About the Book

The 2009 book selection was Song Yet Sung by James McBride. Set on Maryland's Eastern Shore in the 1850s, Song Yet Sung weaves an intricate and gripping tale of escaped slaves, free blacks, and slave catchers.

It was selected to offer Marylanders the opportunity to discuss topics such as race, identity, the intricacy of relationships, and Maryland history. The Maryland Humanities Council has at the core of its mission a deep commitment to providing Marylanders with an opportunity to gather and discuss issues important to their lives, believing that a great work of literature provides an excellent springboard to do so.

Below is an excerpt from the back cover:

"In the days before the Civil War, a group of slaves breaks free in the labyrinthine swamps of Maryland's Eastern Shore, setting loose a drama of violence and hope among slave catchers, plantation owners, watermen, runaway slaves, and free blacks. Among them is Liz Spocott, a runaway slave, near death, wracked by disturbing visions of the future, and armed with "the Code," a fiercely guarded cryptic means of communication for slaves on the run."

"As she makes her desperate flight among the denizens of the swampy marsh lands, Liz's extraordinary dreams of tomorrow create a freedom-seeking furor among the once complacent slave community. It is one that will thrust them all into a world of haunting choices and inexorably closer to a mysterious, redemptive, and unexpected fate."