Section 1 "The Pagan Coast" Summary

Crossing the River is a novel that consists of four smaller independent works woven together by a common theme. The book begins with a brief lyrical treatment of the African diaspora and concludes with a similar treatment in the same voice, even repeating some of the phrases of introductory piece. The two lyrical treatments serve nicely to tie the four independent works together. The four shorter works are displaced in time, ranging from the mid-1700s to 1963. The action proceeds back and forth in time in a non-linear fashion, lending a timeless ambiance to the work. No characters from one section interact with those of another, but all sections carry a message of the misery and resilience of Africans displaced by international slave trade.

A page-and-a-half lyrical prologue in the Voice of Africa itself precedes...