I was very nervous to read Roots. Maybe nervous isn't the right word. Intimidated is a better word for the feelings I had. I knew what it was about, but the book was so huge I thought I would never finish it. But once I started I couldn't stop. I love history (I have a minor in history) and I've always loved learning about the Civil war era. I have a fascination with slavery....not like I'm amazed by it, but I've always wondered how one human being could treat another human being the way slave owners treated their help. Everyone in my eyes is created equally. True in life we all haven't been dealt the same hand, but that isn't always in our control. I cried when Kunta Kinta was captured in Africa. I cried when Alex Haley was able to trace him as his own. I was so proud of Kunta for keeping his heritage alive and never letting his "masters" take away his identity. I wish I could say something that would make everyone want to read that book. I think back to some of the books I read in high school English or even college English for that matter -- the so called classics. I'm not discounting any of them, but none of them had an impact on me like Roots. In fact I never really understood a lot of the classics and why they were considered classics. To me Roots is my classic. It should be a required read instead of some of the others....