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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
Every school should have this book in their curriculum! This book was so eye opening and heartfelt. It was a real eye opener and caused a lot of bottled up rage.
This is a story about a free man who was wrongfully sold as a slave. He then narrates the next 12 years of his life in the hands of various owners as well as the hardships he has had to endure during his time away from his family. This man was un rightfully obtained by white men and slavers and sold. The whole story was heart felt and sad to read about.
No one should have ever had to go through this. A sad part of history that not everyone is knowledgable about.
This is a story about a free man who was wrongfully sold as a slave. He then narrates the next 12 years of his life in the hands of various owners as well as the hardships he has had to endure during his time away from his family. This man was un rightfully obtained by white men and slavers and sold. The whole story was heart felt and sad to read about.
No one should have ever had to go through this. A sad part of history that not everyone is knowledgable about.
- My object is, to give a candid and truthful statement of facts: to repeat the story of my life, without exaggeration, leaving it for others to determine, whether even the pages of fiction present a picture of a more cruel wrong or a severer bondage. -
- To the Almighty Father of us all - the freeman and the slave I poured forth the supplications of a broken spirit, imploring strength from on high to bear up against the burden of my troubles, until the morning light aroused the slumberers, ushering in another day of bondage. -
- Don't cry, mama. I will be a good boy. Don't cry.' -
- I have seen mothers kissing for the last time the faces of their dead offspring; I have seen them looking down into the grave, as they earth fell with a dull sound upon their coffins, hiding them from their eyes forever; but never have I seen such an exhibition of intense, unmeasured, and unbounded grief, as when Eliza was parted from her child. -
- Let them know the *heart* of the poor slave - learn his secret thoughts - thoughts he dare not utter in the hearing of the white man; let them sit by him in the silent watches of the night - converse with him in trustful confidence, of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," and they will find that ninety-nine out of every hundred are intelligent enough to understand their situation, and to cherish in their bosoms the love of freedom, as passionately as themselves. -
- To the Almighty Father of us all - the freeman and the slave I poured forth the supplications of a broken spirit, imploring strength from on high to bear up against the burden of my troubles, until the morning light aroused the slumberers, ushering in another day of bondage. -
- Don't cry, mama. I will be a good boy. Don't cry.' -
- I have seen mothers kissing for the last time the faces of their dead offspring; I have seen them looking down into the grave, as they earth fell with a dull sound upon their coffins, hiding them from their eyes forever; but never have I seen such an exhibition of intense, unmeasured, and unbounded grief, as when Eliza was parted from her child. -
- Let them know the *heart* of the poor slave - learn his secret thoughts - thoughts he dare not utter in the hearing of the white man; let them sit by him in the silent watches of the night - converse with him in trustful confidence, of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," and they will find that ninety-nine out of every hundred are intelligent enough to understand their situation, and to cherish in their bosoms the love of freedom, as passionately as themselves. -
There are so many things to say, and yet, I'm so broken that I don't know what to say.
“As important as Anne Frank’s Diary.” And I agree with this statement. I know too little about slavery, however this does remain to be an era we should all know more about
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Colonisation
This was a gut-wrenching tale of slavery written from the vivid memory of an enslaved man. The scenes are horrendous, and it gives an insight into the deep darkness of our country's past, as well as the lingering effects of the evils of slavery.
I don't think anyone in any position to review someone's true story of their own life! Solomon Northup's story happened in the 1840s. Northup was a free man in New York and was kidnapped to be sold as a slave and finally escaped after twelve abhorrent years.
I just want to thank Northup for sharing his story that has broken my heart so many times in many levels; moments that I was feeling so desperate that I forgot to breathe. I'm so grateful that slavery no longer exists (at least in the major countries). It is just so wrong and inhumane. It hurts me when (in the book), the white man deliberately told the coloured man that he is no different to an animal, that he is not human. It hurts me to read the parts where slaves are being beaten up to the worst of the worst for no reason or for pure pleasure. This book weighs my heart down. But in all the dark corners, the hope, the courage and the love conquered slavery.
I really recommend everyone to read this book, it has given me a new perspective towards life, my own self, other people and society.
I just want to thank Northup for sharing his story that has broken my heart so many times in many levels; moments that I was feeling so desperate that I forgot to breathe. I'm so grateful that slavery no longer exists (at least in the major countries). It is just so wrong and inhumane. It hurts me when (in the book), the white man deliberately told the coloured man that he is no different to an animal, that he is not human. It hurts me to read the parts where slaves are being beaten up to the worst of the worst for no reason or for pure pleasure. This book weighs my heart down. But in all the dark corners, the hope, the courage and the love conquered slavery.
I really recommend everyone to read this book, it has given me a new perspective towards life, my own self, other people and society.
This is so eye-opening. It’s shocking that Solomon was able to recount the horrors he’d been through. Probably the most inspiring book I’ve read; Solomon is an honest, determined, God-fearing man who never gave up.
Beautiful book. Took a while to get into the narrative but I loved it!
Incredibly gripping and is charged with emotion the strength of a million lightning bolts. Made me think at length about modern capitalism and it’s historical links to slavery as a profit making business. Makes you realise how many real lives were wrecked by the many-faced cannonballs of ignorance, cruelty and money.