The Age of Phillis

The Age of Phillis is a poetry collection that reimagines the life of Phillis Wheatley Peters, the first published African-American woman poet. The work spans the 18th century colonial period and combines historical research with verse to explore Wheatley's experiences. The collection moves between multiple perspectives and voices, including those of Wheatley herself, her contemporaries, and modern observers. Through poems based on documents, letters, and records from the era, it reconstructs the world of Revolutionary-era Boston and Wheatley's position within it. Characters from Wheatley's life populate the poems - from her enslaver Susanna Wheatley to fellow poets and historical figures of the time. The work also incorporates the broader context of the slave trade, colonial America, and the literary culture of the period. The poems in this collection examine themes of identity, power, and artistic expression while questioning traditional narratives about race, gender and creativity in early America. Through its blend of historical detail and imagination, the work considers what it meant to be both enslaved and a celebrated poet.

Readers highlight the depth of research and creative imagining of Phillis Wheatley Peters' inner life. Many appreciate how Jeffers interweaves historical documents with poetry to reconstruct the poet's world, with several noting the powerful exploration of slavery, womanhood, and creative expression. Readers liked: - Integration of historical facts with emotional narrative - Complex portrayal of relationships and power dynamics - Attention to Wheatley Peters' marriage and adult life - Strong use of different poetic forms Common criticisms: - Length can feel overwhelming - Some poems require multiple readings to grasp - Historical details sometimes overshadow the poetry Ratings: Goodreads: 4.31/5 (376 ratings) Amazon: 4.8/5 (85 ratings) One reader on Goodreads notes: "The research alone deserves praise, but Jeffers transforms dry historical facts into living, breathing moments." Another writes: "The density of references can be challenging, but rewards careful reading."

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🌟 Honorée Fanonne Jeffers spent 15 years researching and writing this collection of poems about Phillis Wheatley Peters, making it a work of both scholarly dedication and poetic imagination. 🌟 Though Phillis Wheatley Peters is known as America's first published Black poet, she was forcibly brought to Boston from West Africa at age seven and sold into slavery. 🌟 The collection won the 2021 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work - Poetry and was longlisted for the 2020 National Book Award in Poetry. 🌟 The book weaves together multiple voices and perspectives, including those of Phillis's African ancestors, her white enslavers, and fellow enslaved people in colonial Boston. 🌟 Jeffers' work challenges the traditional narrative about Wheatley Peters by highlighting her resistance to oppression and her complex relationship with both African and American cultures.