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Written in the Waters: A Memoir of History, Home, and Belonging
This searing memoir by a National Geographic scuba diver recounts one woman's epic journey to trace the global slave trade across the Atlantic Ocean—and find her place in the world.
For fans of adventurous women’s memoirs like Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love, Cheryl Strayed's Wild, and Jesmyn Ward's Men We Reaped.
When Tara Roberts first caught sight of a photograph at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History depicting the underwater archaeology group Diving With a Purpose, it called out to her. Here were Black women and men strapping on masks, fins, and tanks to explore Atlantic Ocean waters along the coastlines of Africa, North America, and Central America, seeking the wrecks of slave ships long lost in time. Inspired, Roberts joined them—and started on a path of discovery more challenging and personal than she could ever have imagined.
In this lush and lyrical memoir, she tells a story of exploration and reckoning that takes her from her home in Washington, D.C., to an exotic array of locales: Thailand and Sri Lanka, Mozambique, South Africa, Senegal, Benin, Costa Rica, and St. Croix. The journey connects her with other divers, scholars, and archaeologists, offering a unique way of understanding the 12.5 million souls carried away from their African homeland to enslavement on other continents. But for Roberts, the journey is also intensely personal. Inspired by the descendants of those who lost their lives during the Middle Passage, she decides to plumb her own family history and life as a Black woman to help make sense of her own identity.
Complex and unflinchingly authentic, this deeply moving narrative heralds an important new voice in literature that will open minds and hearts everywhere.
For fans of adventurous women’s memoirs like Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat Pray Love, Cheryl Strayed's Wild, and Jesmyn Ward's Men We Reaped.
When Tara Roberts first caught sight of a photograph at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History depicting the underwater archaeology group Diving With a Purpose, it called out to her. Here were Black women and men strapping on masks, fins, and tanks to explore Atlantic Ocean waters along the coastlines of Africa, North America, and Central America, seeking the wrecks of slave ships long lost in time. Inspired, Roberts joined them—and started on a path of discovery more challenging and personal than she could ever have imagined.
In this lush and lyrical memoir, she tells a story of exploration and reckoning that takes her from her home in Washington, D.C., to an exotic array of locales: Thailand and Sri Lanka, Mozambique, South Africa, Senegal, Benin, Costa Rica, and St. Croix. The journey connects her with other divers, scholars, and archaeologists, offering a unique way of understanding the 12.5 million souls carried away from their African homeland to enslavement on other continents. But for Roberts, the journey is also intensely personal. Inspired by the descendants of those who lost their lives during the Middle Passage, she decides to plumb her own family history and life as a Black woman to help make sense of her own identity.
Complex and unflinchingly authentic, this deeply moving narrative heralds an important new voice in literature that will open minds and hearts everywhere.
400 pages, Hardcover
Published January 28, 2025
120 people are currently reading
13.9k people want to read
About the author
Tara Roberts
10books51followersTara Roberts breathes passion and vision into her work as a writer and editor and publisher. Her directive and personal mission is to use the power and influence of the media to empower and uplift women and girls, give shape and substance to original ideas, and encourage bold action and achievement.
Starting her career at Essence magazine as an editorial assistant in the Arts and Entertainment department in 1993, Tara immediately began writing youth-oriented social and cultural commentary on issues relevant to young women. One such article, "Am I the Last Virgin?" was so controversial and drew so many responses from readers across the country that Simon & Schuster contracted Tara to write a book on the topic. The result, Am I the Last Virgin? Ten African American Reflections on Sex & Love, offers heart-wrenching first-person essays by young black women exploring their own sexual coming-of-age experiences. The American Library Association nominated Am I the Last Virgin? for its Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers Award, and the New York Public Library chose it as one of the best books in 1998 for teenagers. Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and the School Library Journal hailed it as fresh, soulful, and earnest work.
While working on the book, Tara quickly rose to the ranks of lifestyle editor. After three years, she became the editorial director of Essence Online. Soon after, Heart & Soul magazine approached Tara and hired her as their lifestyle editor.
In 1999, Tara began teaching journalism at the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Information at Syracuse University. The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., honored her for being the first African American woman to be hired there on a full-time basis.
Tara published Fierce magazine, a bold, pro-female, socially conscious magazine that encourages women ages twenty-one to forty-plus to throw aside convention and excavate for their authentic, wild, and powerful selves. Fierce was nominated by Utne magazine as one of the best new magazines in 2003.
Tara has conducted workshops for young women at Spelman College, Mount Holyoke College, Howard University, North Carolina A&T State University, the Adolescent Connection Outreach Center for At-Risk Adolescents in Greensboro, North Carolina, and "Young Ladies on the Move," a self-esteem workshop in New Rochelle, New York.
Her lectures and speaking engagements include the City University of New York (CUNY), Crossroads Theater Company in New Jersey, the Third Wave feminist organization, the Asian American Journalist Association, Borders Bookstore, the Connecticut Governor's Mansion, Nkiru Books (Brooklyn), Shrine of the Black Madonna (Atlanta), Hillside Chapel & Truth Center, National Association of Black Journalists, and the Media and Democracy Congress I and II (San Francisco).
Tara's appearances on numerous radio and television shows and mentions in print media have ranged from Good Day New York and Good Day Atlanta to the Women's Wire, the New York Times, and Source and Emerge magazines.
Tara graduated cum laude from Mount Holyoke College and holds a master's degree in publishing studies from New York University's Gallatin Division.
Starting her career at Essence magazine as an editorial assistant in the Arts and Entertainment department in 1993, Tara immediately began writing youth-oriented social and cultural commentary on issues relevant to young women. One such article, "Am I the Last Virgin?" was so controversial and drew so many responses from readers across the country that Simon & Schuster contracted Tara to write a book on the topic. The result, Am I the Last Virgin? Ten African American Reflections on Sex & Love, offers heart-wrenching first-person essays by young black women exploring their own sexual coming-of-age experiences. The American Library Association nominated Am I the Last Virgin? for its Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers Award, and the New York Public Library chose it as one of the best books in 1998 for teenagers. Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and the School Library Journal hailed it as fresh, soulful, and earnest work.
While working on the book, Tara quickly rose to the ranks of lifestyle editor. After three years, she became the editorial director of Essence Online. Soon after, Heart & Soul magazine approached Tara and hired her as their lifestyle editor.
In 1999, Tara began teaching journalism at the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Information at Syracuse University. The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., honored her for being the first African American woman to be hired there on a full-time basis.
Tara published Fierce magazine, a bold, pro-female, socially conscious magazine that encourages women ages twenty-one to forty-plus to throw aside convention and excavate for their authentic, wild, and powerful selves. Fierce was nominated by Utne magazine as one of the best new magazines in 2003.
Tara has conducted workshops for young women at Spelman College, Mount Holyoke College, Howard University, North Carolina A&T State University, the Adolescent Connection Outreach Center for At-Risk Adolescents in Greensboro, North Carolina, and "Young Ladies on the Move," a self-esteem workshop in New Rochelle, New York.
Her lectures and speaking engagements include the City University of New York (CUNY), Crossroads Theater Company in New Jersey, the Third Wave feminist organization, the Asian American Journalist Association, Borders Bookstore, the Connecticut Governor's Mansion, Nkiru Books (Brooklyn), Shrine of the Black Madonna (Atlanta), Hillside Chapel & Truth Center, National Association of Black Journalists, and the Media and Democracy Congress I and II (San Francisco).
Tara's appearances on numerous radio and television shows and mentions in print media have ranged from Good Day New York and Good Day Atlanta to the Women's Wire, the New York Times, and Source and Emerge magazines.
Tara graduated cum laude from Mount Holyoke College and holds a master's degree in publishing studies from New York University's Gallatin Division.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
January 21, 2025
Written in the waters is a memoir about belonging and finding herself. After Tara Roberts graduates college she is lost with what she wants to do. After attending a diving exhibit she finds something that is calling her to dive and explore. She goes through the training and meets so many interesting people along the way that help her find where she belongs. Getting to explore sunken slave ships she gets more curious about where she came from and where her "home" is. I truly enjoyed this one and getting to read about her incredible adventures.
"All my life, I've been shaping myself like water, writing myself within her waves"
thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the ARC!
"All my life, I've been shaping myself like water, writing myself within her waves"
thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the ARC!
September 6, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the copy of the book. This story is beautiful, sad and eye-opening. The author takes you on her own personal journey to find her place in the world and brings in so much history incredibly weaving them together. In the end I feel like I took in a history book worth of information, yet in the most enjoyable read possible. Her writing style and imagery makes it easy to take in the things she has seen along the way. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys stories on personal discovery, history, archeology, diving and well anyone who wants a great non fiction read.
February 16, 2025
I really enjoyed this part memoir, part travel narrative, and part history book. The bulk of the book is about the author's adventures working with archaeologists in many locations to uncover the history of the slave trade. I am a history buff, and found her discoveries and antidotes very interesting. I also really enjoyed how she didn't jump right into the exciting part of her journey. She spent time sharing the challenges it took her to follow this dream in detail which was inspirational. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary ARC. I will be following this author and hope to see more books on the topic in the future.
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February 11, 2025*I do not give star ratings to memoirs.*
This was a beautiful memoir about finding one's place in the world and searching for the painful truth of what happened in our past. I felt like I was with Tara Roberts through so much of this book; her descriptions of every place and everyone she met were so vivid and real, and even though a lot of the book focuses on hard topics such as the transatlantic slave trade and the African-American diaspora, this book is about community and finding your purpose and connecting with your past.
What the DWP is doing, turning these sunken slave ships, places of so much pain and horror, into remembrance and giving those lost souls a voice, is truly remarkable.
This was a beautiful memoir about finding one's place in the world and searching for the painful truth of what happened in our past. I felt like I was with Tara Roberts through so much of this book; her descriptions of every place and everyone she met were so vivid and real, and even though a lot of the book focuses on hard topics such as the transatlantic slave trade and the African-American diaspora, this book is about community and finding your purpose and connecting with your past.
What the DWP is doing, turning these sunken slave ships, places of so much pain and horror, into remembrance and giving those lost souls a voice, is truly remarkable.
January 14, 2025
After attending a exhibit and seeing shipwrecks from The Middle Passage Tara Robert’s knows she wants to help tell the stories connected to these ships She contacts Diving With A Purpose and soon realizes that she wants to dive. She wants to go with them and document their discoveries and help share their stories. After being met with rejection when asking for funding but never giving up. She learns to dive to help catalog the remains of a dark chapter in history. She takes the reader with her into the vast and beautiful depths of the ocean which teems with life and tragic history. They also accompany her as she brings modern Africa to vivid life while taking her audience on a trip back in time. Along the way she meets many different people explores many cultures and also learns to have compassion for herself as well as others. She also learns that sometimes what anchors people isn’t a place but our own history that each person carries within them. This is very immersive memoir you will feel like you are also experiencing this journey. I received This Advanced Readers Copy from a bookishfirst raffle win.
January 15, 2025
This immersive memoir takes readers on a deep dive into an unforgettable experience of connecting to our past, ourselves, our future, and each other. With a narrator who is easy to root for and spend time with, we learn about the power of dissolving boundaries around our identities while reckoning with our history. Written in the Waters shows us that finding our place in the world doesn’t have to be a lonely journey.
I highly recommend this book and am grateful to have received an Advanced Reader Copy from Reverie Books.
I highly recommend this book and am grateful to have received an Advanced Reader Copy from Reverie Books.
February 27, 2025
As a mixed-race individual, I've often struggled with the feeling of not belonging, constantly searching for a place or identity that truly feels like "home." Written in Waters by Tara Roberts provided me with a fresh perspective on these very issues. The book explores the loss of ancestry and the struggles many African Americans, myself included, face in trying to connect with their roots. For a long time, it felt like there was something missing, like part of my history was just out of reach. But Roberts tackles this concept in a unique and relatable way, giving voice to those feelings in a way that made me think differently.
One of the most powerful metaphors in the book is the idea of the turtle, that your home is always with you, carried on your back. This really stuck with me. For much of my life, I’ve felt like I was searching for something outside of myself, some place or community that would make me feel whole. But Roberts made me realize that home isn’t necessarily a physical place; it's something within us. Like a turtle’s shell, our sense of belonging comes from inside, and once we understand that, we don’t have to keep searching. It’s empowering to know that we have the ability to define our own identity and decide where we belong.
What stood out to me the most in the book was the idea of creating a home anywhere—and it’s not just about finding a physical space, but about finding a place within yourself. This idea has really shifted my perspective. Instead of constantly feeling like I was missing something, I’ve started to realize that I belong exactly where I am, wherever that may be. It’s like the quote, "You can always bloom where you are planted." Our potential isn’t tied to one place or one specific background, it’s about thriving no matter where you find yourself.
Written in Waters gave me a sense of peace and clarity. I no longer feel the need to look outside myself for validation or a sense of belonging. I see now that the ability to define my identity and find my place in the world has always been within me. This book didn’t just explore the complexities of identity, it helped me stop feeling disconnected from my heritage and empowered me to embrace my full potential.
One of the most powerful metaphors in the book is the idea of the turtle, that your home is always with you, carried on your back. This really stuck with me. For much of my life, I’ve felt like I was searching for something outside of myself, some place or community that would make me feel whole. But Roberts made me realize that home isn’t necessarily a physical place; it's something within us. Like a turtle’s shell, our sense of belonging comes from inside, and once we understand that, we don’t have to keep searching. It’s empowering to know that we have the ability to define our own identity and decide where we belong.
What stood out to me the most in the book was the idea of creating a home anywhere—and it’s not just about finding a physical space, but about finding a place within yourself. This idea has really shifted my perspective. Instead of constantly feeling like I was missing something, I’ve started to realize that I belong exactly where I am, wherever that may be. It’s like the quote, "You can always bloom where you are planted." Our potential isn’t tied to one place or one specific background, it’s about thriving no matter where you find yourself.
Written in Waters gave me a sense of peace and clarity. I no longer feel the need to look outside myself for validation or a sense of belonging. I see now that the ability to define my identity and find my place in the world has always been within me. This book didn’t just explore the complexities of identity, it helped me stop feeling disconnected from my heritage and empowered me to embrace my full potential.
February 24, 2025
This book was extraordinary - I will be recommending it loudly and widely for a long time!
January 27, 2025
Tara Roberts' Written in the Waters is a deeply moving and beautifully written memoir that resonated with me in ways I didn't anticipate. Roberts� vivid descriptions made me feel as though I were right there with her, exploring the depths of the ocean and the complexities of identity. Her raw honesty and introspective storytelling allowed me to see the inner workings of her mind as she grappled with questions of belonging—questions that deeply resonated with me as someone who also faces the challenge of tracing ancestral roots.
What stood out most to me was how Roberts used this journey not just to explore history, but to make sense of herself and the world around her. Her quest to find belonging through the lens of underwater archaeology felt both deeply personal and universally relatable. I fell in love with Diving With a Purpose, the organization that played such a central role in her story. Their mission to uncover long-lost ships—and, with them, bring the broader story of the Middle Passage to light—is profoundly meaningful. It reignited my own passion for SCUBA diving, especially knowing that my last dive took place in Limón, Costa Rica, one of the very places Roberts explores in the book. It was a powerful reminder of how personal connections to history can shape our present.
Despite the weight of the dark legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, Written in the Waters is ultimately a book about healing and community. Roberts and the DWP team are transforming spaces of unimaginable horror into places of remembrance and reverence. By bringing these forgotten stories to light, they make history deeply human and profoundly personal.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is a compelling blend of history, memoir, and self-discovery that will stay with me for a long time to come.
Thank you for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
What stood out most to me was how Roberts used this journey not just to explore history, but to make sense of herself and the world around her. Her quest to find belonging through the lens of underwater archaeology felt both deeply personal and universally relatable. I fell in love with Diving With a Purpose, the organization that played such a central role in her story. Their mission to uncover long-lost ships—and, with them, bring the broader story of the Middle Passage to light—is profoundly meaningful. It reignited my own passion for SCUBA diving, especially knowing that my last dive took place in Limón, Costa Rica, one of the very places Roberts explores in the book. It was a powerful reminder of how personal connections to history can shape our present.
Despite the weight of the dark legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, Written in the Waters is ultimately a book about healing and community. Roberts and the DWP team are transforming spaces of unimaginable horror into places of remembrance and reverence. By bringing these forgotten stories to light, they make history deeply human and profoundly personal.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is a compelling blend of history, memoir, and self-discovery that will stay with me for a long time to come.
Thank you for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
January 31, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and National Geographic for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Written in the Waters was a beautiful exploration of Tara Robert's identity, the African-America diaspora, and what it means to connect to your history.
She has a beautiful way of capturing her emotions and the grandscale of the diving mission while still remaining readable. I cried multiple times because Roberts captured her own conflicting emotions so vividly. This isn't a memoir to quick read and set down—it challenges the way we think about history, the untold stories, and what it means to "go home."
Written in the Waters was a beautiful exploration of Tara Robert's identity, the African-America diaspora, and what it means to connect to your history.
She has a beautiful way of capturing her emotions and the grandscale of the diving mission while still remaining readable. I cried multiple times because Roberts captured her own conflicting emotions so vividly. This isn't a memoir to quick read and set down—it challenges the way we think about history, the untold stories, and what it means to "go home."
April 9, 2025
It was very interesting to listen to this story, this journey to find belonging. At some points, the book was a bit slow, even for the audio. It did spike my interest to learn more about slavery in general.
January 27, 2025
“My inner adventurer, which has been gathering courage these past few months, and my inner storyteller, which has been waiting quietly, finally meet and bow to each other.� 🗺️🤿📖✍🏾
a special thank you to Net Galley & National Geographic for allowing me access to an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Written in the Waters by Tara Roberts!! it’s an absolute privilege to receive an ARC & i’m so honored to be able to share a honest review in exchange.
🌊 publication date: january 28th, 2025
review: � � � � � (01/24/25)
without a doubt, great history has been shared through this incredible storytelling.
within only the first few pages, i can tell Roberts is cool like capitalized AND bolded cool. from her beautiful writing, readers can almost grow (& heal) vicariously through her journey. she is an amazing writer and inspiring person.
the pacing is absolutely perfect, it doesn’t dull and yet carries many details! i loved having clear explanations & details, it truly helped to fill the gaps i had as a reader.
i really enjoyed how Roberts analyzed the meaning behind her actions & thoughts, these little realizations made the story more authentic & relatable!
i found the “americanness� in her perspective to be fascinating, as it is something that’s been on my mind recently as an Indian-American. exploring one’s identity is not a simple task & being part of a diaspora certainly adds another layer of complexity!
i loved the reading about the beauty & pain held in the ocean or Yemayá as Roberts names her. i enjoyed reading about the deep, intricate, and often forgotten roots of shame imbedded in the past (ex. the Dahomey plantations in the 1800s) brought to light. and there are so so so many insightful questions raised on ideas like spirituality, parenthood, colonialism, ageism, Pan-africanism, and (of course) the Middle Passage and slavery.
this book has only broadened my interest learning more about the past, especially with how deeply it connects to the present. “But without exploring this history and these stories, we will always be stuck in this maze of racial trauma.�
a special thank you to Net Galley & National Geographic for allowing me access to an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Written in the Waters by Tara Roberts!! it’s an absolute privilege to receive an ARC & i’m so honored to be able to share a honest review in exchange.
🌊 publication date: january 28th, 2025
review: � � � � � (01/24/25)
without a doubt, great history has been shared through this incredible storytelling.
within only the first few pages, i can tell Roberts is cool like capitalized AND bolded cool. from her beautiful writing, readers can almost grow (& heal) vicariously through her journey. she is an amazing writer and inspiring person.
the pacing is absolutely perfect, it doesn’t dull and yet carries many details! i loved having clear explanations & details, it truly helped to fill the gaps i had as a reader.
i really enjoyed how Roberts analyzed the meaning behind her actions & thoughts, these little realizations made the story more authentic & relatable!
i found the “americanness� in her perspective to be fascinating, as it is something that’s been on my mind recently as an Indian-American. exploring one’s identity is not a simple task & being part of a diaspora certainly adds another layer of complexity!
i loved the reading about the beauty & pain held in the ocean or Yemayá as Roberts names her. i enjoyed reading about the deep, intricate, and often forgotten roots of shame imbedded in the past (ex. the Dahomey plantations in the 1800s) brought to light. and there are so so so many insightful questions raised on ideas like spirituality, parenthood, colonialism, ageism, Pan-africanism, and (of course) the Middle Passage and slavery.
this book has only broadened my interest learning more about the past, especially with how deeply it connects to the present. “But without exploring this history and these stories, we will always be stuck in this maze of racial trauma.�
February 2, 2025
Written in the Waters tells an amazing story of Tara Roberts� adult journey to find the meaning of home. I am always intrigued by the titles Nat Geo chooses to put out, and I was really thrilled to see that their newest novel would be covering such an interesting part of history that does not get enough attention. I learned a tremendous amount about the global slave trade from this memoir. I particularly enjoyed the first third of the book, where the author learns to scuba dive so that she can help document shipwrecks - vessels once used to capture people from Africa and transport them to the Americas. She does an excellent job communicating a diverse continent of unique cultures, and juxtaposing what it means to be Black in Africa and the United States.
I was a little disappointed that her diving stories really petered out halfway through the book. For me, this level of adventure drew me to the book in the first place. I found the second half to be in greater need of edits, as much of the text is devoted to Tara interviewing a number of archeologists, anthropologists, and activists. Not to say these conversations are not important, but I found her physical descriptions of each person and their background to take away from the reading experience. 3.5 stars!
A big thank you to NetGalley and National Geographic for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is now available in U.S. stores!
I was a little disappointed that her diving stories really petered out halfway through the book. For me, this level of adventure drew me to the book in the first place. I found the second half to be in greater need of edits, as much of the text is devoted to Tara interviewing a number of archeologists, anthropologists, and activists. Not to say these conversations are not important, but I found her physical descriptions of each person and their background to take away from the reading experience. 3.5 stars!
A big thank you to NetGalley and National Geographic for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is now available in U.S. stores!
February 20, 2025
(B) 02.08.2025: I saw this author interviewed on TV; it's a memoir about the global slave trade; might be a bit intense, but ideally a worthy read; I was shocked that it is available locally...; 02.20.2025: a well documented story of slave trade’s origins along with the author’s own personal ancestory discovery; a whole lot of information about black scuba divers and related associations; all very well written, insightful, in places hard to read because of the depravity of slavery; not my usual kind of read but I am glad to be exposed to it; 2025 hardcover via Madison County Public Library, Berea, 392 pgs.
February 11, 2025
I thought it was a wonderful read. Tara Roberts was able to pull me along and feel like she was feeling. Loved learning about the hidden history of the slave trade/ slave ships and how & why it's important to document the places they sank.
February 9, 2025
Very good. I had hoped for move diving. The personal diaspora history was important to read.
January 29, 2025
Admittedly, I’m not familiar with Tara Roberts’s work, as much as I would like to be. Before BookishFirst shut down in December, her new memoir, Written in the Waters, was one of the books being offered for review. And, after reading the excerpt, I jumped at the chance to read the rest of it.
Tara Roberts wove a compelling memoir that was part journey of self-discovery and part historical narrative about the complicated history of the transatlantic slave trade, while also reconciling how it related to her own life. From a not-so distant relative who was born enslaved, to the journey Roberts embarks on through diving and travel, to exploring shipwrecks and talking/meeting with people doing important work—with student programs, with politics, or working to find new evidence and preserve an important part of history—in the hopes of finding a sense of understanding, belonging, and peace in her own life.
Most of the memoirs I’ve read didn’t approach history quite like Written in the Waters, which I get, because they were, first and foremost, written with a specific focus (kind of like how some fiction is more of a character study rather than anything else). But Roberts found a good balance, a bridge between the past and the present (no pun intended), through the ups and downs of her life—and even the highs and lows of gaining more experience as a diver.
Written in the Waters is a compulsively readable memoir. And, I highly recommend it!
Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (National Geographic) via BookishFirst in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
Tara Roberts wove a compelling memoir that was part journey of self-discovery and part historical narrative about the complicated history of the transatlantic slave trade, while also reconciling how it related to her own life. From a not-so distant relative who was born enslaved, to the journey Roberts embarks on through diving and travel, to exploring shipwrecks and talking/meeting with people doing important work—with student programs, with politics, or working to find new evidence and preserve an important part of history—in the hopes of finding a sense of understanding, belonging, and peace in her own life.
Most of the memoirs I’ve read didn’t approach history quite like Written in the Waters, which I get, because they were, first and foremost, written with a specific focus (kind of like how some fiction is more of a character study rather than anything else). But Roberts found a good balance, a bridge between the past and the present (no pun intended), through the ups and downs of her life—and even the highs and lows of gaining more experience as a diver.
Written in the Waters is a compulsively readable memoir. And, I highly recommend it!
Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (National Geographic) via BookishFirst in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
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February 21, 2025“Written in the Waters� was a truly thought-provoking and poignant memoir following a period of author Tara Roberts life from 2017 through 2022. Roberts takes the reader on multiple adventures through several countries, interacting with numerous people from all walks of life, and sifting through history all while trying to reconcile with the past of African diaspora. A photo in the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) triggers her call to understand who she is, where she comes from, and where her place in the world is. This book was well-searched and incredibly informative, sharing uncommon knowledge of the DWP (Diving With Purpose), the Slave Wrecks Project, and Centro Comunitário de Buceo Embajadores y Embajadores Del Mar and their specific missions. There was also a myriad of information encompassing the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the millions of Black peoples known and unknown who faced unconscionable brutality and their descendants who continue to carry that trauma with them. I was moved in so many ways by this story and it just exemplifies why history needs to be told by and for all including by historically marginalized groups and peoples. This is one of the best books I have read this year, highly recommend!
I received this book as an ARC, all opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I received this book as an ARC, all opinions expressed in this review are my own.
October 18, 2024
An intriguing story of self-identity. Tara French is a freelance journalist who, when visiting the newly opened African American museum, becomes intrigued by the explorations of a Black diving group who searches for and retrieves artifacts from slave ships. This discovery leads her on a journey as she learns to dive and becomes a member of dive teams searching for lost ships. During her journey she seeks to come to terms with her own heritage and culture as she travels across the world following the routes of the slave trade. French successfully weaves her own story with the history of enslaved peoples, relying on historical discoveries, to trace this abominable practice.
Her courage and determination lead her to many interesting people, locales, and research.
An extremely well-documented exploration of slave trade across the world and its continued effects on our culture and civilization.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in history, especially as it pertains to slavery.
Her courage and determination lead her to many interesting people, locales, and research.
An extremely well-documented exploration of slave trade across the world and its continued effects on our culture and civilization.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in history, especially as it pertains to slavery.
January 7, 2025
Finding yourself as you learn more about your ancestors is a truly remarkable journey. There were so many beautiful moments that happened throughout the author’s journey to figure out where her ancestors came from and learn more about herself. I learned a lot about scuba diving and what goes into becoming a great diver.
January 12, 2025
The books makes you think deeper about slavery and its impact on countries all over the world. It makes you even think about the environmental changes that it caused. Very moving book. 4.5 stars.
November 30, 2024
Whew boy, this book arrived yesterday and I whipped right through it. It's that engaging. I requested it because I'm a diver with a background on underwater archaeology, and I thought that was going to be the main focus of this book. It is... and it isn't. While diving is a big part of Roberts's narrative, this book is really the author's memoir about being called to connect to her history, both on a cultural and personal level. The cultural part ends up being the most complex, and engages with question of community and identity in a way that I, a white person, have never had to. A fair number of the questions she asks apply to anyone living in the imperial core, regardless of race, although the legacy of slavery and colonization has obviously impacted people in a wide variety of different ways, which is something she grapples with here. I'm overexplaining this. Just read the book and let her explain it.
The narrative follows Roberts from the first time she hears about DWP (Diving With Purpose, the group of underwater archaeologists who locate and excavate shipwrecks involved in the transatlantic slave trade) into a year of self-examination and revelation. There were times when I felt that she could have organized her personal backstory in a more coherent way, but her journey itself is so fascinating, and so personally healing, that I'd recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in the premise. The framing reminded me of "Wake," in that it combines the facts of history with the author's personal quest to track down that information. There's a bit more speculation in this book than I'd expect from pure history. Roberts sometimes imagines scenes (based on the available information) to fill in the gaps of certain stories.
Tl;dr, this is a personal narrative that is hugely informative while also being deeply personal. I found the beginning a bit slow, and would encourage readers to stick with it. There was a whole chapter of narrative that felt out of place until later in the book, when Roberts started connecting the dots, and she often revisits and builds on earlier passages as she reexamines her own desires and assumptions. The writing style is straightforward, but the ideas she grapples with are not.
I read this book as an early ARC; there were some issues with the MS in this version, but given the nature of ARCs, I expect that most of these will be remedied before final publication. I have ignored these for review purposes. Thank you to BookishFirst and the publisher. My review is sincere and left voluntarily.
The narrative follows Roberts from the first time she hears about DWP (Diving With Purpose, the group of underwater archaeologists who locate and excavate shipwrecks involved in the transatlantic slave trade) into a year of self-examination and revelation. There were times when I felt that she could have organized her personal backstory in a more coherent way, but her journey itself is so fascinating, and so personally healing, that I'd recommend it to anyone even remotely interested in the premise. The framing reminded me of "Wake," in that it combines the facts of history with the author's personal quest to track down that information. There's a bit more speculation in this book than I'd expect from pure history. Roberts sometimes imagines scenes (based on the available information) to fill in the gaps of certain stories.
Tl;dr, this is a personal narrative that is hugely informative while also being deeply personal. I found the beginning a bit slow, and would encourage readers to stick with it. There was a whole chapter of narrative that felt out of place until later in the book, when Roberts started connecting the dots, and she often revisits and builds on earlier passages as she reexamines her own desires and assumptions. The writing style is straightforward, but the ideas she grapples with are not.
I read this book as an early ARC; there were some issues with the MS in this version, but given the nature of ARCs, I expect that most of these will be remedied before final publication. I have ignored these for review purposes. Thank you to BookishFirst and the publisher. My review is sincere and left voluntarily.
December 21, 2024
2.5 stars
The beginning of the book was the most engaging, as it seemed to be an underdog story, which I like. It opened with the author (a middle-aged woman) somewhat stumbling her way through life. But she manages to find the courage to pursue something out of her comfort zone: she learns to scuba diving with the goal of investigating the wrecks of slave ships through the organization Diving With Purpose (DWP).
But the remaining two thirds of the book is about the author’s journey to understand her sense of rootlessness as an African American. She recounts conversations that she has with people that she comes across on her travels, first in Africa, and later Costa Rica. Through these dialogues, and as she learns more about herself and her own family, she eventually develops the connection that she had felt was missing. So this may be best appreciated by people (notably those of the African diaspora), who also feel rootless.
I was interested in the idea of trying to learn more about the victims of the slave trade, and the connection (or not) of people of the African American diaspora with Africa. I appreciated the recognition that it is hard for people to be on equal footing, when there is a wealth discrepancy between them. And finally, that maybe it is more important to celebrate people for how they lived, rather than dwell on how they died. (I just rewatched the musical ‘Rent� as a good reminder of this).
Though well-written, the book was way too slow-going and wordy for me. I would have shaved off at least 100 pages. I found there was too much about the author dwelling on her feelings and thoughts. The author’s hippydippiness, for lack of a better word, also put me off. This included her reliance on psychics and “medical intuitives�, mentions of her chakra, and getting a message in her dream, etc. I also didn’t get how she went from totally broke to being able to afford so much travelling!
I was provided with an ARC (thanks to the author & publisher!) and I am voluntarily posting my honest review.
The beginning of the book was the most engaging, as it seemed to be an underdog story, which I like. It opened with the author (a middle-aged woman) somewhat stumbling her way through life. But she manages to find the courage to pursue something out of her comfort zone: she learns to scuba diving with the goal of investigating the wrecks of slave ships through the organization Diving With Purpose (DWP).
But the remaining two thirds of the book is about the author’s journey to understand her sense of rootlessness as an African American. She recounts conversations that she has with people that she comes across on her travels, first in Africa, and later Costa Rica. Through these dialogues, and as she learns more about herself and her own family, she eventually develops the connection that she had felt was missing. So this may be best appreciated by people (notably those of the African diaspora), who also feel rootless.
I was interested in the idea of trying to learn more about the victims of the slave trade, and the connection (or not) of people of the African American diaspora with Africa. I appreciated the recognition that it is hard for people to be on equal footing, when there is a wealth discrepancy between them. And finally, that maybe it is more important to celebrate people for how they lived, rather than dwell on how they died. (I just rewatched the musical ‘Rent� as a good reminder of this).
Though well-written, the book was way too slow-going and wordy for me. I would have shaved off at least 100 pages. I found there was too much about the author dwelling on her feelings and thoughts. The author’s hippydippiness, for lack of a better word, also put me off. This included her reliance on psychics and “medical intuitives�, mentions of her chakra, and getting a message in her dream, etc. I also didn’t get how she went from totally broke to being able to afford so much travelling!
I was provided with an ARC (thanks to the author & publisher!) and I am voluntarily posting my honest review.
February 26, 2025
This is a marvelous book.
Tara Roberts brings us into her widening life after encountering Diving With A Purpose, a group of scuba divers dedicated to documenting the undersea wrecks of ships carrying enslaved people. She gloriously stitches together little-known histories, long-silent stories, ocean-based beliefs, and more. I had no idea one out of ten ships carrying enslaved people experienced coordinated resistance. I’d never heard of public archaeology: involving the community’s people as the center of scientific work. I’d learned the trauma of enslavement is carried through generations of descendants but never knew the Transatlantic Slave Trade left a legacy of ecological trauma as well. I knew about the Underground Railroad, but learned here there was also a very successful Maritime Underground Railroad. Throughout the book Roberts searches for her own sense of home, identity, and purpose.
She writes about a photo of her great-great grandparents. “I always thought both of them were really handsome people. I mean Grandpa Jack has on a suit—it looks like brown corduroy. And Grandma Mary, she wears a stiff white button-down shirt with a bow tie. A bow tie! She looks formidable but also soft. And they look like equals� I saw this kindness in both their eyes that just made me want to know them, you know? Like I would have liked to lean against Jack’s knee and hold his hand and hear his stories. And I feel like Mary would have swatted me on the butt affectionately and shared her lessons on how to live powerfully as a woman in the world.�
And, don't miss this, she writes, “What if our displacement and enslavement—our unique ancestry and our very rootlessness—as African-descended people throughout the diaspora puts us on the leading edge of thought and creation? What if, through us, a new way of understanding identity can be articulated and lived—one that can help point a way forward for humanity.�
Tara Roberts brings us into her widening life after encountering Diving With A Purpose, a group of scuba divers dedicated to documenting the undersea wrecks of ships carrying enslaved people. She gloriously stitches together little-known histories, long-silent stories, ocean-based beliefs, and more. I had no idea one out of ten ships carrying enslaved people experienced coordinated resistance. I’d never heard of public archaeology: involving the community’s people as the center of scientific work. I’d learned the trauma of enslavement is carried through generations of descendants but never knew the Transatlantic Slave Trade left a legacy of ecological trauma as well. I knew about the Underground Railroad, but learned here there was also a very successful Maritime Underground Railroad. Throughout the book Roberts searches for her own sense of home, identity, and purpose.
She writes about a photo of her great-great grandparents. “I always thought both of them were really handsome people. I mean Grandpa Jack has on a suit—it looks like brown corduroy. And Grandma Mary, she wears a stiff white button-down shirt with a bow tie. A bow tie! She looks formidable but also soft. And they look like equals� I saw this kindness in both their eyes that just made me want to know them, you know? Like I would have liked to lean against Jack’s knee and hold his hand and hear his stories. And I feel like Mary would have swatted me on the butt affectionately and shared her lessons on how to live powerfully as a woman in the world.�
And, don't miss this, she writes, “What if our displacement and enslavement—our unique ancestry and our very rootlessness—as African-descended people throughout the diaspora puts us on the leading edge of thought and creation? What if, through us, a new way of understanding identity can be articulated and lived—one that can help point a way forward for humanity.�
October 8, 2024
First, thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this memorable and important book. Robert's beautiful prose made me feel as if I were on this journey with her and have met the many fascinating people she encountered. What an incredible opportunity was given to her and she certainly made the most of it.
As we discover in the book, much of the history of Afro Americans and slavery has been obscured, often deliberately, but the groups she introduces us to are focused on filling in the gaps and telling the stories--the human, day to day stories of the people who were captured and turned into slaves by a savage system whose effects still prevent countries and people around the world from truly being free and accepted as equals. I wish I had her eloquence to describe this to you, but I don't. You simply need to read this book.
Apart from the appalling history that is uncovered, Roberts shows us the love, accomplishments and even joy of those ancestors. I was grateful that she was able to find such a positive and uplifting way to close the book. As a Angl0-American stories of slavery are hard to read and almost impossible to understand, and the many hidden ways the system is perpetuated today is depressing, so hearing the positive stories was wonderful and actually equalizes those held in slavery. I'm not explaining this well at all--I guess I'm trying to say that eliminates the sense of "other" that bigotry and hatred rely on.
I'm rambling now, so I'll stop and start looking for another book by Tara Roberts and more on the work of DWP and SWP and the other organizations searching out their history.
As we discover in the book, much of the history of Afro Americans and slavery has been obscured, often deliberately, but the groups she introduces us to are focused on filling in the gaps and telling the stories--the human, day to day stories of the people who were captured and turned into slaves by a savage system whose effects still prevent countries and people around the world from truly being free and accepted as equals. I wish I had her eloquence to describe this to you, but I don't. You simply need to read this book.
Apart from the appalling history that is uncovered, Roberts shows us the love, accomplishments and even joy of those ancestors. I was grateful that she was able to find such a positive and uplifting way to close the book. As a Angl0-American stories of slavery are hard to read and almost impossible to understand, and the many hidden ways the system is perpetuated today is depressing, so hearing the positive stories was wonderful and actually equalizes those held in slavery. I'm not explaining this well at all--I guess I'm trying to say that eliminates the sense of "other" that bigotry and hatred rely on.
I'm rambling now, so I'll stop and start looking for another book by Tara Roberts and more on the work of DWP and SWP and the other organizations searching out their history.
January 5, 2025
Written in the Waters is an incredibly powerful story about how one woman's chance decision to learn to scuba dive in order to work with an organization called Diving With Purpose leads her on a journey of self discovery and finding her sense of home in the world. Tara Roberts tells a captivating, informative, and moving tale of how she faced her fear of the ocean and learned to scuba dive so she could dive the wreck of slave ships with DWP. But in doing this, she decides that she wants to also focus her time and energy on telling the stories of the people lost to the seas in the slave trade. This takes her to numerous countries where she meets incredible characters. Each stop and conversation begins to not only shape her understanding of herself and the world around her, but also guide her to the next location and pursuit of information. In a the most heartfelt of ways, Roberts brings herself, and her readers, back home to a place of acceptance, understanding, and possibly even contentment with the past, present, and future. A must read for African Americans that struggle to feel connected to their roots - and certainly for every person to truly understand the intricate webs that the slave trade, colonialism, and paternalization has woven and continues to weave in the daily lives of all people.
Thank you NetGalley and National Geographic for the ARC.
Publish Date: January 28, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and National Geographic for the ARC.
Publish Date: January 28, 2025
February 2, 2025
Nearly two million Africans died in the Transatlantic slave trade, including on the thousand ships that sank.
Tara Roberts knew she wanted to be an adventurer and a storyteller. When she learned that divers studied the sunken slave ships she determined to be a part of Diving With a Purpose, learning to scuba dive so she could see the ships.
She obtained a grant to travel and see the shipwrecks and research ancestral stories. She spoke to Africans who admitted that the history had been forgotten, untaught in their schools. She learned about the impact of slavery on the environment and how it displaced Africans on the continent. She followed her DNA to her ancestral homeland. And she agonized over the devastating and cruel history of slavery, colonialism, and systemic racism.
The memoir follows Robert’s journey of discovery: learning to scuba dive, sharing how archaeologists research to find the shipwrecks, and traveling across Africa to find lost stories.
Roberts found herself transformed during this journey. In Africa, she was seen as an American. She had to alter her perception of the Africans she met. She met people who looked like her and her family.
A moving and unique story of exploration and self-discovery.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through PW Grab a Galley.
Tara Roberts knew she wanted to be an adventurer and a storyteller. When she learned that divers studied the sunken slave ships she determined to be a part of Diving With a Purpose, learning to scuba dive so she could see the ships.
She obtained a grant to travel and see the shipwrecks and research ancestral stories. She spoke to Africans who admitted that the history had been forgotten, untaught in their schools. She learned about the impact of slavery on the environment and how it displaced Africans on the continent. She followed her DNA to her ancestral homeland. And she agonized over the devastating and cruel history of slavery, colonialism, and systemic racism.
The memoir follows Robert’s journey of discovery: learning to scuba dive, sharing how archaeologists research to find the shipwrecks, and traveling across Africa to find lost stories.
Roberts found herself transformed during this journey. In Africa, she was seen as an American. She had to alter her perception of the Africans she met. She met people who looked like her and her family.
A moving and unique story of exploration and self-discovery.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through PW Grab a Galley.
August 31, 2024
This is more of a woman's journal than an actual book. Tara Roberts is African-American and is interested in the ships that brought slaves from Africa to the US but sank en route. Of course, I've heard of the Titanic (bunch of white folks) or the Lusitania (same) but what about the Henrietta Maria? I hadn't heard of it either - it was a slave ship that sank in the Atlantic.
I learned so much about our African-American brothers and sisters through this book. I rather naively thought we were equal - because in my mind we are - but I was so wrong. I think she said only about 1% of scuba divers are black and they are very interested in the skeletons of the ships. These trips are supported by National Geographic and Tara had to pass several tests - including doing a number of dives (was it 30?) before she would be considered for the program.
Because most of the ships sank 150+ years ago, there are few remnants of the slaves, but the chains and manacles are still there - which remind Tara of the horrors those slaves felt as the ship was sinking and they could not escape.
I applaud her courage for taking this on.
I learned so much about our African-American brothers and sisters through this book. I rather naively thought we were equal - because in my mind we are - but I was so wrong. I think she said only about 1% of scuba divers are black and they are very interested in the skeletons of the ships. These trips are supported by National Geographic and Tara had to pass several tests - including doing a number of dives (was it 30?) before she would be considered for the program.
Because most of the ships sank 150+ years ago, there are few remnants of the slaves, but the chains and manacles are still there - which remind Tara of the horrors those slaves felt as the ship was sinking and they could not escape.
I applaud her courage for taking this on.
December 14, 2024
Written in the Waters by Tara Roberts is a compelling look at one woman's journey to finding answers about the history of how African Americans came to the United States and the extreme hardships they endured. She actually didn't start out with this quest in mind. A chance encounter at the newly opened Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture with a photograph of a group called Diving With a Purpose changes the trajectory of her life and career.
I learned a lot about her experience, from the moments in her life that she shares. Many of the black people I know judge so much of their lives by the color of their skin--from the treatment they receive from others to what their lives are like and the type of work they can ultimately get. The author does to. This has never been a part of my of life, and I think other whites should read books like this and find out first hand how difficult the life of a person of color can be.
The book is heart felt, and the author's personal observations and experiences make this an outstanding book to read. Thank you Tara for sharing your story.
I learned a lot about her experience, from the moments in her life that she shares. Many of the black people I know judge so much of their lives by the color of their skin--from the treatment they receive from others to what their lives are like and the type of work they can ultimately get. The author does to. This has never been a part of my of life, and I think other whites should read books like this and find out first hand how difficult the life of a person of color can be.
The book is heart felt, and the author's personal observations and experiences make this an outstanding book to read. Thank you Tara for sharing your story.
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