The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho: A Novel [Paperback]

Its finally time for Charles Ignatius Sancho to tell his story, one that begins on a slave ship in the Atlantic and ends at the very center of London life. . . . A lush and immersive tale of adventure, artistry, romance, and freedom set in eighteenth-century England and based on a true story

Its 1746 and Georgian London is not a safe place for a young Black man. Charles Ignatius Sancho must dodge slave catchers and worse, and his main allya kindly duke who taught him to writeis dying. Sancho is desperate and utterly alone. So how does the same Charles Ignatius Sancho meet the king, write and play highly acclaimed music, become the first Black person to vote in Britain, and lead the fight to end slavery? Through every moment of this rich, exuberant tale, Sancho forges ahead to see how much he can achieve in one short life: I had little right to live, born on a slave ship where my parents both died. But I survived, and indeed, you might say I did more.

Longlisted for 2023 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction
Longlisted for the 2023 Jhalak Prize

Its a tough task for a writer to set themselves, but the care and research shine through in every chapter. This is a tragicomedy of the first order, and not to be missed.
The Guardian

Joseph channels the writing style of the day and draws on the real-life Sanchos diaries to give voice to his heros rich interior life. Readers shouldnt miss this exhilarating and rewarding account of a man living at the cusp of world change.
Publishers Weekly, starred review

[T]he rollicking fictionalized memoirs of alc½