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Aug 26, 2018JCLBetM rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I was not prepared for the power of Solomon Northrup’s story. Though I've read about Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Nat Turner, and Sojourner Truth, I'd never read an actual slave narrative before. And I'd never heard about Solomon Northup. Nor the fact that slavery had come to such a wretched state that even free African-Americans from the North were being kidnapped and enslaved in the South — so much so that New York passed a law in 1840 “to protect the free citizens of this State from being kidnapped, or reduced to Slavery.” Not one to typically make “everyone should” statements, I will simply say this: I have never before felt as privileged to be reading a book as I did whilst reading Twelve Years a Slave. It was like with every page I read, I was honouring Solomon Northup. I hope many more read the story of this remarkable man. One of the things that so captured my attention about Northup’s story is that, unlike Frederick Douglass who was born a slave and began his education while a slave, Solomon Northup was born a free man, educated as a free man, worked as a free man, married and had children as a free man — and then, after living freely for over thirty years, he was kidnapped and thrust into a life of slavery. As Douglass himself wrote regarding Northup’s story: “It is a strange history, its truth is stranger than fiction.” Just a few months after being rescued, Northup published his personal account in 1853, selling 30,000 copies in just a few years. But then, it fell into obscurity for nearly 100 years until Sue Eakin and Joseph Logsdon published a reedited version in the late 1960s. If you’re not used to reading books written in the 19th century, it can take a little time to accustom yourself. But trust me, it is time well spent. And, if you’re concerned that it will be “too hard” to read because it relates harsh details of slavery, know that Northup has an amazing ability to speak honestly while still being reserved. Good for: readers who like stories with complex plots and worthy protagonists; readers who "hold these truths to be self-evident;" readers who want to be better informed about slavery and American history; history and lit teachers looking for a "new" book to share with students. Best read with others, so you can discuss it.