A review by dkrane
Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup

5.0

This book is incredible. It's horrifying in how it shows just how common and prevalent unthinkable cruelty was under slavery. I read this after the movie (also amazing, a faithful and moving adaption of the book) and the book shows that the movies most painful moments (of which there are many) were all too common for slaves in the south. Northrop writes really elegantly about what it's like being a slave and about human nature in general. This is a great, important historical document that many, many people should read.