The Book of Francis Barber

The Book of Francis Barber is the fictional autobiography of Dr Samuel Johnson's Jamaican-born manservant, whom Johnson made his residuary legatee. Francis believes his new-found wealth will propel him into the upper echelons of English society, but ensuing events gradually show him that "class" is not easily acquired. As his story unfolds, it becomes clear that his racial origins are an obstacle to his ambitions. The novel is both a major new contribution to eighteenth-century historical fiction, and a warm portrait of its sympathetic narrator's journey towards self-realization.