17164

A fugitive from slavery, the man known as Three-Fingered Jack terrorized colonial Jamaica in 1780 and 1781 until he was brutally vanquished by Maroons. The story of this freedom fighter, who was also thief and killer, was originally recorded and shared to  England by a colonist, with some distortions. The tale has inspired theatrical representations and fictionalized accounts for two centuries. This exploration of the literary and cultural history of Jack's various iterations weaves together storytelling from Jamaica, Britain, and the United States. The variety of ways the story is used for different audiences helps illustrate the complexity of the violent colonial project that continues to influence culture, literature, and arts today. Rutgers University Press. 2017. Paper. NEW. $30.00