First published 2005
Andrew Hawkins exists because of one drunken night when his master and an enslaved butler switched beds to avoid their angry wives. Born from this mix-up, Andrew belongs fully to neither the white nor Black world of the antebellum South. He moves between both worlds, experiencing sexual adventures and philosophical discoveries that shape his understanding of identity and freedom. Andrew observes the absurdities of human behavior with sharp wit as he encounters the contradictions of a society built on slavery. His journey reveals how people adapt and survive within systems designed to constrain them. The story follows Andrew's attempts to define himself when society refuses to let him choose his own place.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, african-american, 19th-century
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, identity-crisis
Setting: Antebellum South
Period: 19th Century
208 pages · Paperback · Scribner
Content warnings: slavery