Thieving Three-Fingered Jack
Transatlantic Tales of a Jamaican Outlaw, 1780-2015
By Frances R. Botkin | Publisher: Rutgers University Press
About the book
The fugitive slave known as “Three-Fingered Jack” terrorized colonial Jamaica from 1780 until vanquished by Maroons, self-emancipated Afro-Jamaicans bound by treaty to police the island for runaways and rebels. A thief and a killer, Jack was also a freedom fighter who sabotaged the colonial machine until his grisly death at its behest. Narratives about his exploits shed light on the problems of black rebellion and solutions administered by the colonial state, creating an occasion to consider counter-narratives about its methods of divide and conquer. For more than two centuries, writers, performers, and storytellers in England, Jamaica, and the United States have “thieved\" Three Fingered Jack's riveting tale, defining black agency through and against representations of his resistance.
Frances R. Botkin offers a literary and cultural history that explores the persistence of stories about this black rebel, his contributions to constructions of black masculinity in the Atlantic world, and his legacies in Jamaican and United States popular culture.
Editions of Thieving Three-Fingered Jack
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780813587394
- EBook
- ISBN 9780813587400
- PDF
- ISBN 9780813587417
Read an Excerpt
The fugitive slave known as “Three-Fingered Jack” terrorized colonial Jamaica from 1780 until vanquished by Maroons, self-emancipated Afro-Jamaicans bound by treaty to police the island for runaways and rebels. A thief and a killer, Jack was also a freedom fighter who sabotaged the colonial machine until his grisly death at its behest. Narratives about his exploits shed light on the problems of black rebellion and solutions administered by the colonial state, creating an occasion to consider counter-narratives about its methods of divide and conquer. For more than two centuries, writers, performers, and storytellers in England, Jamaica, and the United States have “thieved\" Three Fingered Jack's riveting tale, defining black agency through and against representations of his resistance.
Frances R. Botkin offers a literary and cultural history that explores the persistence of stories about this black rebel, his contributions to constructions of black masculinity in the Atlantic world, and his legacies in Jamaican and United States popular culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Thieving Three-Fingered Jack about?
The fugitive slave known as “Three-Fingered Jack” terrorized colonial Jamaica from 1780 until vanquished by Maroons, self-emancipated Afro-Jamaicans bound by treaty to police the island for runaways and rebels. A thief and a killer, Jack was also a freedom fighter who sabotaged the colonial machine until his grisly death at its behest. Narratives about his exploits shed light on the problems of black rebellion and solutions administered by the colonial state, creating an occasion to consider counter-narratives about its methods of divide and conquer. For more than two centuries, writers, performers, and storytellers in England, Jamaica, and the United States have “thieved\" Three Fingered Jack's riveting tale, defining black agency through and against representations of his resistance.
Frances R. Botkin offers a literary and cultural history that explores the persistence of stories about this black rebel, his contributions to constructions of black masculinity in the Atlantic world, and his legacies in Jamaican and United States popular culture.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Thieving Three-Fingered Jack?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism
Where can I read a sample of Thieving Three-Fingered Jack?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780813587394
Is Thieving Three-Fingered Jack part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Critical Caribbean Studies
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Thieving Three-Fingered Jack?
Frances R. Botkin
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Thieving Three-Fingered Jack is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780813587394) and ebook(ISBN 9780813587400) and pdf(ISBN 9780813587417)
Where can I buy Thieving Three-Fingered Jack online or support local independent bookshops?
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Where can I buy Thieving Three-Fingered Jack?