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12 Years a Slave
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
Now a major motion picture directed by Steve McQueen and starring Brad Pitt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Paul Giamatti 12 Years a Slave is a riveting true account of a free man captured and sold into slavery in the pre-Civil War South. Solomon Northup's narrative explores one of the darkest times in American history and captures in vivid detail the unimaginable realities of slavery. In 1841, the educated musician Solomon Northup, a free man living in New York who is cruelly deceived by the promise of a job in Washington, is drugged, kidnapped, and sold into slavery. Once Solomon arrives in New Orleans, he is given a slave name and soon realizes that any mention of his rights as a free man is sure to bring cruel punishment or death. Denied his freedom and ripped away from his family, he spends twelve emotionally and physically gruelling years on a Louisiana cotton plantation enduring the hardships and brutalities of life as a slave. When Solomon eventually finds a sympathizing friend, a daring rescue is attempted that could either end in Solomon's death or restore his freedom and reunite him with his family. When Solomon Northup published this harrowing account of slavery in 1853, it immediately stirred up controversy in the national debate over slavery, helping to sway public opinion in favour of abolition. His book 12 Years a Slave remains one of the most insightful, detailed, and eloquent depictions of slavery in America. It demonstrates the extraordinary resilience of one man's spirit in the face of extreme suffering and his incredible will to survive.
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bookaholic1
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

#39
So good

24 likes2 stack adds
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AmyK1
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

“There‘s a sin, a fearful sin, resting on this nation, that will not go unpunished forever. There will be a reckoning yet-there‘s a day coming that will burn as an oven. It may be sooner or it may be later, but it‘s a coming as sure as the Lord is just.”

Solomon was born free in New York & lived and worked there with his wife and 3 children until 1841, when he was drugged, kidnapped & sold into slavery in the south. This is his heartbreaking

AmyK1 First hand account of all that he endured until his rescue in 1853. 12mo
46 likes1 comment
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GinaKButler
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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19 likes1 stack add
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JacintaMCarter
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Mehso-so

#2022Book126
I‘m not sure if it‘s because of the narrator or just the writing itself, but I found my mind wandering quite often while listening to this. It‘s an important story, but I almost wonder if I would have gotten more out of it just watching the movie.

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zurazureen
Pickpick

Shows how valuable one‘s freedom is

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TheKidUpstairs
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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#OnThisDay in 1853, Solomon Northrup regains his freedom. Born free in New York, Northrup was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South. After regaining his freedom, he documented his time as an enslaved person in the bestseller 12 Years a Slave. Abolitionists used his narrative to add the weight of truth to "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and spread their cause. #HistoryGetsLIT

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Martta
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Some non-fiction. Fell in love with these. Probably going to start with Pompeij book. It tells about the lives of three different Pompeij residents.

Here is a picture 3/4

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bio_chem06
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#Movie2BookRecs #lupitanyongo 30. I really do love Lupita in everything. 12 Years was a tough book to read though. I‘m reminded of Lupita in Us and it makes me think of Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, which I loved.

Klou Great job! She's a fantastic actress! 3y
8 likes1 comment
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Cazxxx
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

Listened to this today while cross stitching and wow so moving and powerful 😢

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Bookworm04
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Bargin shall give it a go

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paulareadsallthetime
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Mehso-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️Such a sad story. It hurts my heart to hear about a free man being taken and made to be a slave foe 12 years. It greatly bothers me that anyone has ever believed that slavery is okay.

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marleed
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

I believe I‘m better for purposely (and sometimes accidentally) including BIPOC stories, histories, and authors into my monthly reading. It seemed important to include this one, as well. It is beautifully told. #BookSpinBingo #DoubleSpin @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
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SanjanaGhosh
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

How's the movie ?

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EadieB
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Day 4 - #12YearsASlave #RememberNovember

This looks like a great movie. I need to see this one!

Klou It really is. I've seen it several times and every time it hits me just as hard as the first time. 4y
35 likes1 comment
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jennbee
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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One of my last few books for 52 Books Around the World!

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mollyrotondo
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I am glad I got a chance to read this book. We read it for book club and had a really great discussion tonight. Spoiler: I cried when Solomon was reunited with his acquaintance from the North and knew his freedom had finally come. There are so many injustice actions and attitudes in this account that still happen today and it is sick that from 1840 to now so little has changed. Recommend for a true account of our country‘s history.

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick I just saw this as a Prime Reading offering. I might need to take them up on it. 4y
mollyrotondo @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick It‘s very good. It‘s a sad read for sure but an important read. In our book club we talked about how this book really needs to be required reading in schools. 4y
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saritaroth
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Mehso-so

I enjoyed this book in parts; I know that it was made into a movie which I am planning on watching tomorrow. It was a really heartbreaking and unbelievable story. I just found it somewhat boring; the narrator, Solomon Northup, spent way too much time describing picking cotton and harvesting sugar cane. I know that that was his life, but I think shortening the description would have been more beneficial. 🌟🌟🌟

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Jb2003
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
Panpan

Unpopular opinion, I know. Maybe it‘s because I listened to it or I just wasn‘t in the mood. I understand it‘s historical value, but I had a hard time staying engaged.

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Rachel.Rencher
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Pickpick

It's hard to really rate a book like this because the story is so heartbreaking that no matter how it's told, you just have to respect the author for telling it. I can't imagine being kidnapped and sold into slavery, and Solomon wrote all about what that was like in graphic detail. I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants an idea of what life was like on a plantation.

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Rachel.Rencher
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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I watched a documentary about the Civil War in a history class that I subbed for, and they talked a lot about Solomon Northrup. I saw the dramatized movie, but I'm just now starting his actual memoir.

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beautifulcrevice
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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i‘ve been eager to read this one. definitely a change of pace.. seen the movie a few years ago n may watch again after finishing 🎞
#twelveyearsaslave

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Bethanyroe
Pickpick

Really enjoyed the book. Read it before watching the movie. But it was easy to follow and read and gave such a horrible insight into some of our nations worst crimes. #history #movietiein

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Victoria_Clyne
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

I want to say that I enjoyed this book but it feels wrong to say that about a book on slavery. It was a well told biography. I did this on audio book and the narrator (Hugh Quarshie) was fabulous.

Joanne1 It doesn‘t read like a book written over 150 years ago does it. 5y
Victoria_Clyne @Joanne1 it certainly does not sound like it was written 150 years ago. The language is very accessible. 5y
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Curiouser_and_curiouser
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

I'm only a few chapters in but I'm riveted by this story. I must be way behind the times cos apparently there's a movie of the same name but I must be the only one on earth who's not heard of it, or if I have seen it already I've completely forgotten.
This incredible recount is a true story which gives the reader an all too honest insight into life for people of color in the 1840's.

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Deborah42
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

Solomon Northup‘s memoir of being kidnapped and sold into slavery for twelve years, despite being a free man, is a chilling portrayal of a shameful time in American history.

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Kristy_K
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

About time I read this one. Northrop‘s story is sad and infuriating.

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sixgun
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

As important as Uncle Tom's cabin is to the understanding of slavery, I think this book contributes another narrative, another perspective, another glimpse into slavery as experienced and recorded by those that lived it. I enjoyed the book. It was well written without it's words and grammar being inaccessible even though it was written 170 years ago. The characters were real people with real struggles and they have changed my life.

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sixgun
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Life is precious. A man enslaved with the weight of Injustice fully upon his shoulders still holds on to his will to live when someone attends to take it away.

Note: A breakdown in physical or mental health can alter the strength of the hold we feel upon our lives. I just felt that needed to be said.

Cathythoughts Yes ♥️ 6y
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sixgun
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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I understand that I am not a person of the years of slavery. I understand that we have seen our mistakes and move to correct them. But the horror I feel when I read passages like this, I want to scream at my ancestors for their ignorance. And I pray that my descendants will never grieve at my actions or despair over the things that I have done.

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swishandflick
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Another audiobook find on Spotify! 👏🏽 (Let me know if this is getting annoying, haha) #spotify #audiobook #memoir

Djspens Good to know!!! 6y
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BillyH
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

Book#82 for my 400 goal. This was such a good read. It is always important to look on the past and learn from it in order to make a better future. The nasty, sick, cruel, inhuman things humans can do is just too much at times. We need to stop and question what is considered okay today and ask ourselves, is it really? Because there are many demonstrations of the opposite being true when you take a look at history.

Velvetfur Unfortunately that evil and cruelty still goes on today, it will never end, no matter how much we campaign against it. This is because humans are, in the main, evil. 😓 6y
BillyH It does indeed still exist. However there has been huge improvement over time and I am hopeful that we are moving in a good direction. I‘m sure there will never be true equality, but I think we as humans will always move towards it. @Velvetfur 6y
amberdfoy 400?!?!? 82?!? How?! 6y
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BillyH @Amberdfoy I listen to audiobooks at x2 speed. I get in about 12 hours a day lol. 6y
CafeMom Do you have long commutes? I read this book with my book and was quite impressed. I was happy the movie brought attention to the book. 6y
BillyH @CafeMom no I don‘t. Only 30minutes. My work is mindless work and I don‘t have to communicate with anyone so I‘m able to just sit in my little booth and listen :) 6y
amberdfoy Oh, so jealous!! 6y
90 likes1 stack add7 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Northup was kidnapped and was brought to New Orleans as a slave, where his first owner has a mill on a bayou.

#marchintothe70s #bluebayou

Cinfhen Still need to read this book & watch the movie 🍿 6y
Lizpixie I haven‘t seen this either. I try to avoid depressing movies, I‘m living my own💙 6y
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goodbyefrancie
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Because Thursday was another Monday. Audio and wine with #overdrive.

Grrlbrarian Sorry about the double Monday. Good bounce back game tho 🙌 6y
130 likes1 comment
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m.galehuxley
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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I‘m about 1.5 hours in. Although the subject matter is often horrifying to listen to, it‘s very engrossing and narrated so well.

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Emilymdxn
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

Amazing book, really harrowing and intense as I expected but I was also really impressed by the warmth of the narration which I wasn‘t expecting as much. I can see why people read this and thought it would make a great film, it was very cinematic somehow. Must watch the movie now

ElishaLovesBooks I‘ve been thinking about this one! Stacked! 6y
57 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Emilymdxn
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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I was so pleased to see this on sale on audible! I never got round to watching the movie but feel like the book must be better anyway? Excited to learn more about US slavery

Reviewsbylola It‘s a shocking and harrowing read. 6y
Klou The movie is excellent!!! I didn't know this was a book, too! Or if I did, I forgot. Thanks!!! 6y
Emilymdxn @Reviewsbylola yeah I think it‘ll be an intense one 6y
Emilymdxn @Klou amazing!! I must get round to watching the movie! 6y
Klou @Emilymdxn it will definitely be worth it! 6y
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R_c
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
Pickpick

We all know about the dark history of slavery this book depicts just how dark that chapter of history was.

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arlenefinnigan
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

This is an excellent read. Vital insight into the brutal reality of slavery from first hand experience. Absolute must read for anyone interested in slavery and American history.

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arlenefinnigan
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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#ReadHarder challenge 18: a Western

Lindy 🤔Interesting take on a western. The era is correct, but Washington and Louisiana aren‘t very far west, are they? 7y
arlenefinnigan @Lindy it's one of the suggestions for the challenge on the Book Riot site https://bookriot.com/2018/01/16/read-harder-western/ 7y
Lindy @arlenefinnigan Book Riot does like to stretch the envelope! 7y
33 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Wilkie
12 Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Solomon Northup is kidnapped and sold into slavery. It takes 12 years until he can escape and #getback to his family #heyjune

Cinfhen Haven‘t read the book, but I‘ve seen the film 😍 7y
Samplergal I added it to my stack. I loved the movie. 7y
GypsyKat Good choice! 7y
hwestfall I love this book. I try and recommend it whenever I can. 7y
50 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Mdargusch
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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This powerful memoir of a free black man that was captured and sold into slavery #keptmecrying. It is his unforgettable story of courage, persistence, and hope. #aprella

Joanne1 This was such a surprising read for me. It was so engaging even though it was written such a long time ago. 7y
Cinfhen I‘ve only seen the film 😭 7y
DivineDiana I am not able to watch extreme violence, so I regretfully did not see the film, but I do want to read the book. 7y
See All 10 Comments
Mdargusch It‘s a quick read @Cinfhen so you should pick it up or read it on Serial Reader. His writing is surprising as it reads like a novel like @Joanne1 said. It‘s so powerful. 💔 (edited) 7y
Mdargusch I totally agree with you @DivineDiana - see my post above. 👆🏼 7y
DivineDiana Thank you! 📚 7y
Tanisha_A I remember watching this movie long time ago, and man it wrenched my heart. And oh it's on Serial Reader! Thanks for letting know! 🙂 7y
Mdargusch That‘s where I read it @Tanisha_A but it was over a year ago. Hopefully it‘s still there. 🤞🏼 7y
emilyhaldi Yes, this is a great book! Short but powerful. 7y
Reviewsbylola Ugh this was horrifying. 7y
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Ke633
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Cinfhen I‘ve only seen the film 💔 7y
Reviewsbylola I didn‘t even realize there was a movie but omg, the book. 😬 7y
emilyhaldi This book is incredible!! And where have you been? @Reviewsbylola this movie took home every award in 2014!! 😆 7y
Reviewsbylola You know I don‘t watch movies. I literally haven‘t watched a movie in my home in at least two years. Lord knows when the last time I went to a theater was. 😂 @emilyhaldi 7y
Mdargusch That book broke my heart. Great choice! 7y
38 likes5 comments
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BooksRockMyWorld
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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"And what difference is there in the color of the soul?"
- Solomon Northup, Twelve Years a Slave
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#bookstagram#bookquotes#quote#powerfulmessage#bibliophile#reading#greatread#memoire#solomonnorthup#twelveyearsaslave#instabooks#booksofinstagram#bookgram#iamreading#books#wonderfulbook#powerfulbook#inspirationalquotes#inspiration#neveragain

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Foxyfictionista
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

🎻 🎻🎻🎻🎻 This was a powerful story. One that will stay with me for quite some time. Now I'll be able to watch the film. (I wanted to read the book first.)

Samplergal The film was great and I want to read it. 7y
Foxyfictionista @Samplergal Definitely read it. 7y
50 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Redjewel_7734
Twelve Years a Slave | Solomon Northup
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Pickpick

This is powerful narrative of the best & worst in the slave South. Northup‘s kidnapping from the North & subsequent experiences as a slave really rip the smokescreen from the lie of the “benevolent” slave industry. His balance in giving credit to people who were decent versus the monsters only highlights how few & far between the good ones were. What‘s sad is looking around & being honest, have we really come that far?

Foxyfictionista I'm reading this right now. 7y
Redjewel_7734 @Foxyfictionista It‘s a heavy read, but definitely one I‘m glad I experienced & wish I had taken on earlier. So many more of these voices need to be introduced into the schools. Even at 41, I‘m constantly agog at how white-washed and lacking so much of my education has been. 7y
Foxyfictionista @Redjewel_7734 I'm with you there! I turn 43 next month and I'm constantly amazed when I look back at what I learned in school. It's shocking how much was omitted from my education. 7y
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