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Citizens Creek: A Novel Audiobook
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Publisher Description
The New York Times bestselling author of the Oprah Book Club Pick Cane River brings us the evocative story of a once-enslaved man who buys his freedom after serving as a translator during the American Indian Wars, and his granddaughter, who sustains his legacy of courage.
Cow Tom, born into slavery in Alabama in 1810 and sold to a Creek Indian chief before his tenth birthday, possessed an extraordinary gift: the ability to master languages. As the new country developed westward, and Indians, settlers, and blacks came into constant contact, Cow Tom became a key translator for his Creek master and was hired out to US military generals. His talent earned him money—but would it also grant him freedom? And what would become of him and his family in the aftermath of the Civil War and the Indian Removal westward?
Cow Tom’s legacy lives on—especially in the courageous spirit of his granddaughter Rose. She rises to leadership of the family as they struggle against political and societal hostility intent on keeping blacks and Indians oppressed. But through it all, her grandfather’s indelible mark of courage inspires her—in mind, in spirit, and in a family legacy that never dies.
Written in two parts portraying the parallel lives of Cow Tom and Rose, Citizens Creek is a beautifully rendered novel that takes the listener deep into a little known chapter of American history. It is a breathtaking tale of identity, community, family—and above all, the power of an individual’s will to make a difference.
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“Lyrical and enchanting, Citizens Creek is a beautifully written novel whose power and scope never fails to reveal the secret bonds that link us all. Tademy conjures up the heroes and heroines of our nation’s hidden history, and frees their spirits to tell a tale of love and survival, so vivid, so real, that it feels like magic. The unforgettable characters of Rose and Cow Tom remind us that the American Dream began as a collection of promises—those made and kept, those broken and forgotten—and that our success or failure depends on the promises we make to ourselves.”
— Rashad Harrison, author of Our Man in the Dark
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“Tademy draws a tale of courage and family loyalty from a dark corner of American history…Tademy’s research lends veracity to the tale…Tademy’s tale remains intense throughout…Tademy explores a forgotten trail of American history to find an intriguing tale of love, family, and perseverance in the struggles of proud African Creeks.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
“Two narrators tell a story that spans four generations and a a little-known chapter in American history…JD Jackson, telling Tom’s story, and Bahni Turpin, relating Rose’s, both deliver exquisite performances that immerse the listener in the characters. Jackson’s careful diction adds emotional power to his portrayal of Cow Tom. Turpin paces Rose’s story in a way that highlights the struggles and triumphs of an amazing, resilient family. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award,”
— AudioFile -
“Lalita Tademy brings to the forefront one of the most significant interminglings of people that this country has ever seen. I was completely captured by this family’s adventures, misfortunes, and triumphs.”
— Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of Wench -
“The marvelous historical novelist Lalita Tademy brings her enormous gifts to the true story of a young slave sold to an Indian chief decades before the Civil War, and the role he would play in setting the course of history. This is a powerful and moving novel about a little known chapter in our past and about one family’s legacy of courage. I’ll remember it for a long time.”
— Ann Packer, author of The Dive from Clausen’s Pier -
“Lalita Tademy does it again. She takes fascinating moments in history and turns them into powerful, heart-wrenching fiction. The stories of Cow Tom and Rose will wow you, crush you, and stay with you for a very long time.”
— Ellen Sussman, author of A Wedding in Provence
Awards
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An AudioFile Editors’ Pick in Historical Fiction for November 2014
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Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award
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About Lalita Tademy
Lalita Tademy was born in Berkeley, California, far from her parents’ Southern roots. A former vice president of Sun Microsystems, she left the corporate world to immerse herself in tracing her family’s history and writing her first book, Cane River, based on the lives of four generations of colored Creole slave women in Louisiana, women Tademy descended from. She is also the author of Red River, a historical novel based on real events during Reconstruction after the Civil War.
About the Narrators
Bahni Turpin, winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards and several prestigious Audie Awards for her narrations, was named a “Golden Voice” by AudioFile magazine in 2019. Publishers Weekly magazine named her Narrator of the Year for 2016. She is an ensemble member of the Cornerstone Theater Company in Los Angeles. She has guest starred in many television series, including NYPD Blue, Law & Order, Six Feet Under, Cold Case, What about Brian, and The Comeback. Film credits include Brokedown Palace, Crossroads, and Daughters of the Dust. She is also a member of the recording cast of The Help, which won numerous awards.
JD Jackson is a theater professor, aspiring stage director, and award-winning audiobook narrator. He is a classically trained actor, and his television and film credits include roles on House, ER, Law & Order, Hack, Sherrybaby, Diary of a City Priest, and Lucky Number Slevin. He is the recipient of more than a dozen Earphones Awards for narration and an Odyssey Honor for G. Neri’s Ghetto Cowboy, and he was also named one of AudioFile magazine’s Best Voices of the Year for 2012 and 2013. An adjunct professor at Los Angeles Southwest College, he has an MFA in theater from Temple University.