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Any Known Blood
Spanning five generations, sweeping across a century and a half of almost unknown history, this acclaimed and unexpectedly funny novel is the story of a man seeking himself in the mirror of his family's past. There were Canes in Canada before the United States erupted into civil war. Their roots are deep, their legacy is rich, but Langston Cane V knows little of his heritage. He is thirty-eight, divorced, and childless and has just been fired for sabotaging a government official's speech. The eldest son of a white mother and prominent black father, Langston feels more acutely than ever the burden of his illustrious family name and his racially mixed heritage. To be black in a white society is hard enough; to be half-black, half-white is to have no identity at all. Or so Langston believes. After a run-in with his father, Langston takes off for his feisty aunt's house in Baltimore, where he embarks on a remarkable quest for his family's past.
It's said that those who forget history are condemned to repeat it, but to Langston, history offers not condemnation but reprieve. For when he stumbles across a treasure trove of family documents, he sets off on a journey through time that will lead him back to the famous antislavery raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and the great-great-grandfather who fought beside John Brown. He rediscovers the long line of relatives who have battled for racial justice, decade after decade. He finds passion, dignity, and courage--and, at last, by unearthing and giving voice to those who came before him, he finds himself.
Rich in historical detail and gracefully flowing from the slave trade of nineteenth-century Virginia to the present, Any Known Blood gives life to a story never before told, a story of five generations of a black Canadian family whose tragedies and victories merge with the American experience.
It's said that those who forget history are condemned to repeat it, but to Langston, history offers not condemnation but reprieve. For when he stumbles across a treasure trove of family documents, he sets off on a journey through time that will lead him back to the famous antislavery raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, and the great-great-grandfather who fought beside John Brown. He rediscovers the long line of relatives who have battled for racial justice, decade after decade. He finds passion, dignity, and courage--and, at last, by unearthing and giving voice to those who came before him, he finds himself.
Rich in historical detail and gracefully flowing from the slave trade of nineteenth-century Virginia to the present, Any Known Blood gives life to a story never before told, a story of five generations of a black Canadian family whose tragedies and victories merge with the American experience.
528 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
91 people are currently reading
2597 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Hill
35 books1,755 followersHill is the author of ten books of fiction and non-fiction. In 2005, he won his first literary honour: a National Magazine Award for the article “Is Africa’s Pain Black America’s Burden?” published in The Walrus. His first two novels were Some Great Thing and Any Known Blood, and his first non-fiction work to attract national attention was the memoir Black Berry, Sweet Juice: On Being Black and White in Canada. But it was his third novel, The Book of Negroes (HarperCollins Canada, 2007) — published in some countries as Someone Knows My Name and in French as Aminata — that attracted widespread attention in Canada and other countries.
Lawrence Hill’s non-fiction book, Blood: The Stuff of Life was published in September 2013 by House of Anansi Press. Blood is a personal consideration of the physical, social, cultural and psychological aspects of blood, and how it defines, unites and divides us. Hill drew from the book to deliver the 2013 Massey Lectures across Canada.
In 2013, Hill published the essay Dear Sir, I Intend to Burn Your Book: An Anatomy of a Book Burning (University of Alberta Press).
His fourth novel, The Illegal, was published by HarperCollins Canada in 2015 and by WW Norton in the USA in 2016.
Hill is currently writing a new novel and a children’s book, and co-writing a television miniseries adaptation of The Illegal for Conquering Lion Pictures. Hill is a professor of creative writing at the University of Guelph, in Ontario.
Lawrence Hill’s non-fiction book, Blood: The Stuff of Life was published in September 2013 by House of Anansi Press. Blood is a personal consideration of the physical, social, cultural and psychological aspects of blood, and how it defines, unites and divides us. Hill drew from the book to deliver the 2013 Massey Lectures across Canada.
In 2013, Hill published the essay Dear Sir, I Intend to Burn Your Book: An Anatomy of a Book Burning (University of Alberta Press).
His fourth novel, The Illegal, was published by HarperCollins Canada in 2015 and by WW Norton in the USA in 2016.
Hill is currently writing a new novel and a children’s book, and co-writing a television miniseries adaptation of The Illegal for Conquering Lion Pictures. Hill is a professor of creative writing at the University of Guelph, in Ontario.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 354 reviews
September 24, 2018
3.5 stars and holding strong.
Let me preface this review by stating two things-Lawrence Hill is perhaps one of the most talented authors we have in Canada today and his book The Book of Negroes is definitely a book I continue to recommend again and again. But I had a rather difficult time getting into the book and following along with the main character's journey into the story of his ancestors. Maybe I am preoccupied with all the September mayhem of the new school year, but I couldn't seem to enjoy it so much. Overall though, I did enjoy this angle of history unfolding and it's desire to let readers know some little known history. I would like to re-read this book again at some point.
Let me preface this review by stating two things-Lawrence Hill is perhaps one of the most talented authors we have in Canada today and his book The Book of Negroes is definitely a book I continue to recommend again and again. But I had a rather difficult time getting into the book and following along with the main character's journey into the story of his ancestors. Maybe I am preoccupied with all the September mayhem of the new school year, but I couldn't seem to enjoy it so much. Overall though, I did enjoy this angle of history unfolding and it's desire to let readers know some little known history. I would like to re-read this book again at some point.
May 25, 2024
The story of five generations of men called Langston Cane, from the formerly enslaved Langston Cane the First, who fled the US to Oakville, Ontario, to Langston Cane the Fifth, a modern day writer who begins exploring his family history after a personal and career blow out leads him to travel to Baltimore, where his father grew up.
I enjoyed learning about historic Oakville, better known today as a well-off bedroom community of Toronto - partway through the book I was peering at Oakville real estate listings, hoping (and failing) to find traces of the history in the book. Also interesting to read some about Baltimore, the AME church, and John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry. The writing was not amazing, with a stop and start plot, thin dialogue, and awkward gender stuff and sex scenes, but a worthwhile read nonetheless.
I enjoyed learning about historic Oakville, better known today as a well-off bedroom community of Toronto - partway through the book I was peering at Oakville real estate listings, hoping (and failing) to find traces of the history in the book. Also interesting to read some about Baltimore, the AME church, and John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry. The writing was not amazing, with a stop and start plot, thin dialogue, and awkward gender stuff and sex scenes, but a worthwhile read nonetheless.
March 24, 2017
Langston Cane the fifth is a mid thirties fellow who is divorced and has just been fired from his job as a speech writer for a politician. He comes from mixed race parents, his father being a doctor in Oakville Ontario. Some of his ancestors came from Baltimore and Langston has always been curious about his family history. He has an aunt living in Baltimore who he has never met. He embarks on a project to research and study the history of his family.
After giving up his apartment he buys a Jetta and starts on his journey to Baltimore. He discovers that his aunt never throws out anything and in her boxes she has a world of information and details of such interest to him that he immerses himself completely in the project.
This is the most wonderful book that I have read in a very long time. You find yourself completely absorbed in five generations of Canes. I dare anyone who starts this book to try to put it down for longer than it takes to walk the dog.
A fantastic read.
After giving up his apartment he buys a Jetta and starts on his journey to Baltimore. He discovers that his aunt never throws out anything and in her boxes she has a world of information and details of such interest to him that he immerses himself completely in the project.
This is the most wonderful book that I have read in a very long time. You find yourself completely absorbed in five generations of Canes. I dare anyone who starts this book to try to put it down for longer than it takes to walk the dog.
A fantastic read.
February 11, 2020
This book came out of left field and blew me away. Simply fantastic storytelling.
June 13, 2020
I just flew through this 500 page novel in 3 days. Great story, so well written you’ll find yourself flying through pages to get to story about the next Langston Cane (there’s 5 generations with that name!). It’s not new, published in 1997 and needs to pop back up on consciousness and get some attention. The story of 5 generations of a Black American & Canadian family - from slavery to modern day, across both sides of the border. Hill explores matters of the mind, identity, racism and allyship ... he teaches the reader on every page yet it’s hidden inside the plot.
Add this novel to your list. With the setting of Oakville, Ontario (my neighbour city!) yet I was unaware that the city was an Underground Railway location (which is so logical given the Great Lake location) - now I have started to Google and find nothing (why do we know about the Chatham connection to abolition but not Oakville?) - the author has dug up and highlighted a very important part of this region’s history that we do not know. If we do not know / acknowledge it, it’s harder to understand and learn from it.
Add this novel to your list. With the setting of Oakville, Ontario (my neighbour city!) yet I was unaware that the city was an Underground Railway location (which is so logical given the Great Lake location) - now I have started to Google and find nothing (why do we know about the Chatham connection to abolition but not Oakville?) - the author has dug up and highlighted a very important part of this region’s history that we do not know. If we do not know / acknowledge it, it’s harder to understand and learn from it.
January 14, 2009
I thought I had already added this book to my shelves. I think it was one of the first books I read by Larry prior to signing on to Booming Ground (UBC), and mentoring with him for 4 months (ending Winter 2007, when The Book of Negroes was being released). In a way, I think this book may have been a lead-up to the latter, not that it is the same story, but in that it covers 150 years re: black experience both in the U.S. and Canada...Recommended.
April 4, 2023
Hi there my fellow bookworms ! This was my first
Lawrence book that I read and it won’t be my last ! I
Loved this book ! Langston Crane the fifth is a speech writer for a politician but loses his job because he leaked something he was not supposed to . His parents are Inter racial . He is divorced because of an affair . So with his recent divorce and
Job loss he decides to go to Baltimore and find out more about his family history. Oops I forgot to mention he lives in Oakville Ontario. His father is a respected doctor. He goes to Baltimore to his aunt Mills ! And she does not hold her tongue , she was actually my favourite! She is kinda of a hoarder ! This is how Laurence finds out all the information about his family because Auntie Mill has boxes and boxes of letters on the Crane Family ! Going as far back as the Slavery in the US ! Langston Crane the first is the Slave . But he is also a Rat Catcher ! That was his job because he was so good at it ! Langston Crane the second is a preacher and so is Langston the third
And Langston the fourth a Doctor! I loved this book because it takes you into different generations! My kind of book!
Lawrence book that I read and it won’t be my last ! I
Loved this book ! Langston Crane the fifth is a speech writer for a politician but loses his job because he leaked something he was not supposed to . His parents are Inter racial . He is divorced because of an affair . So with his recent divorce and
Job loss he decides to go to Baltimore and find out more about his family history. Oops I forgot to mention he lives in Oakville Ontario. His father is a respected doctor. He goes to Baltimore to his aunt Mills ! And she does not hold her tongue , she was actually my favourite! She is kinda of a hoarder ! This is how Laurence finds out all the information about his family because Auntie Mill has boxes and boxes of letters on the Crane Family ! Going as far back as the Slavery in the US ! Langston Crane the first is the Slave . But he is also a Rat Catcher ! That was his job because he was so good at it ! Langston Crane the second is a preacher and so is Langston the third
And Langston the fourth a Doctor! I loved this book because it takes you into different generations! My kind of book!
December 9, 2014
Loved the story lines, loved the characters and loved the narration. At 15 1/2 hours, I thought it would take me at least a week or two to get through this, but it was so good that I listened at home, at work and on my commute.
August 6, 2016
After reading The Book of Negroes and more recently The Illegal, I decided to give Lawrence Hill's older novel Any Known Blood a try.
Truly, Hill does not disappoint. I found Book of Negroes engrossing and just the right amount of uncomfortable to read. The Illegal was a completely different pace (a slow burn) but I also enjoyed it. Once again, Any Known Blood keeps the bar high.
The novel's protagonist Langston Cane the Fifth decides he is not tethered in this world because he knows nothing of his family's background. He travels from Oakville, ON to Baltimore, Maryland in an effort to dig into his family's past. He leaves behind a father who he feels is constantly disappointed in him.
Jumping through all the Langston Canes from 1 to 5, there isn't any predictability to the book in terms of form. Hill does not opt to write about the Canes down the family tree from senior to junior, but rather dances from one character to the next. We slowly discover all the choices that the Cane's have made that have bound them together and created their future.
To be honest, the novel isn't full a huge climax. There isn't one big AHA moment that is revealed. Rather, we watched as Langston Cane V slowly finds his way in the world as he unveils the secrets his family has hidden over time.
Hill writes about many deep rooted issues that African-Americans are facing today in a way that includes white people in the dialogue but in a non-accusatory manner. I assume this is partially Hill speaking from his own experience of being a mixed race. Either way, it was enlightening to read and understand why or how people feel a certain way.
4/5 for more excellent work from Hill and holding my breath for more.
(Incidentally, he lives in the same city I do and I once saw him shopping at our local grocery store. Must...not...stalk him.)
Truly, Hill does not disappoint. I found Book of Negroes engrossing and just the right amount of uncomfortable to read. The Illegal was a completely different pace (a slow burn) but I also enjoyed it. Once again, Any Known Blood keeps the bar high.
The novel's protagonist Langston Cane the Fifth decides he is not tethered in this world because he knows nothing of his family's background. He travels from Oakville, ON to Baltimore, Maryland in an effort to dig into his family's past. He leaves behind a father who he feels is constantly disappointed in him.
Jumping through all the Langston Canes from 1 to 5, there isn't any predictability to the book in terms of form. Hill does not opt to write about the Canes down the family tree from senior to junior, but rather dances from one character to the next. We slowly discover all the choices that the Cane's have made that have bound them together and created their future.
To be honest, the novel isn't full a huge climax. There isn't one big AHA moment that is revealed. Rather, we watched as Langston Cane V slowly finds his way in the world as he unveils the secrets his family has hidden over time.
Hill writes about many deep rooted issues that African-Americans are facing today in a way that includes white people in the dialogue but in a non-accusatory manner. I assume this is partially Hill speaking from his own experience of being a mixed race. Either way, it was enlightening to read and understand why or how people feel a certain way.
4/5 for more excellent work from Hill and holding my breath for more.
(Incidentally, he lives in the same city I do and I once saw him shopping at our local grocery store. Must...not...stalk him.)
October 30, 2020
I found the writing and story lines to be as good as The Book Negroes.
It was an interesting idea the central character to sell everything, but a vehicle and head to Baltimore to trace his family roots and meet members of his family. Although fiction, one wonders how the story would have turned out and what stumbling blocks Langton V would have had had not one member of the family to keep everything on the family. Would he have given up or had to dig further to find the truths he was looking for? I enjoyed the parts of the book detailing all the research than Cane V did to trace his family history from Africa to Oakville and how they all ended up in Oakville.
It was an interesting idea the central character to sell everything, but a vehicle and head to Baltimore to trace his family roots and meet members of his family. Although fiction, one wonders how the story would have turned out and what stumbling blocks Langton V would have had had not one member of the family to keep everything on the family. Would he have given up or had to dig further to find the truths he was looking for? I enjoyed the parts of the book detailing all the research than Cane V did to trace his family history from Africa to Oakville and how they all ended up in Oakville.
September 4, 2015
I tried to read this after having loved The Book of Negroes, but the character development in this book just wasn't there and the entitled attitude of the father didn't help either. Maybe one day, I'll finish it. I got 100 pages in and dnf-ed.
March 1, 2023
I am so glad to have finally read another book by Lawrence Hill! This was a book that was on my 5 star prediction list for the year, and while I ended up giving it "only" 4 stars, it was still an enjoyable thoroughly researched novel. I appreciated learning more about some aspects of the Black and biracial experience in Canada over the last 150 years. As someone who enjoys genealogy research, having the character following his namesakes' stories (he is Langston Cane V, so we are following the previous 4 generations stories) through family papers and archival visits was a fun bonus.
(I realize that Hill's first novel Some Great Things has more of the backstory of Yoyo and Mahatma Grafton in Winnipeg so it will be fun to pick back up with them at some point).
(I realize that Hill's first novel Some Great Things has more of the backstory of Yoyo and Mahatma Grafton in Winnipeg so it will be fun to pick back up with them at some point).
January 15, 2014
What I liked most about Lawrence Hill’s novel “Any Known Blood” was perhaps the one thing I also disliked about it. While this may sound like an oxymoron, Hill’s use of time travel throughout the novel quickly became convoluted and difficult to follow. Despite this, the novel provides an adventure through the racial tensions of the past century and a half.
The story revolves around Langston Cane V, a somewhat angsty character who once worked as a government speechwriter in Toronto. The plot of the novel is based upon Langston attempting to discover the nature of his family history in order to help himself develop a personal identity. He travels from Toronto, to nearby Oakville, and then to Baltimore, Maryland in an attempt to retrace the steps of his ancestors: the four Langston Canes who came before him.
While the concept of the reader travelling back in time as Langston learns the stories of his predecessors is an interesting one, the execution is confusing. With all of the main characters named Langston Cane, and no particular order to their stories, keeping them and their separate plotlines straight proved a difficult task. With a plot-driven book such as this one, clarity is a vital component, and when it is lacking, the novel loses some of its appeal. However, the breadth of experiences and the contrasting stories of the five Langston Canes was undoubtedly my favourite part of the novel. Langston Cane I, for example, has an incredibly rich and interesting story, but one that is also very historically dense. In order to fully understand his significance, I found myself doing my own secondary research, and while I cannot speak to the accuracy of the history portrayed in the novel, his story was by far the most engaging.
The most prevalent theme in the novel is the search for identity. Langston Cane V, a man of mixed black and white heritage, struggles to determine where he belongs in society. Like Langston, Hill is also of mixed heritage, and the novel offers the unique perspective of one through the eyes of such a character. While most of the novel revolves around the African American experience in Canada and the United States, it also deals with the challenges of those of mixed heritage who faced discrimination from whites and blacks alike. While the title of the novel is undoubtedly related to this theme, its true meaning was only vaguely brought up in conversation between two characters. The title is probably significant to the theme, and I wish there were a more concrete indication of its full meaning.
Like all Lawrence Hill novels, “Book of Negroes” included, “Any Known Blood” was eloquently written and full of detail. However, the confusing nature of the flashbacks detracted from this, making parts of the novel tangled and unclear. Nevertheless, with some extra vigilance and careful reading, “Any Known Blood” is thoroughly enjoyable and, at times, even educational.
The story revolves around Langston Cane V, a somewhat angsty character who once worked as a government speechwriter in Toronto. The plot of the novel is based upon Langston attempting to discover the nature of his family history in order to help himself develop a personal identity. He travels from Toronto, to nearby Oakville, and then to Baltimore, Maryland in an attempt to retrace the steps of his ancestors: the four Langston Canes who came before him.
While the concept of the reader travelling back in time as Langston learns the stories of his predecessors is an interesting one, the execution is confusing. With all of the main characters named Langston Cane, and no particular order to their stories, keeping them and their separate plotlines straight proved a difficult task. With a plot-driven book such as this one, clarity is a vital component, and when it is lacking, the novel loses some of its appeal. However, the breadth of experiences and the contrasting stories of the five Langston Canes was undoubtedly my favourite part of the novel. Langston Cane I, for example, has an incredibly rich and interesting story, but one that is also very historically dense. In order to fully understand his significance, I found myself doing my own secondary research, and while I cannot speak to the accuracy of the history portrayed in the novel, his story was by far the most engaging.
The most prevalent theme in the novel is the search for identity. Langston Cane V, a man of mixed black and white heritage, struggles to determine where he belongs in society. Like Langston, Hill is also of mixed heritage, and the novel offers the unique perspective of one through the eyes of such a character. While most of the novel revolves around the African American experience in Canada and the United States, it also deals with the challenges of those of mixed heritage who faced discrimination from whites and blacks alike. While the title of the novel is undoubtedly related to this theme, its true meaning was only vaguely brought up in conversation between two characters. The title is probably significant to the theme, and I wish there were a more concrete indication of its full meaning.
Like all Lawrence Hill novels, “Book of Negroes” included, “Any Known Blood” was eloquently written and full of detail. However, the confusing nature of the flashbacks detracted from this, making parts of the novel tangled and unclear. Nevertheless, with some extra vigilance and careful reading, “Any Known Blood” is thoroughly enjoyable and, at times, even educational.
July 2, 2016
This is an amazing story written by the awesome talented Lawrence Hill! A resounding 5+⭐️!
Lawrence Hill is the Canadian author of ten books and a winner of the Commonwealth Writer's Prize for Best Book. He is the first writer to win the Canada Reads Prize twice.
The ebook Any Known Blood that I borrowed from Fredericton Library through Overdrive on my iPhone contained a map, the family tree and extra contents such as insights, interviews and links to websites.
Any Known Blood is such an amazing, fabulous, wonderful novel that I feel unqualified to write a review. So, here are some quotes to express my sentiments about this book and author.
"Lawrence Hill's hugely impressive historical work is completely engrossing and deserves a wide, international readership."
The Washington Post
"Hill is a wonderful storyteller, never a reformer or a preacher...the narrative is clear and purposeful and translucent..."
The Montreal Gazette
Lawrence Hill masterful threads the history of the five generations of men...into an engaging commentary of times... Colourful dialogue and rich flashes of subtle humour abound."
The Toronto Star
"The novel, based on actual events and real people, is filled with humour, insight and intelligence."
The London Free Press
"Outstanding - Hill's narrative is consistently compelling and readable, and his characters are wonderfully drawn."
Quill and Quire
"Any Known Blood is a witty, wry, well-crafted
story told on a Dickensian scale."
Winnipeg Free Press
"A considerable achievement in which an intelligent, compassionate writer manages to achieve what American feminist poet Adrienne Rich calls the 'imaginative transformation of reality.' That he manages to do so with such grace and humour is a tribute to Hill's maturity and as both a writer and a human being."
The Ottawa Citizen
In the Interview included in my copy of Any Known Blood, Lawrence Hill stated,
"I believe that fiction, well done, is a fabulous way to introduce people to history."
"Part of my job as a novelist is to write the colour - and by that I mean human drama and struggle - back into history."
Below is a quote from the book Any Known Blood.
"I'm not stepping out of this house with the KKK there. Those men are looking for coloured blood. They're looking for any known blood they can find."
I highly recommend this book. You really should read it! 5+stars!
Lawrence Hill is the Canadian author of ten books and a winner of the Commonwealth Writer's Prize for Best Book. He is the first writer to win the Canada Reads Prize twice.
The ebook Any Known Blood that I borrowed from Fredericton Library through Overdrive on my iPhone contained a map, the family tree and extra contents such as insights, interviews and links to websites.
Any Known Blood is such an amazing, fabulous, wonderful novel that I feel unqualified to write a review. So, here are some quotes to express my sentiments about this book and author.
"Lawrence Hill's hugely impressive historical work is completely engrossing and deserves a wide, international readership."
The Washington Post
"Hill is a wonderful storyteller, never a reformer or a preacher...the narrative is clear and purposeful and translucent..."
The Montreal Gazette
Lawrence Hill masterful threads the history of the five generations of men...into an engaging commentary of times... Colourful dialogue and rich flashes of subtle humour abound."
The Toronto Star
"The novel, based on actual events and real people, is filled with humour, insight and intelligence."
The London Free Press
"Outstanding - Hill's narrative is consistently compelling and readable, and his characters are wonderfully drawn."
Quill and Quire
"Any Known Blood is a witty, wry, well-crafted
story told on a Dickensian scale."
Winnipeg Free Press
"A considerable achievement in which an intelligent, compassionate writer manages to achieve what American feminist poet Adrienne Rich calls the 'imaginative transformation of reality.' That he manages to do so with such grace and humour is a tribute to Hill's maturity and as both a writer and a human being."
The Ottawa Citizen
In the Interview included in my copy of Any Known Blood, Lawrence Hill stated,
"I believe that fiction, well done, is a fabulous way to introduce people to history."
"Part of my job as a novelist is to write the colour - and by that I mean human drama and struggle - back into history."
Below is a quote from the book Any Known Blood.
"I'm not stepping out of this house with the KKK there. Those men are looking for coloured blood. They're looking for any known blood they can find."
I highly recommend this book. You really should read it! 5+stars!
September 28, 2012
This is a book that grows on you the deeper you get into it. For the beginning third, I was a bit confused as to where the true plot was leading. I think it would be helpful to know in advance that Lawrence Hill uses Langston Cane the fifth, the key narrator, to research and uncover the life stories of the previous four Langston Canes while, at the same time, allowing LC the 5 some time for self-discovery. LC the 5 is the thread that holds the other four narratives together.
The movement through the five generations shows the progression from slavery to freedom to education. It delves into topics such as the Underground Railway, the anti-slavery movement, being free but not equal, interracial love and marriage, inability to meet other's expectations and the importance of skin colour, even within the black race. Historical references to Harper's Ferry, John Brown and General Lee anchor the novel in history, making it seem that this is an accurate history but Hill reminds us that this is a novel, not a biography.
The novel is so well-written and so fluid that you suddenly find yourself on page 400 without any effort at all. Hill has a way with expressing the underlying feelings of his characters in a realistic way. His characters are strong and memorable and each of them is still striving to find a place to belong.
The movement through the five generations shows the progression from slavery to freedom to education. It delves into topics such as the Underground Railway, the anti-slavery movement, being free but not equal, interracial love and marriage, inability to meet other's expectations and the importance of skin colour, even within the black race. Historical references to Harper's Ferry, John Brown and General Lee anchor the novel in history, making it seem that this is an accurate history but Hill reminds us that this is a novel, not a biography.
The novel is so well-written and so fluid that you suddenly find yourself on page 400 without any effort at all. Hill has a way with expressing the underlying feelings of his characters in a realistic way. His characters are strong and memorable and each of them is still striving to find a place to belong.
December 9, 2011
If you've read Lawrence Hill's "Someone Knows My Name" you may be disappointed by this one. It involves a black Canadian who has decided to trace his family roots back to slavery. The story moves from his father, back to his great, great grandfather who was a slave. The problem is that the story does not move smoothly back and forth. Because all of them had the same name, Langston Cane, it's confusing. The first Langston Cane was thought to have taken part in John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry. I must admit to feeling a bit disappointed overall.
May 2, 2011
With a simple, unadorned style, Canadian Lawrence Hill conjures up five generations of strong and resilient yet fallible black men, all named Langston Cane, deftly keeping them distinct with clear shifts between their stories. A highly recommended book by the author of "The Book of Negroes" (published as "Someone Knows My Name" is the States) and the brother of singer Dan Hill.
April 11, 2018
Was a little slow, but I enjoyed it.
July 5, 2018
I just finished a dense, 630 page novel in under a week... bruh, English degrees are no joke.
I had the pleasure of hearing Lawrence Hill speak in a small setting at my university last year. This was after I had just finished reading his best-known novel, The Book of Negroes . I was inspired by a lot of what he said about blending facts and fiction in his writing, and it helped me a lot when it came time to write my term paper. So for that alone, I will always hold a special place in my heart for Hill.
Overall, I find Hill to be a very enthralling writer, who crafts sentences and chapters that are easy flowing. His books deal with difficult subjects, yet they are also incredibly readable. This novel, however, missed the mark.
A few vignettes in this novel were worth the read, but, as a whole, the packaging of this narrative is weak, confused, and jumbled. The story casts several lines for the readers to follow, but does not catch anything for its efforts. Strong characterization is not to be found, and much of the dialogue is clunky and cliché.
Any Known Blood is unfortunately a disappointing read from an otherwise talented author.
I had the pleasure of hearing Lawrence Hill speak in a small setting at my university last year. This was after I had just finished reading his best-known novel, The Book of Negroes . I was inspired by a lot of what he said about blending facts and fiction in his writing, and it helped me a lot when it came time to write my term paper. So for that alone, I will always hold a special place in my heart for Hill.
Overall, I find Hill to be a very enthralling writer, who crafts sentences and chapters that are easy flowing. His books deal with difficult subjects, yet they are also incredibly readable. This novel, however, missed the mark.
A few vignettes in this novel were worth the read, but, as a whole, the packaging of this narrative is weak, confused, and jumbled. The story casts several lines for the readers to follow, but does not catch anything for its efforts. Strong characterization is not to be found, and much of the dialogue is clunky and cliché.
Any Known Blood is unfortunately a disappointing read from an otherwise talented author.
June 16, 2020
I loved this book. I devoured every moment. It's an epic read spanning generations, and I loved every character. The book was also set in my hometown of Oakville, which from a history standpoint I found incredibly fascinating as I had no idea that Oakville was the last stop on the Underground Railroad. This weekend I went to many of the spots described in the book, and saw it with different eyes. I imagined what it was like for the former slaves, coming off of a ship from New York to Oakville, and seeing this Oak tree filled land where they were finally free. I can't say enough about this book, favorite of the year by far!
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December 2, 2022The man knows how to tell a story! Both this one and The Book of Negroes pull the reader in, quickly, and keep that attention. I found the 'reverse' order--Langston Cane V researches LC I-IV, finding his answers further back on the calendar each time--a little challenging, but I enjoyed the way Hill moves back and forth between LCV in the present and the historical eras of his researches. The "Langston" is not accidental; more than a passing nod is made to Langston Hughes.
July 16, 2023
This was a hard book to describe at first...it didn't feel like there was much going on, and yet there was quite a personal journey. Towards the end it felt like a couple dramatic storylines were forced and out of place. Unnecessary. Thankfully it returned to the quiet journey again for the ending. All in all a good read.
August 14, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. It was going to be a five star review but the ending seemed to drag too much. Lawrence Hill is a gifted writer. This book is about five generations of men from slavery to modern times. Each man has a unique story and one that felt real, like they stepped out of history.
September 13, 2024
Lawrence Hill certainly knows how to weave a story. All the characters are strong and he manages to make their hopes and dreams, successes and failures, feel real.
It takes a gifted writer to build stories within stories in a realistic way. As protagonist Langston Cane V uncovers the stories of the Langston Canes before him, he gains insight into more than his past. The history of negro men and women reveal the influence of time, place and attitude on the development of their own characters and attitudes. I particularly like how many of the scenes revolved around the church and the fiery preachers who inspired congregants to sing, dance and testify.
Love and loyalty are strong themes in this book.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
It takes a gifted writer to build stories within stories in a realistic way. As protagonist Langston Cane V uncovers the stories of the Langston Canes before him, he gains insight into more than his past. The history of negro men and women reveal the influence of time, place and attitude on the development of their own characters and attitudes. I particularly like how many of the scenes revolved around the church and the fiery preachers who inspired congregants to sing, dance and testify.
Love and loyalty are strong themes in this book.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
April 19, 2021
Interesting story, I loved all the tie-ins to Ontario and Winnipeg.
February 17, 2022
Lawrence Hill provides a dazzling, believable, heartfelt story from the youngest of five generations of Canadian-Black/Africans during the last half of the 19th century through the 20th.
June 19, 2020
Took me two tries to get into this, but the second attempt really took. Maybe it's because I read it during a pandemic, when the #blacklivesmatter movement was at a peak. But it was enlightening. I knew some of this history, but by no means all of it. Worth your time.
January 31, 2022
I’ve always been a huge fan of Lawrence Hill’s writing style and Any Known Blood does it again! I love the intertwining of generations as we learn about the lives of each Langston ancestor. As a Canadian I enjoyed reading about the Black history across borders.
September 20, 2014
After reading Any Known Blood for the second time, I am quite comfortable saying that author Lawrence Hill focuses more on character than plot. I would say the same for his highly acclaimed The Book of Negroes with characters so real you can see their faces and hear their voices. It is the beauty of his prose, his attention to the finest of details, that bring his characters to life, as seen in the Prologue of Any Known Blood.
"They watched their shadows, and, to see them better, stood slightly apart. They saw his erection and one of her breasts profiled on the wall, they watched their own hands joining, and they noticed that the shadows revealed nothing of her whiteness, or his blackness."
This reference to skin color, in particular, the coming together of black and white, is the central theme of Any Known Blood, where a mixed-race writer heads to Baltimore to discover the secrets behind his family's past, to understand himself better.
"I have the rare distinction--a distinction that weighs like a wet life jacket, but that I sometimes float to great advantage--of not appearing to belong to any particular race, but of seeming like a contender for many," begins narrator Langston Cane V.
At once, Cane is likable for his ability to admit to his shortcomings, for his failures, for his universal flaws as a human being: "But it also takes something to fall from the treadmill of great accomplishments, to fail, even at the tasks of being a husband and a potential father and a writer, to march to the gates of middle age and look ahead and accept that you will not change the world."
Langston gets himself fired in order to begin a journey from Oakville, Ontario to Baltimore, land of his ancestors. (On a personal note, I live in Oakville, Ontario, so this novel provided a fascinating look back at the town in the early eighteen hundreds.) This journey is, essentially, the plot. But it's the people he meets who bring the story to life and help Cane find the answers he wants.
Like Millicent Esmerelda Cane, the sister of Cane's father. Here's a few lines of Langston and Millicent's first conversation:
"I ain't got any white nephews. Not around here. So git off my--Wait!" She pulled the glasses down to the nub of her nose.
"I'm Langston Cane. The fifth."
"You Can men pass that name down the line like it was an antique table," Mill chortled.
"I don't know what you have to laugh about. with a name like Millicent Esmerelda."
"Oh my, he's lippy, just like his daddy. I guess I got no choice but to tell you to step on up, Langston Cane the Fifth. You're not in trouble, are you? Drugs? Guns? Police after you?"
"No."
"I shouldn't have asked. Look at you. You walk like a prep school boy. You ought to move your backside when you walk. Roll your butt and straighten your back. Around here, you have to look like a predator."
Lawrence's dialogue is exquisite, especially in exchanges between Langston and Millicent who play off one another like The Odd Couple.
Still, the plot is weak in points, and difficult to digest, when an illegal African man, Yoyo, makes an effortless jump from selling kebabs to journalism, and when Millicent and Cane's father, who haven't spoken in years, come together painlessly, as if the years of hostility had never occurred. In my experience, estrangements within families are among the hardest to repair.
Overall, I agree with Joyce Carol Oates, that Any Known Blood is "An immensely readable novel, populated with sympathetic yet realistic characters..."
"They watched their shadows, and, to see them better, stood slightly apart. They saw his erection and one of her breasts profiled on the wall, they watched their own hands joining, and they noticed that the shadows revealed nothing of her whiteness, or his blackness."
This reference to skin color, in particular, the coming together of black and white, is the central theme of Any Known Blood, where a mixed-race writer heads to Baltimore to discover the secrets behind his family's past, to understand himself better.
"I have the rare distinction--a distinction that weighs like a wet life jacket, but that I sometimes float to great advantage--of not appearing to belong to any particular race, but of seeming like a contender for many," begins narrator Langston Cane V.
At once, Cane is likable for his ability to admit to his shortcomings, for his failures, for his universal flaws as a human being: "But it also takes something to fall from the treadmill of great accomplishments, to fail, even at the tasks of being a husband and a potential father and a writer, to march to the gates of middle age and look ahead and accept that you will not change the world."
Langston gets himself fired in order to begin a journey from Oakville, Ontario to Baltimore, land of his ancestors. (On a personal note, I live in Oakville, Ontario, so this novel provided a fascinating look back at the town in the early eighteen hundreds.) This journey is, essentially, the plot. But it's the people he meets who bring the story to life and help Cane find the answers he wants.
Like Millicent Esmerelda Cane, the sister of Cane's father. Here's a few lines of Langston and Millicent's first conversation:
"I ain't got any white nephews. Not around here. So git off my--Wait!" She pulled the glasses down to the nub of her nose.
"I'm Langston Cane. The fifth."
"You Can men pass that name down the line like it was an antique table," Mill chortled.
"I don't know what you have to laugh about. with a name like Millicent Esmerelda."
"Oh my, he's lippy, just like his daddy. I guess I got no choice but to tell you to step on up, Langston Cane the Fifth. You're not in trouble, are you? Drugs? Guns? Police after you?"
"No."
"I shouldn't have asked. Look at you. You walk like a prep school boy. You ought to move your backside when you walk. Roll your butt and straighten your back. Around here, you have to look like a predator."
Lawrence's dialogue is exquisite, especially in exchanges between Langston and Millicent who play off one another like The Odd Couple.
Still, the plot is weak in points, and difficult to digest, when an illegal African man, Yoyo, makes an effortless jump from selling kebabs to journalism, and when Millicent and Cane's father, who haven't spoken in years, come together painlessly, as if the years of hostility had never occurred. In my experience, estrangements within families are among the hardest to repair.
Overall, I agree with Joyce Carol Oates, that Any Known Blood is "An immensely readable novel, populated with sympathetic yet realistic characters..."
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