Recently, I have been working on my family tree on Ancestry - going through so many records including census records, and finding a bunch of interesting information about my family. Things Past Telling starts with an Ohio census taker coming to Maryam’s home in 1870 to take the names of people living in the house - the man was rude and obviously didn’t care about the family or taking down the correct information. I was completely sucked in because as I am researching my family on Ancestry, I am always finding mistakes in the census, especially in the late 1800s records. After all, we ALL know those census takers didn’t care about getting information on Black Americans.

The book took me on an emotional journey, I really connected with and loved the MC Maryam. She was taken from her village in Africa as a little girl, put on a slave ship and given a new name. The book covers Maryam’s life, from the time she lived in Africa up until the time when she is very old (112) and wanted to tell her whole, true story. From beginning to end, I was engaged the whole time.

Maryam had a JOURNEY, when she arrived in the America’s, she was taken to Jamaica where she was taken in by Caesar, a pirate. He took her in and cared for her like she was his little sister. Then one day, she was taken again but this time, to the U.S. and found herself on an auction block. The book has good moments, then the author takes a huge pivot out of nowhere and tragedy happens. Making it so realistic to the time. I really enjoyed reading this book - it was fascinating to find out the author was inspired by a 112-year-old woman she found in the 1870 Ohio census report.

If you read & loved A Woman of Endurance, you’d love this book.