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Title: A new and important contribution to identity politics
Review: Carretta's latest book is a scholarly examination of the autobiography of Olaudah Equiano, aka Gustavas Vassa. This book has generated some controversy in its claim that Equiano may not have been born in Africa. Carretta's detractors, however, completely miss the point of this book, which places Equiano squarely in the same vein as other important Enlightenment writers like Benjamin Franklin. This book does not detract from the importance and usefulness of Equiano's autobiography. Rather, by providing thoughtful analysis of Equiano's narrative; it helps to illuminate how the he saw himself in a time and place where identity (and nationality) were instable. What is important is that Equiano saw himself as African, whether or not he was actually born in Africa. This distinction is important to getting the most out of this book.
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