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Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl | Linda Brent
Harriet Jacobs was born a slave in North Carolina, but, in her words, didnt realize it until her father died when she was six years old. Six years later, when her mistress died, she was bequeathed to the mistress granddaughter, thereby coming into the household of the mistress lecherous son. Several years later she escaped, only to have to hide for seven years in a cramped garret that did not allow her to stand or sit up. She was finally able to make her way north, where she was reunited with her children. Many years later, after narrowly avoiding capture multiple times due to the Fugitive Slave Law, her employer purchased her freedom. Jacobs, writing as Linda Brent, tells the riveting story of her life in the South as a slave. She brings an unflinching eye to good masters and mistresses who nevertheless lie to, steal from, and continually break promises to their slaves, and to bad masters who beat and kill their slaves for no particular reason. Even in the North, after her escape, she is disappointed to find prejudice and degrading treatment for blacks. After having been convinced to write down her story, it took years to find a publisher who would print it. It was finally made available to the public just a few months before the shots at Fort Sumter that began the Civil War. This book is part of the Standard Ebooks project, which produces free public domain ebooks.
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MsLeah8417
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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all_4_kb
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Looking forward to this powerful narrative from my TBR shelf

**truly an AMAZING narrative coming directly from bondage; the pain and suffering was great, and we owe her so much for her words. Must read for all humans!

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Staci
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Pickpick

VERY INTERESTING!

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aperi
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Starting reading this on the serial reader app after seeing a blurb from @Readage . Second chapter in and it's already breaking my heart 😭

bibliobliss It's worth it!! 4y
17 likes1 comment
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bibliobliss
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4/5 ⭐️ One of the best, most enlightening, heartbreaking reads I think I've ever read. This woman's story paints the most horrific picture of slavery and of course you will not be comfortable reading her account. However, you will never forget the contents of this woman's beautiful heart and soul. Her eventual freedom from the bonds of a devastating and wholly inhumane system is worth breaking your heart over. Highly recommend.

#recentlyread

thebluestocking Thanks for this review! 💙 4y
bibliobliss @thebluestocking Sure!! It's a great read 4y
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bibliobliss
Josee.lit.a.lu.et.lira Such an interesting quote! 4y
bibliobliss @Josee.a.lu.lit.et.lira Yes!! 4y
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bibliobliss
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• If my mood had a color while reading the tagged book, it would be a deep, dark somber blue 💙

Riveting. Monstrous. Heartbreaking. Overwhelming. True.

Read. This. Book. Yesterday. •

#currentlyreading #blackvoices #blacklivesmatter #history #Americanhistory #Southernhistory #AmericanSouth #horror #sorrow #evil #racism #powerful #women #strongwomen #SerialReader #SerialReaderapp #nonfiction #memoir

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Centique
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Pickpick

My goal is to read at least 12 classics this year (late 19th early 20th c). This is the earliest published narrative (1861) by a woman who‘d been enslaved. It is incredible. There‘s nothing more powerful than lived experience on a page. It astounds me that with all the books I‘ve read around slavery I‘d never heard about this before. I hope it‘s famous in the US. It‘s also a page turner, I was gripped with anxiety for Harriet and her children ⬇️

Centique Harriet tells her story but is also trying to persuade the Northerners reading her work that slavery is against Christianity. It is horrifying that she has to use her persuasive skills - but a reminder of how evilly embedded slavery was. This is one of those few books that really should be read by everyone 🙌 Harriet is an incredible real life hero #queenharriet 🙌 (edited) 4y
Tanisha_A Fantastic review, P! Stacked and looking forward to getting to it sometime. 🙂 4y
effani Sadly, I don't think it's particularly famous here in the US. I've heard the title but didn't really know anything about it until your review. It sounds really worthwhile, though! 4y
Centique @effani and it‘s SO readable and interesting too - I hope it gets some more attention. 💕 4y
Centique @Tanisha_A I‘m so glad you stacked it 😍😘 4y
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Grrlbrarian
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My #bookspin #doublespin #BookBingo list is up. Book #1 is the tagged book. For virtual March (a free space), I‘ll choose a medical nonfiction book. For virtual April, a title from my unfinished #BookSpinBonanza. And for June, natch, something unfinished from June 😊 I‘m looking forward to this! Thanks, @TheAromaofBooks 🎉

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4y
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Addison_Reads
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Pickpick

Powerful read! This book is definitely not an easy read, but it sheds light on a horrific time in our country's history. A history that deserves to be told and read no matter how difficult the subject matter.

bookishbitch It was amazing all that she went through! I agree, it was a tough read. 5y
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Sleepswithbooks
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Devoured this book. She was incredible. I wish I could have known her.

Bookpearl I read this book many moons ago and it still sits with me today...The courage and strength she had! 5y
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Blueberry
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Currently reading.

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Connster
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Pickpick

Everyone should read this. I can‘t say any more than that.

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Connster
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Hoping to spend some time with this tonight as I‘m currently waiting for an out-of-hours appointment about my tattoo, which I believe might be infected. This is the first of the ten I have that this has happened to and I‘m a tad annoyed at myself, even though it‘s probably not something I‘ve done.

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Romy819
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Connster
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An interesting read so far.

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allisontshannon
Pickpick

loved the details and heartbreaking reality of this memoir. everyone should read this.

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ptkpepe98
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This is a challenging memoir. No mistaking the ugly reality of slavery. Grim, gruesome,and heart wrenching, and still worth reading. I'm only halfway through.

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kaysworld1
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Harriet describes her untimelysuccesful struggle for freedom.
She writes of her experiences and search for her own voice.
Harriet Jacob's is one of the few existing slave narratives written by a woman.
This book offers a honest account of a black woman as a slave and writer.
I'm so excited to be learning about this brave woman. #learning #truth #reading #blackauthor #greatbooks

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introvertedbooks
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No fun reading until bed tonight. Have to read this for my American Renaissance class so I'll listen while I work on a crochet bag someone has ordered. This book is actually very interesting. #winterreads #gradschool #audiobook #crochetandreading

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nanoauthor
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One of my favorite spots to study.

#college

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Kaup89
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Off sick with plenty of time to read but can't decide which book to start first.

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hollymckie
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Pickpick

This was AMAZING. You have to actually keep reminding yourself that this incredible woman is writing about her own life and real experiences. I've not long finished reading The Help, and this was like a far more graphic version. I can only be inspired by Harriet's unbelievable and unwavering courage to gain freedom for herself and her children. So glad this semester finally introduced me to a new favourite!! #currentlyreading #novemberreading

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hollymckie
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So apparently it has been 3 months since I last posted? Where did the time go?

October was a very slow and uninspired reading month for me. It meant reaching the halfway point of semester 1 of my third year at uni and motivation/confidence has been lacking all round tbh. Here's hoping November picks things up a bit!

For now though I might actually try read a book from my syllabus. This looks to be an interesting one!

#currentlyreading

Megabooks Welcome back! 7y
Libby1 Hello, @hollymckie . I hope you find this month‘s reading to be encouraging about inspiring. ⭐️ 7y
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Kristy_K
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I have a lot of books with #life in the title! Here are a few of my 4 & 5 ⭐️ ones.

#junebookbugs

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hike.read.repeat
Pickpick

A difficult listen but an important story. #audiobook #audiobooks

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elawsan
Pickpick

Audiobook.

This is a deeply profound, first hand account of life as a girl, young woman, then adult born into slavery in the American South, pre Civil War. Her recollections are incredibly vivid and hauntingly told.

While this story isn't easy to get through because of the horrendous subject matter, the story is compelling and her perseverance of spirit and determination is amazing and admirable.

#LitsyAtoZ

Sydsavvy An audiobook! 8y
elawsan @Sydsavvy I found it on the Oodles Books app. 8y
Sydsavvy Wow that is awesome! 8y
6 likes3 comments
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Oldschool_millenial
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Part of this semester's reading in history class. Finally getting a history lesson that isn't the whitewashed, sanitized master narrative most people got in elementary, middle, and high school.
Difficult reading, but a story that should continue being shared, with our without a class behind it.

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Blair_Reads
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Man. Rough reading this morning. I hope everyone has a wonderful Tuesday 😊

CrowCAH Indeed. I wish Litsy had more choices for expressing feelings. Sometimes "like" doesn't quite express the sentiment I'm feeling. As in this case, sad face. Very true of slavery times, though. 8y
MicheleinPhilly @CrowCAH Agreed! I just liked a post in which someone was saying her whole family has the flu but I like the book she's reading, not the flu stuff! 😬 8y
JSW I tell people who say "but they were happy slaves!" To read this book. 8y
See All 6 Comments
Blair_Reads @CrowCAH yes!! Like emojis of happy or a heart or a crying face! Because so many of the books we read are about serious topics that you don't really want to "like" That's a great idea ?? 8y
Blair_Reads @JSW ....I don't know what I would say in response to that statement so well done! 8y
JSW @Blair_Reads I also like to ask, would you like to be a slave? People's responses are telling. 😏 I'm a little bold tho. 8y
78 likes6 comments
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brennareadsbooks
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I just picked this up for my classic written by an author of color for the #readharder challenge!

Reviewsbylola Read this in school. It is fantastic. 8y
Notafraidofwords Read this one and it was very good. 8y
BethFishReads Ooohhhh loved this. Courage and survival 8y
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Marchpane
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#girlbooks part 7: 19th century girls

Going back even further...

#girlinthetitle #litsyreadingchallenge #litsychallenge2017

merelybookish These collages are great! 8y
Marchpane @merelybookish I'm so glad you're enjoying them! 8y
85 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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GoneFishing

My Master had power and law on his side; I had a determined will. There is might in each.

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mrsh62010
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Talk about an #unforgettablewoman... This book opened my eyes to issues of slavery that aren't taught in school, and that we in our modern times never "have" to think about. But it's always good to find out our own history from people who actually lived it, and this is one of those books. I encourage you to read this with your mind on the fact that these events didn't happen *really* long ago, and our society still has a long way to go. #booktober

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Kristy_K
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#booktober - #unforgettablewomen

Helen Keller
Harriet Jacobs
Zelda Fitzgerald
Cleopatra

All significant and important in their own way.

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whatthelog
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current uni reading - north American women writers

'the remarkable odyssey of Harriet Jacobs, whose dauntless spirit and faith carried her from a life of servitude and degradation in North Carolina to liberty and reunion with her children in the north'