White Lotus Author:John Hersey Once upon a time a race was enslaved. Once upon a time there were rebellions--spontaneous, unorganized; then mystical, visionary. Once upon a time there were efforts to flee, emancipation, race riots, crimes of despair, and nonviolent protests. — John Hersey boldly dramatizes the issues of race in this massive and powerful novel. Not of black ... more »against white, or white against black; not indeed of any specific racial struggle--but rather of one that seems to have emerged from a strange, time-erasing legend.« less