Taylor declares, “The language was painful, and life was painful for many African Americans.” In The Land, Taylor addresses issues of racism, injustice, and oppression, all of which affect Paul in his journey to manhood. Taylor also refuses to “whitewash history” in the book, standing behind her use of the painful language that was spoken during the historical time period. In “A Note to the Reader,” Taylor writes, “All of my books are based on stories told by my family, and on the history of the United States.” The Land includes episodes from her great-grandfather’s life. The Land, a coming-of-age novel, tells the story of Paul-Edward Logan, the son of a white plantation owner and a half African American, half Native American former slave as he struggles to find his identity and earn the land of his dreams in the years following the U.S. Taylor, The Land (2001) is a prequel to Taylor’s Newbery Award-winning book, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, and is the fifth book in her Logan Family Saga. Written by award-winning African American author Mildred D.
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