Lynn D. reviewed on
The extraordinary true story of Solomon Northup, a free African-American living in New York in 1841, who was kidnapped, sold into slavery, and subjected to unimaginable degradation and abuse until his rescue 12 years later.
This moving and utterly brutal book is a harrowing account of his life in the sugar and cotton plantations of Louisiana, subject to varying degrees of savagery and abuse by a series of owners. Against all odds, Northup eventually manages to get word to his family and the ensuing rescue from the drunken and sadistic Mr Epps and subsequent legal cases are no less shocking than the rest of the tale.
Northups meticulous first-hand recordings of slave life, written in conjunction with a white lawyer called David Wilson, provide a true-life testament to tremendous courage and resolve in the face of unspeakable injustice.
I cant say enough good stuff about this book, it was so good I could hardly stand to set it down! Solomon Northrup should be required reading for everyone everywhere! What thoroughly amazed me is as to how he went through hell and yet still looked at ALL fellow beings as people. He wasnt happy being made a slave but he made the best of it, survived and got his freedom back through friendship and didnt seem to harbor hateful relations for what the white people did to him! Amazing that this book can mean so much for people today! Only thing I didnt care for was all the reading guide crap put at the end of almost all the chapters should have been put in the back as discussion guide for reading groups! There are NOT enough stars in the sky to rate the wonderful story this book has to tell!
This moving and utterly brutal book is a harrowing account of his life in the sugar and cotton plantations of Louisiana, subject to varying degrees of savagery and abuse by a series of owners. Against all odds, Northup eventually manages to get word to his family and the ensuing rescue from the drunken and sadistic Mr Epps and subsequent legal cases are no less shocking than the rest of the tale.
Northups meticulous first-hand recordings of slave life, written in conjunction with a white lawyer called David Wilson, provide a true-life testament to tremendous courage and resolve in the face of unspeakable injustice.
I cant say enough good stuff about this book, it was so good I could hardly stand to set it down! Solomon Northrup should be required reading for everyone everywhere! What thoroughly amazed me is as to how he went through hell and yet still looked at ALL fellow beings as people. He wasnt happy being made a slave but he made the best of it, survived and got his freedom back through friendship and didnt seem to harbor hateful relations for what the white people did to him! Amazing that this book can mean so much for people today! Only thing I didnt care for was all the reading guide crap put at the end of almost all the chapters should have been put in the back as discussion guide for reading groups! There are NOT enough stars in the sky to rate the wonderful story this book has to tell!
