horrible things.

This is the book that should be trending. This is the book everyone needs to read.
10000000 stars

Narrator did an amazing job at bringing this to life and nailed the different accents.

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2 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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could not get through it

I live for historical fiction, specifically this topic and era. I could not connect with this story or the narrator. I gave it a good shot, stopped at chapter 18.

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2 people found this helpful

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Things not worth readinf

All you need to know about this book is in the summary. The story idea is excellent, the execution is redundant, slow and such a bog. I love historical fiction and this book missed the mark, whether based on an actual person or not, the writing was not there.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent and heartbroken

A soulful story of America’s shameful past. Worth the listen. Well worth the credit. Highly recommended

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1 person found this helpful

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10 Stars!

A trip through time! What a beautiful but sad story. I remember tales from my southern roots and sometimes I cry because of what people of color had to endure through no fault of their own. Families being separated had to be so hard. I cried/sobbed at the ending of this tale, even though it was a happy occasion. Well written. Excellent narration. A keeper!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Great Story, Could Have Better Writing

I liked rhe narrator and all her accents
The story was compelling. Unfortunately, the writing was not. The author repeated and reiturated certain points, and left out or glossed over key issues.

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Amazing Story

I loved this book! It was rich with details that took me along the journey till the very end.

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1 person found this helpful