Quote by Esi Edugyan: “A story is a kind of living thing, a breath.”

This quote beautifully illustrates the dynamic and vital nature of storytelling. It suggests that narratives are not static records but active, breathing entities that carry life and meaning, constantly evolving as they are shared.

In the late 2010s, discussions about narrative authority and the importance of marginalized voices became central to literary and social discourse. Edugyan's novel, set against the backdrop of historical slavery, emphasizes the vital, life-giving power of telling one's own truth.

Canadian novelist of Ghanaian descent whose novel Washington Black won the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2018. Her work explores Black history, freedom, and identity across the Atlantic world, including the Caribbean plantation system and the history of slavery.