This month the Book it Sisters Read Twleve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
Published 1853, 363 pages
Book it Sisters’ Grade:
Perhaps the best written of all the slave narratives, Twelve Years a Slave is a harrowing memoir about one of the darkest periods in American history. It recounts how Solomon Northup, born a free man in New York, was lured to Washington, D.C., in 1841 with the promise of fast money, then drugged and beaten and sold into slavery. He spent the next twelve years of his life in captivity on a Louisiana cotton plantation.
| Suzanne Rigby | A | I read this book three years ago, but I remember it changed my thinking about slavery and how they lived and survived. I thought it was fascinating that he went from being a free man, and having that educated perspective. Much of the book was heartbreaking, but so worth the read. |
| Samantha Harrison | c | While it had a happy ending I didn't like trudging through such a depressing story. |
| Mary Halsey | B+ | A tough read but impressed at this viewpoint into slavery from free to slavery to free...Makes me appreciate my freedoms more. |
| Judy Bush | B+ | It seems unfair to give a grade to the account of a life, as it was a true and accurate acciunt of Solomon Northup. The story of slavery and its abuses is extremely disturbing, but historically important to recognize. Solomon does a good job of letting us into his world. The writing style was awkwardly stilted and sadly, the audio narration even more stiff. But the story itself could not be put down. It was powerful and painful to read. I don't want to see the movie now. I can't stand to live that experience twice! Even Solomon's liberation was only partially satisfying, as he left an entire population behind in servitude as he traveled back to his home in the north. |
| Cheryl Clowes | B+ | The subject matter was very hard to read but I felt the story was a good one. I was amazed that this was told by the actual man who went through this. I was glad to read this and learn about the terrible instituion. It makes you more aware of African American history and why they feel as they do now a days. |
| Anna McDaniels | B | It was a very good narrative and a well told story. It is hard to believe this section is history was really not so long ago. |
| Silke Elsner |