sold down the river - barbara hambly

ben is a 41 year old liberated black... bought and freed along with his mother and sister when he was 7 years old, he goes on to become a talented pianist and a doctor in paris. upon his return to new orleans where he is robbed and is forced to foist upon his mom, he resorts to taking up an undercover job for cash to stay independantly, and also because his mom asks him to do the job... namely, to act as a black slave for the same white manager who used to be their master.... as a favour to him to discover who is sabotaging his plantation. ben undertakes the risk, and discovers many things long forgotten... what being a slave does to an individual, and he learns who his father was. this story describes the traumas that black people who are slaves have to put up with, their hardship and their struggles. not easy to read. not a very catchy writing style either.