Twelve Years a Slave
By Solomon Northup
- Release Date: 2014-01-28
- Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Description
The harrowing true story that inspired the critically acclaimed film
The son of a freed slave, Solomon Northup lived the first thirty years of his life as a free man in upstate New York. In the spring of 1841, he was offered a job: a short-term, lucrative engagement as a violinist in a traveling circus. It was a trap. In Washington, DC, Northup was drugged, kidnapped, and sold into slavery. He spent the next twelve years on plantations in Louisiana, enduring backbreaking labor, unimaginable violence, and inhumane treatment at the hands of cruel masters, until a kind stranger helped to win his release. His account of those years is a shocking, unforgettable portrait of America’s most insidious historical institution as told by a man who experienced it firsthand.
Published shortly after Harriet Beecher Stowe’s abolitionist classic Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Northup’s memoir became a bestseller in 1853. With its eloquent depiction of life before and after bondage, Twelve Years a Slave was a unique and effective entry into the national debate over slavery. Rediscovered in the 1960s and now the inspiration for a major motion picture, Northup’s poignant narrative gives readers an invaluable glimpse into a shameful chapter of American history. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Reviews
Very Emotional but Well Worth Reading
5By Liyah J.I have never seen the movie so I decided to read the book first. My heart was taken through so many emotions as the book gives you a glance into the brutality of slavery. Solomon Northup was victimized in every way possible and while my heart hurt deeply for him and all he had to endure, I'm so glad he made it out and was able to see his family again. He was a strong man and even stronger for recounting his experiences for the purpose of writing this book. I strongly recommend everyone reads Twelve Years a Slave, even if they have already seen the movie.Twelve Years a Slave
5By IbladyjjShattering story. Excellent descriptive writing. Eye opening narrative. Must read for all!Twelve Years a Slave
4By Aleta17A very enlightening book. So hard to believe that a human being could treat another like that.12 years worth reading
5By Jonesing for literatureA heart wrenching, melancholy, true story of a man in bondage. 12 years a slave is a shameful masterpiece of a time in America where inhumanity was a way if life and human souls were considered economics. This autobiographical narrative will force you to examine your own life and cheer for the man who would never give up hope. Tears will fall and joy leap from your hearts!
