Filled with the horrors of slavery, the heartbreak of war, the compassion of forgiveness and even a touch of love, Ashes draws the reader deep into the lives of those who watched their owners and masters fight for freedom, even as they themselves were not free. For those who have, it is a satisfying finale. Though it’s the final book in a trilogy, Ashes is accessible for readers who have not yet heard Isabel and Curzon’s story. Ruth, Isabel, Curzon and Aberdeen (a friend and companion of Ruth’s) begin the trip back north toward freedom, but this journey, in the middle of the Revolution and veering directly into the center of the Battle of Yorktown, is not simple for anyone. Ruth is scared and angry, plagued by seizures and distrustful of Isabel. Finding Ruth, however, may not give Isabel the family she imagines.

Isabel is heading back south with Curzon to find Ruth, her sister who was taken from her as an infant and sold. Ashes, the thrilling and long-awaited conclusion to Laurie Halse Anderson’s award-winning Seeds of America trilogy, continues the story of Isabel and Curzon, who have been thrust into the middle of the American Revolution. As one hopeful event occurs, painful ones follow. Isabel’s life is filled with contradictions. I’m even prouder to be an American who is trying to help my countrymen understand our history so that we might truly fulfill the promise of the Declaration of Independence that this will one day (soon!) become a land where everyone is treated equally.War, death, slavery patience, freedom, dreams. I started reading books and studying the work of historians who wrote about the development of the United States as seen from the perspective of people of color.Īll of this helped lead me to write my trilogy about the American Revolution: CHAINS, FORGE and ASHES (this last installment is almost done.) That helped me reexamine everything I thought I knew about American history. Re-reading it as an adult, I saw the ugly, casual racism for what it was. Back then, it was just a fascinating book that sparked my interest in American history. I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t notice these things when I was nine years old. There are a number of flaws in it, notably Wilder’s profound racism towards Native Americans and African Americans.

Wow – what an amazing question! I think Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Which is the one book that has influenced you more than any other, in terms of who you are, how you live and what you think?

Ashes book laurie halse anderson