12 Years A Slave : A True Story Paperback – Big Book, 13 July 2017

A poignant memoir and a remarkable story set in one of the dark chapters of American history. This book must be read as a reminder of the unimaginable depths that human behavior can plummet. Scarcely could we imagine what great suffering can be inflicted upon fellow human beings. Written with great simplicity and honesty, a narration of slavery and freedom that is so moving at all times. Must read book.

12 years a slave' is known to me as a movie who won Academy Award for the best picture 2014. I watched it and didn't remember how I felt about the movie then.I came to know after seeing this book that it is a true story and bought to experience it by reading.Solomon Northup is a happy family man, who is a talented violinist and a free citizen. Born and raised in the north of the United States and led an admirable and peaceful life with three kids and a wife. In search of work and to earn some money he had to accept an offer by two white men and travel to Washington to perform in the circus. As the author says, the two men are very generous and kind to him. They provided him the free papers, an ample amount of dollars and taken good care of him. Unfortunately, he got deceived, robbed and sold to slave dealer. This is the unexpected and unprepared turn of life and he had to go through the harrowing experience of cruelty and inhumane life of slavery for the next 12 years.There may be humane masters, as there certainly are inhuman ones—there may be slaves well-clothed, well-fed, and happy, as there surely are those half-clad, half-starved and miserable; nevertheless, the institution that tolerates such wrong and inhumanity as I have witnessed is a cruel, unjust, and barbarous one, these are the words of Solomon Northup.There will be good and bad in every country, state, county, system and even in every human. Solomon is fortunate to meet people like William Ford, miss Mary McCoy, and savior of Solomon Mr.Bass the Carpenter. Although Ford and Ms.McCoy are kind to their slaves, they didn't oppose the whole slavery system as Mr.Bass did. It was sad and very hard to read about Patsey and the way they(Mr and Ms.Epps) treated her. It was no less than hell for Patsey. I hope she was treated like a human after Solomon left, till the end of her life.I was intrigued by 19th-century vocabulary like thither, whither, thenceforward, thence, etc. There are interesting pictures in paperback but did not find any in ebook. The vicinity of Solomon are fathomable and book was lucidly written.After reading this book I watched the film again. The actors and actress are well acquainted to me, thanks to 'MARVEL'. There is a lot more to the film in the book. As Hans Rosling said in the book 'FACTFULNESS' the world had become a lot more better than the past centuries."12 YEARS A SLAVE" an agonizing and disturbing story with a happy ending.

This book is good, good front cover and paper quality is also awesome, loved it, if anyone going for paperback of this book, go for this one.

Haven't read it yet but packaging was nice. Page and print quality is also fine for the price paid. Cover is also beautiful. Overall worth it.

Born as a free coloured man, Solomon Northup was tricked, drugged, kidnapped, tortured and hence sold into slavery. His name and identity were snatched away from him and he was forced to be slave and after 12 years remaining slave under various masters, he obtained freedom in January 1853. Solomon Northup penned his memoir which is a factual and detailed record of his tricking into, struggle, fight, efforts for freedom and finally attaining freedom.This memoir is divided into 22 chapters and each chapter is description of major events of these years of slavery. There are a few but potent and powerful illustrations of events. The beauty of this book lies in the fact that the narrator admitted that not all whites were mean to him. If his abductors were white so was his rescuer. It's not the colour it's the intentions, greed and lack of compassion which makes or mar a man to be human.In Northup Solomon's words, "I have no comments to make upon the subject of Slavery. Those who read this book may form their own opinions of the 'peculiar institution'. What it may be in other States, I do not profess to know ;what it is in the region of Red River, is truly and faithfully delineated in these page. This is no fiction, no exaggeration. If I have failed in anything, it has been in presenting to the reader too prominently the bright side of the picture"I recommend this book whole heartedly as it is a gem of a book. If you skip to read it you are undoubtedly missing one of the finest piece of literature.

Yes we all know the facts from the movie. But I didn't enjoy reading the book. Quality of the book by the means of printing quality, binding, cover etc are good enough though.

This is a soul stirring story which compels you to ponder about the inhumanity of the so called humans.This is the best book out of all true stories i have read till date.

Story is great.