Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Wash: A Novel
    Wash: A Novel
    Wash: A Novel
    Ebook420 pages5 hours

    Wash: A Novel

    By Margaret Wrinkle

    3.5/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    “A lyrical story of courageous human beings transcending the cruelty and degradation of their slave-holding society.” —The Dallas Morning News
     
    Winner of the Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize
    One of Time Magazine’s “21 Female Authors You Should Be Reading”
    Named a Best Book of 2013 by The Wall Street Journal
    A New York Times Editors’ Choice
    An O, the Oprah Magazine Top Ten Pick
     
    In early 1800s Tennessee, two men find themselves locked in an intimate power struggle. Richardson, a troubled Revolutionary War veteran, has spent his life fighting not only for his country but also for wealth and status. When the pressures of westward expansion and debt threaten to destroy everything he’s built, he sets Washington, a young man he owns, to work as his breeding sire. Wash, the first member of his family to be born into slavery, struggles to hold onto his only solace: the spirituality inherited from his shamanic mother. As he navigates the treacherous currents of his position, despair and disease lead him to a potent healer named Pallas. Their tender love unfolds against this turbulent backdrop while she inspires him to forge a new understanding of his heritage and his place in it. Once Richardson and Wash find themselves at a crossroads, all three lives are pushed to the brink.
     
    “A masterly literary work . . . Haunting, tender and superbly measured, Wash is both redemptive and affirming.” —Major Jackson, The New York Times Book Review
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOpen Road Integrated Media
    Release dateFeb 5, 2013
    ISBN9780802193780
    Wash: A Novel

    Related to Wash

    Related ebooks

    Literary Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    Related categories

    Reviews for Wash

    3.5/5

    30 ratings8 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 2/5
      I couldn't get into this book; the writing is OKAY but not great, though the subject matter is important and interesting. I might come back to it later.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this book in many ways. Good evocation of the African versus home grown slaves. I wanted to like this book more than I did in the end. It tried to reach too far, be too spiritual and meaningful. Would have been better to start short of some of the flights, especially at the end.
    • 3/5
      I started this book and immediately fell in love with it. The times period, after the Revolutionary War and the issue of slaves along with America's hope to conquer the West was a time period of which my knowledge was very scanty. The love affair lasted throughout half the book and than slowly flitted away. Why? Their is technically no plot, or rather the plot is Wash, who was born a slave and is used for stud purposes by his master Ricardo. I am not sure how I feel about a character as the plot, but a great part of the book is about how Wash eels, what he thinks, how he manages to stay his own person despite being a slave. It is narrated by different characters, Richardson who was a general in the war and owns Wash was the most interesting to me. So the book is good, the writing very good, I think I just got tired of the pontificating. Any book abut slavery , of course, is heartbreaking and this book is definitely wroth reading, it just wasn't quite the book for me.
    • 5/5
      Transformative.
    • 5/5
      A stunning, remarkably crafted historical novel. Tragic and beautiful.
    • 3/5
      You probably think you know about all the atrocities committed under slavery, right? You've heard about the appalling physical abuse, even murder, of a people kept subjugated as property. But what about the breeding of slaves, using a man, a fellow human being, as a stud for hire, charging for the use of his fertility and for the potential attributes he will pass along to offspring? Margaret Wrinkle's novel, Wash, details just such a practice from the perspective of both slaveholder and slave. Richardson is a veteran of both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. After his first war, he was hoping that slavery would be abolished but when that didn't come to pass and economic necessity pushed him, he reluctantly abandoned his principles and joined the ranks of slaveholders. He justifies owning slaves as necessary to fulfill his deep seated desire to make his father proud by building the Western Tennessee town of Memphis into a successful empire. Richardson buys Wash's mother, Mena, a so-called "saltwater" slave because she sees something in him that makes her capture his interest and this same spark of something draws Richardson to her son Wash. Wash, having been badly beaten and scarred by another owner leasing him while Richardson was at war, is never temperamentally suited to working in the fields but he does have an affinity with horses, landing him in Richardson's stable. Perhaps it was his proximity to the stallions used for stud that first put the idea in Richardson's mind or perhaps it was an acknowledgement of Wash's bad boy appeal to so many of the slave women and girls but when Richardson needed a financial infusion to continue to fund his dreams for Memphis, he turned this prized slave of his into a stud no different from his horses, maintaining a stud book and carefully watching the offspring that result from Wash's forced couplings. But Wash is of value to Richardson for more than his stud fees, being Richardson's chosen listener as he talks through the experiences of his life and his beliefs many nights when he cannot sleep. For his part, Wash holds tight to the teachings of his mother and his early mentor the blacksmith Rufus, as he endures the indignity of what he must do. He perfects the ability to escape inside his own soul to a place where he cannot be touched and to tap into his ancestors' strength in the ways so important to his own sense of self. Inside himself, in this place, he is free and unenslaved. In the only relationship he is allowed to choose for himself, his connection to and comfort with the healer, Pallas, another damaged soul, he finds a balm and offers her the same in return. Wrinkle doesn't shy away from the brutality and inhumanity, physical and emotional, inherent in owning human beings and denying their personhoods. She details the philosophy and justification for slavery unflinchingly here, making them as multi-faceted as they must have been but without glorifying or accepting them as right or true. As Richardson talks to Wash, his views come across loud and clear but so does Wash's deeply hidden desire to destroy this man even as he is forced to listen without action, his complete negation as a human being. Flipping from point of view to point of view offers Wrinkle the chance to tell her tale from each character's perspective, sometimes blind to the other characters' deepest held feelings and sometimes in full recognition of them. As careful and beautifully well written as the novel is, though, it is a ponderous and slow read. The plot is simply Wash's life, and as such there's not much driving the story along. There is a muted feel to the events it details, slightly lessening the impact of even those so horrific they should inspire range and an outcry. While beautiful, this novel carried more promise than it delivered.
    • 4/5
      This novel is described as a "luminous debut," and as skeptical as I am, I took that with a grain of salt, but it sounded interesting anyway.Initially, my thought was that I don't want to read yet another depressing novel about life during slavery, but it wasn't long before it sucked me into the story. I've read several of this ilk of varying quality, but was not sure I was up for another one. I decided to give it a try because of the description and the wonderful cover (which I am assuming will be on the finished edition. I am reading an ARC)."Luminous" it truly is. The wonderful writing, the depth of the souls it describes, are what makes it different from the mediocre novels of the specific genre. Slaves are treated just like horses. Beat them too much and you ruin their value. Don't beat them enough and they won't work for you as they should. And if they are valuable, put them out to stud. How very sad, both for people and horses. I just don't get that mentality, but then, I wasn't born in the 19th century.Nothing is truly black and white. The "saltwater" slaves, those directly from Africa, are both feared and disdained by some of the slaves born in the states. Some of the slaveholders are not comfortable with owning slaves but do it anyway, all because of economics. There are good people, bad people, but generally they are just like everyone else, somewhere in the middle but leaning more toward one end than the other.In a way, this is a spiritual journey, going so deeply into the minds of these fictional characters. They felt so real to me, as characters in good fiction should be. "But she told me her stories so many times and in so many ways, said she was laying her staples inside the pantry of my spirit. I might not see the shape of each one right away but I'd find it when the time came." The quote may have changed in the final edition.All in all, this is a lovely, if sometimes painful to read, book. I was given an advance copy of this book for review.
    • 4/5
      By: Margaret Wrinkle Published By Atlantic Monthly PressAge Recommended: AdultReviewed By: Arlena DeanRating: 4Book Blog For: GMTAReview:"Wash" by Margaret Wrinkle was a well written novel of 'personal stories of two people: Wash (slave) and Richardson's (Wash's owner).' Once I picked it up I wasn't able to put down because it was one was really very fascinating read about slavery from this point of view that kept me very interested. I found the characters very well developed and interesting. This was a interesting read that in the 1800's where the buying and selling of slaves in western territories were illegal and this is where we find that Wash has been hired out by his owner to 'breed.' I did find the 'breeding' practices somewhat very cruel. With me be a Afro American some of this was very hard for me especially some of the violence in this novel. However, this was well written and if you are looking for a book with some history, life of slaves then you have come to the right place for "Wash" will give it to you and yes I would recommend.

    Book preview

    Wash - Margaret Wrinkle

    riebook_preview_excerpt.html}˲#GݯYd4)UUdOը=Y32//h~C2_"?xD&nՌL.̌?W6_Wǧt S_4^G/ތ۔N?7[^^x497 _u]F>TKf<69f?Mn>گ..6ihpk7ㄧߡ!Ci8ٿpi84ypv1O)>%E4en.qSθž~Ҍ컔q5C)+>GNecm9ۣ3}h0wrf~m6-9Cr8׹p|xf ˖iƦŐd+jؽGWl5vlq掦CFøp7^7ʑv)N)tul"X$$0\.)R_dۼhE=NC5̶6M!UŤ9t{h쐍xlܵM%~g&;*s׼?h^O`Ciŧ~9g?py8}94F9q?CH*G Ԝl~tmCmmڵ&" S8CЇۓpJC)8&pX{bbs.=a?lm '< ݍvmj1M0LKvQzyd c:S+_~kSah^=GD}3q-3q}J募lm$oG a'xj)p7T=Em˜mvW }7U1JID:\a@׹O?{ɗx6)ؑ+GMѺ2)˥V.z}nOn^CA͗_lsyY믮,eoDd;UuXgr;$؝թÞ;[};l7ى/Y bd"Kf*oM7lƙ4w0vOČ [a mv\dҬѬL#w­ZCgĞMͤb 횉&7^?5#`O?5`'t&)w"-iy?:܈e.=0صeecln龱 :hx4"2X~NLn0 `Xg?1DZ¯Xe0`ON$rf΂ \~XQrv]#s vU4'K cw7@[Ss1΅D:HvgO8䳭Rcuv> /<saFr{_T=*δ}CgYѯ]h>83/]uːlb99}Ta]el{l,gc tZ3{;.g\@?!g;ĢW,цr ͔H&&X)]S}q=ۃ5r9aņ旐077&Ǭ]s[bJ "OP& 7ȆC][]xq4&dɂl?\yh3}mn$hƄoZ)Id~7g?<1Dc0>U2iݱW mDo yq:FB{.O!LMӈ`K-fۛ asBDw{Xdm v/N1E[y;̓mWS]Qu<('![hH4!x2CVن(<>":'&ɦj~[`Dyv35Gp* 7T6(,i@+-;#1&y6ɹ.P8pm2~FFP0gPt|4#,;bX VP*^*u S\Sl -/u)n;lHlGi&4AfL^=XJ;] .ve;;WY,m8 L&EbgE *64v5L+7#|B4_ăKr~85\(_ JqךL6iV˩kOQ8>VB+3?@=HykmO4UBxyl3[CۉLF{j9r:yq,|w&z@8INf (%4=3  ;u8yF0!\rXd;=FӢ jT싩QKpDX>wqY@d.M2&G3ӥ8V3~|bzf^" l L]B߻g8ŻRw)cq!`/ a7e X@]6m]\w^`-ehƪ24sʶhZ ,,>.z`Lj6LBE qᚢlXڨP}o(qwbLCllJG¤mhTz8&ug}ca)?Gm|N(4!¯Ǣm;0ʞ~8 fE =&ЀXvB܄jk/bkP( (tӊȻ41t1ݺ| r[ϞHà3tz'tpN21]Ui[QB]@i[Rb([\ȿ;*aBf=9:b O ̟y>`e_|ⳝ93Y~iN/mчvx42YaM&}A?22(?'L[ p;t|)t-k2β*̜5,t–z2S9Ш :VÖj0=yxӞ\Io8d ٗBgWSev`])zX0}Z0_؈c?fZ-L@klJNԄ|ʃ~jg8m1#f܎hCGu$ҩG"f̄˽;|?= H֮ {$a)u8l)*(sbNi| Dz‡T4ud}r9\+]q;8zFMS;?o'(n?~P}-4-1 JggZ&$x&FrtA.z "e=,s={ڂDa}3RuP;n0L"mT%HVQQ($%by?q'ba'L2 ֭VΘ dL@m|4KHWbLJd݋9<*YN3t Z.9,9x9{օ7)-&8={ F}@5ocP&EyY4 ЏB| HLXpWS1Hm*Wy䠾'k9EX{~ap\/.>LY:Ɏ5U#:#^vl#Ӽ)jIh@N7\ t1-8iqҚa1<ԅpro`Xc\B+u Z/9UIgl#&r?I߄'rm:-sfە領U @  |GSȌ2v}{W ݾuZsTg3Z؎RTJE]WŲy%L\@9j$^S͞AVf[P>A wP$_eH%i=0'[b%g|`=MX43}U2]nL1xup!Jt4U&4WPP(&M0®{JnZqPK zHSaC@cδ R jipTxJ%NOI|3 뽷E@l 4Jے)ҺY@`S7KGY<,XsX+!(W1xrDr=ԃ_ݒYʂ@f]dR  P*#5uv(IcG2+"a3xʢyf\k ةsgm9`p^5zX q<:ʂ!!y4Uȟ|Dl f\I'Wk SGZeg<@QUm_K&W,BYjGCSA$=\6i]M0z`c,kw#l`ziyb22AB &͝5$Ӂ}#l(gނ6SB'Z`f]R r8Տ{p+Wn:t5zTĠ1Kkћg}9 OoyVf8guQ1\ǒSSOSZкߣOj4 T% Q]*%B{OHw R5a&a'UP'Abu@HCgxD Cxnjk'tܛ&1sb"x^dӺao#R8xyz| J^7U'qX/*w,yImQJxQ6xUlTUm hƫz2T RK5)!:`/9SK[Ad1<2wFw|ZPl䮥~IOtnbT.TY-&R` zJK>+*0\BPmn,=gR (CrڢnH@ +ZPAYP |uR-J Y9M0{,iC4ջlıc!U68 37x&Ht[㬓v5zА4o EDX"Õ<*e,⃓. c5cSl|Wdm̃pvz-sG-eMzK) * sbZqc/qBh|׃1J@%Z"/2D$A7喢7ar4T0ɠ~: 8QN܊zUʊ%9zYn갭d . Xqè(n-JP )e̬O^ߩjEt#pnuR,B3B<!rԦK2xKt#\s Dr^*"\g# ߎ`OB H v5~/A1g8.rUDQJ}DpU٧d(iv +l Xȋpn@ EEC x}H%.OJFe!|{s-J Eq&jHetAc@:xQ̂VW<|wxAO`LEN+0@6ŷ_L;*EejޜJ%JVtg.)1*祐nMT&L뇑ƫdS!sA=ܺm᪆[@}<"I E]TQu(E;(A:ݢmWB!ؼNf!5gA`ֽM}n[%RĤ~qQ6÷x9Bd:,f#yZkQm (1+WqeQ>i{;0ꚝx.EVJ$aqS͝,هGo k:q}9"VL[0.&e1DqK4VBs3z cYԻ6c*PiE"yD]kT΃)`6"ʵ G2P/5KXݕ\F̰IOTu[5=Uc3 fkorwl8/?PDdgs۫ZPH|8>)ߘSλ,LLPy]= b6 n:tǕGic Bl.-H R.ڹ%- -+씎*,'V[3w}8XlכyM$C.U颐T1LVR[䒮.!;,ĖVV)U5|ah9aMk/ioZ)J/M.7+: o[h㽅k74=.|dqPZdEZPv +uS;KxP!p.+jdK!7q6A ˩jR 1v,O"ݪP UXJz" ^xD .}R)'7 sa2Wo dH'Tzկ6N9X6J05}ţez®~w/1Qv{Nޕ7=I0n:%}Aór+05{wgVC/)/md4])B/qӕ-I 1O.|My.0{ePk]yCWRi74R5L#2NЫ9fw6*1՜ĕdV _)u"#gEqD1Ӕs9o>NՑze:7.0'c>Jf+j BK&6Cw;fg[p"RE濬UٕBƈKG,tL2lce6꾒 K9lt \3.LyDTRr:{~ ]iP[aF5ڶּ/啌CWZAuItAvdlOL.$zoSgrU3}J*DS dzTzCjMnP^~H1WLDyJΥ7XLVP; ˮO#j5VGu _,-WJyI$s**q5߲||I?ҩPƶO1j:;E6򎋵:XhI,lJ͕Mb\;OV&lհ'T)Px#QIvSLF/]6y=-*,H8 RuJ7L{+݌WI3'>;Z eWS"&‹/w!G"0F{:|y70%NJq+[)6N R $vPr-Ѷ"u+=.)k5"?;A l48-UW:Mpc"}oHٻ|)WhY * ;_ґ+^ePg*utSKyIu&鬍X% חLHacW__ fWfSץ=_fů5I)ѪO.f2{AY&8~J^ ՆR\M?cIJ|Cٱ&ipWYQ[E(IUz?v W:0/ f#pM>Ct *˰yy'@0頰e;d<6ޏ{)F7 /_V\HX-mk> 7(5A"ET7^ XcB|ԯuĘoH r.o{U੠$*R(Ĉ~PY[B.$,Ŝgm䑳G0vs ;h8YR*L,ݩH|RR&zdcmo]m}>nΫ|5Cm0#U*- r#"2wJ|m2q5pܾ5{VGGkcmҥKsm' _j`
    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1