Difficult history well written. Some holes in the research and overall biography, but clearly necessary work for secondary students. Paired well with other vital works on the topic both fiction and nonfiction.

I thought this was an incredibly well researched book which I always appreciate. There are not a lot of books about Nat Turner's rebellion despite its historical significance and I don't recall any of them giving so much of the religious context for Nat's life in general. I gained so much information and perspective from the book! I will definitely purchase it for my personal library and I will recommend it to many patrons that have previously expressed interest in both Nat and his rebellion. I do think the book will be a difficult read for people that are interested more in the rebellion than the man because the first half of the book is focused on building the religious context for Nat's life. Due to my history background, I am partial to detailed and research rich books, but this book will be a long read for anyone that isn't a true history buff. I don't think it detracts from the book (which I LOVED!) I just think it will appeal to a very specific audience. Extremely grateful to have received an advanced copy!

This is an excellent offering that examines Nat Turner - the world in which lived and key religious ideologies that shaped his beliefs.. There is extraordinary coverage on the rebellion itself and Turner’s justification of his actions. In other words, the novel delves into his mindset: why he was compelled to act and what fueled these motivations. I found this to be easily readable and brilliantly frames the social and legal restrictions in a digestible

Thanks to the publisher, Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for an opportunity to review.

I went into this knowing about Nat Turner and his rebellion, but as I soon found out, I didn't actually *KNOW* about this man, his rebellion, and all the events leading up to it.

This book does a deep-dive into that time frame [the 1830's] and all that it encompassed, especially from the unique perspective of religion [I grew up in church - Baptist - and I learned quote a bit from this book that I had never heard before in church {go figure} and all the Biblical knowledge that is within its pages], how religion affected [and often encouraged] slavery, and how religious fervor factored into the rebellion itself. The dive into the Methodist church and its fall into the evils of slavery was so disheartening to read and helped explain why Nat finally turned his back on that and chose rebellion [from what his prophecies were telling him]. Reading this book was a completely eye-opening experience.

Expertly written and meticulously researched [both by the late Anthony Kaye and then by the man Mr, Kaye left his work to, Gregory P. Downs], this is a ust read for anyone who loves history, has heard this story and thought they *knew* it all, is interested in the time leading up to the Civil War, and all those who are continually doing the work to learn the truth and aren't afraid to do a deep-dive read to seek more of the truth.

I really love Leon Nixon as a narrator and was thrilled to see that he was narrating this book, and boy does he do an amazing job. He reads this often difficult book with ease and the right inflections and tone and I was sucked immediately into the story as soon as I turned this audiobook on. I highly recommend this audiobook - you will not be sorry.

Thank you to NetGalley, the late Anthony E. Kaye and his family, Gregory P. Downs, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, and Brilliance Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

The title of the book is what ultimately drew me and it did not disappoint. Many times throughout this book I found myself thinking maybe it should've been Nat Turner, Black Prophet? Or Nat Turner, Black Prophet! That is the true brilliance of what Anthony E. Kaye has delivered with this intensely researched text about the slave preacher turned revolt leader Nat Turner.
It reads like an academic text but one that is easy to digest if you enjoy what's on the menu. I found myself taking notes and looking up other texts to explore. I love digging into the footnotes of books such as this. I've already started a second read of the book hoping to simply enjoy and absorb the content. I definitely recommend this be included in the personal library of every history lover; especially African American history.

This is more of a scholarly work than I expected. It spends a lot of time on the historical background, which didn’t hold my interest. I’m not the target audience.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and it only took a few days to read. I think this is going to be a good book club option for several clubs. I plan recommending to my book friends and I look forward to reading more by this author.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Farrar, Straus and Giroux for an advance copy of this history about a major event in American history, that is still misunderstood, and one that still reverberates to this day, for different reasons.

History is written not only by the victors, but by those who don't want to deal with the truth. Some have good reasons, or at least tell themselves they do. Discussing this will only hold up the healing. Too many people will have a hard time getting past this. Let us just move on. Let the dead deal with the dead. Watching media today, we see this all the time. Most of the things we deal with as Americans, as citizens of this blue orb come from the fact that honest discussion is something most of us fear. No one wants to call a liar a liar, or wrong. Facts have lost meaning, because facts have been underrepresented. The story of Nat Turner is one of these stories, a story about a group who rose in mass to fight their oppressors, leading to the death of many, including the leaders. Some use Nat Turner as a rallying cry. Some as a tragedy, decrying the innocent women and children killed by his act of rebellion. A rebellion of course brought on by the act of enslavement. And maybe something more. Nat Turner, Black Prophet: A Visionary History is the last book by historian Anthony E. Kaye with Gregory P. Downs completeing most of the writing. The book tells of the rebellion by Nat Turner from a new view, one that gives a different take, complete with added research on the man that was Nat Turner.

The book starts with an introduction that explains how the book came about, the trying conditions that Kaye was dealing with health wise, and how most of the book came to be written or rewritten by Downs. From there readers are introduced to a part of the South we don't hear much of the rise of religious groups. Methodism was a fast growing religion, that included black preachers, interracial gatherings, and a rise in the idea of prophecy. The book discusses how during the American Revolution, slaves sided with the British. A prominent preacher spoke of going to the Promised Land, and what could be for those who fought with the English. Of course more promises were made than were actually kept. However the idea that religion, not just the idea but that people could be prophets told hold. And this would have much influence on the thinking of Nat Turner, a preacher who also held ideas about rebellion.

There was a lot more to the book than I expected. I was thinking this would be a tale of rebellion, of rising up, but there was far more to this than I expected, and a far different punishment and way of thinking among survivors and those who wanted to be sure this could never happen again. The religious writing is very well done, and really sets the atmosphere for what is coming. I should be surprised that there is still much that is not known about Nat Turner, someone so infamous one would think would have a better backstory. Honestly thought, being a black man in the South, how could there be. The writing is very good, not a lecture but more a discussion, one that ranges over quite a lot of subject matter. One can see the work on the page, and how much in the way of new information has been discovered. Even the footnotes are educational, sending at least myself on alot of different Internet trips.

A powerful book and one that proves to be a great final work for a gifted writer, along with the aid of his co-writer. There is much to think about, and much to contemplate And a lot of truth, truth that might start makeing a difference.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

“Nat Turner, Black Prophet: A Visionary History” by Anthony E. Kaye, with contributions from Gregory P. Downs, is a compelling and meticulously researched work that offers a fresh perspective on one of the most enigmatic figures in American history. The book is set to be released on August 13, 2024, and promises to be a significant contribution to the field of historical literature.

At the heart of this narrative is the figure of Nat Turner, an enslaved preacher whose name is synonymous with the largest slave revolt in the United States. Turner’s rebellion in 1831 was a pivotal moment in American history, and Kaye’s work delves deep into the spiritual and prophetic dimensions that drove Turner to lead this uprising.

Kaye’s approach is unique in that he does not shy away from Turner’s divine visions. Instead, he places these spiritual experiences at the center of the narrative, tracing their roots back to the world of nineteenth-century Methodism. This context provides a rich backdrop against which the events of the rebellion unfold, offering readers a deeper understanding of Turner’s motivations and the religious fervor that fueled his actions.

The book also explores the broader implications of the rebellion, particularly how it accelerated the end of a world where interracial churches and Black preachers were more common in the South. The aftermath of Turner’s revolt led to stricter controls over the enslaved population, even as the fear of further uprisings continued to shape the political landscape.

Kaye, along with Downs, presents a narrative that is both historical and prophetic, one that honors Turner’s legacy without sanitizing the violence and desperation of his struggle for freedom. The prose is engaging, and the research is thorough, making “Nat Turner, Black Prophet: A Visionary History” a must-read for anyone interested in the complexities of American slavery and the enduring impact of Turner’s rebellion.

In conclusion, this book is not just a recounting of historical events; it is an exploration of the human spirit’s quest for liberation and the profound ways in which faith can inspire revolutionary change. It is a testament to the power of visionaries like Nat Turner, who, despite the constraints of their time, dared to envision a world of freedom and fought valiantly to bring it into being.

This book is a look into the driving force behind the slave rebellion famously led by Nat Turner. The obvious motive would be to garner freedom and exact revenge for horrific abuses, however, Tony Kaye (and Gregory Downs) delve even deeper into the personal psyche of the man who put into motion what would become one of the turning points in American history.
Kaye examines the religious milieu of the 1830’s and how attitudes towards slavery intersected with those of righteous warfare. Into to this setting came a man who believed himself to be a prophet in the mold of a Moses leading his people from exile. I found this book to be a fascinating look into a tipping point in the antebellum South.

Having also read “Confessions” a few years ago, this book helped shined new light and insight and imparted truer details to the story than the retelling of Thomas Gray’s interview with Nat in the days after his capture. What stands out in the history of Nat Turner is just how much of his story is unknown. Kaye’s diligent work fills as many of those gaps as possible and attempts to present us with what Nat may have been thinking and feeling at given moments along the way. As a contrast, “Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid that Sparked the Civil War” is a favorite of mine and it is not lost on me that we learn so much about Brown’s life before, after, and during the events at Harper’s Ferry because those details were available. Conversely there are so many gaps and unknowns in the life of Nat Turner, and we realize that it’s not for lack of research, as this book in its painstaking years of study can attest. But instead it’s a sad and ugly truth that we know little, because Nat Turner lived in a society that did not value the humanity and being of the black person.

I found this to be an insightful read, and a fitting bookend to the legacy of the author. The postscript included by Downs at the end of the book was also a heartfelt tribute to Kaye. A special thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for an advanced copy.

Kaye's book does a great job at unpacking the Nat Turner rebellion, and does so from the unique perspective of religion. He provides some excellent background and context to the event, looking at the waves of religious change taking place in the country, as well as the impact of religion on enslaved people. Furthermore, he includes significant geographical context about the areas of rebellion and the social developments of the time. All of this makes for a much richer and deeper entry point into Turner's story. Turner, Kaye argues, can best be understood through the lens of religious fervor and racial discord that had been sweeping through the nation. In Ch. 3, he does a great job casting Turner in terms of being seen as a prophet, linking him to Methodism and Exodus imagery.
A key point for Turner was his insistence on being visited by a "Spirit" that called, maybe even commanded him to action. Beginning with the fifth chapter, Kaye then unpacks the narrative of the rebellion in great storytelling and captivating prose.

It would seem this book was influenced, consciously or unconsciously, but the focus of the impact of religious fundamentalism these days. It calls into question issues about the justification of violence, and the rationalization of such acts by theological means. This then might make readers wonder how close Nat Turner was to a cult leader, and what of the followers who bought into his messaging?

Kaye's book fills a hole in the historiography of Nat Turner in a profound and readable way. I feel like his story has finally been done justice.

Thank you to NetGallery and publisher for an advanced copy of this book. It is. a very well written and comprehensive study of Nate Turner. Unfortunately. I misjudged it as an historical fiction when I requested it. This book would be an excellent read for someone looking for the history of Nate Turner and his accomplishments.

This is a really fascinating read. Until I read this book, I didn't realize how religiously motivated Turner was. The authors do their utmost to illuminate his entire worldview and the entire project makes him much more human.

This book was researched by Kaye before his death and he left extensive written notes and drafts. Downs then worked with that material, extensively re-writing most of it. His goal was to present Kaye's thoughts as best he could. The end result works well, IMO.

For readers who want to take a much deeper dive into the story of Nat Turner and how he developed his rebellion against enslavers, this book will help to fill in some of the gaps or more intensive questions that require more complex answers.

One of the things the book starts off with referencing is the broader world of slave revolts, including that of Denmark Vesey in Charleston, South Carolina, around 1822.

This book sketches a complete pyschological but also religious account of all of the things that Turner believed, the things that influenced him, and his psyche overall.

Theology readers or those who have a deep interest in books that have religious history as part of their content in a major way will want to invest in a copy of this book both in terms of academic libraries but also for special book sales opportunities like Christian bookstores and those of other faiths. It’s a very eye-opening text with much nuance.

Ultimately, this book is a much more expanded offering on Nat Turner, his rebellion, and adds much context to the overall discussions in this area.

Truly excellent and very well written book. The person of Nat Turner is fascinating, and the authors successfully integrate the best known details and history to contextualize and explain who he is and his significance. Especially important in this book is not only the excellent distillation of relevant U.S. history but also a wonderful discussion of the role of religion. The sophistication provided in this clear narrative is outstanding. Highly recommended.