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Monday 16 June 2014

Twelve Years A Slave - Solomon Northup



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 grueling 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.

Solomon Northup was a renowned fiddle-player who was kidnapped and enslaved for twelve years before he was rescued by an official agent from the state of New York. 

Published by: Harper Perennial Classics - Kindle Edition
Pages: 154
Year: 2013 for Kindle
ISBN: 1494297396

Solomon Northup was born in 1809. He marries his wife in 1829 and they go one to have three children. Solomon goes to Washington for a possible job opportunity and for the next twelve years his life is completely changed. He is sold into slavery, given a new name and for the next twelve years works on the cotton plantations of New Orleans. He managed to get a message to his family but there was nothing they could do to expedite his release. Eventually nearly twelve years later he meets an official from New York who is visiting with the plantation owner and reveals the truth about his past. By the time he is released and returns to his family his three small children he had left behind are all but grown.

Solomon Northup's account of his capture, his time on the plantations and his eventual release is very comprehensive. I can quite understand why Steve McQueens wife thought he should make it into a film.
I've not yet seen the film but having read the book I would like to see how it is interpreted onto the big screen.

Happy reading one & all

Mx





1 comment:

  1. Hi Mitzi! Thank you for the nice comments on my blog! Lovely with a book blog. I used to read a lot, but with two younger children the reading had to take a step back unfortunately, but lately I have managed to find some time and at least start to read again. Nothing like a good book. My two favourites lately are The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey and The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw - both are like fairytales for grown-ups and beautifully written. If that is your cup of tea I can warmly recommend them! Have a lovely week! Anna

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