By Mathelinda Nabugodi
Hardback, £20
The Trembling Hand is a rich and thought-provoking discussion of the Romantic writers in the context of enslavement. I found that I was thinking about Percy and Mary Shelley, Byron, Keats and others differently, and that this was both hard and relevant.
Nabugodi’s explanation of historical contexts of their lives and works – of colonialism, race science, and money linked to enslavement – provided me with a new lens through which to read these writers. Her detailed archival findings put this into practice, evidencing her argument. Her descriptions not only of relevant manuscripts but also objects, such as mourning jewellery made of hair, are so vivid I felt like I was seeing and handling them myself.
Nabugodi’s own experiences of researching this often-upsetting subject in the archive are essential reading for anyone who’s been thinking about the nature of the archive as it features enslavement. She is generous in giving details from her own life and experiences of racism, making the contemporary resonance of the book manifest.
Fresh and grounded in detailed scholarship, easy to read but intellectually engaging – I’ll be thinking about The Trembling Hand for a long time.
Review by Bethan