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In debt, Kentucky farmer Arthur Shelby reluctantly decides to trade two of his slaves. The two, middle-aged Uncle Tom and young Harry, are to be sold to Mr. Haley, a detestable slave trader. Eliza, Harry's mother and Mrs. Shelby's maid, overhears the details of the arraignment, warns Uncle Tom and flees with Harry to the north. Eliza and Harry barely make it across the Ohio River before slave catchers can catch up with them. On the run, Eliza and her family seek shelter and safety. Meanwhile, Uncle Tom, who refused to run away, is separated from his family and sold down river. As novel progresses, the juxtaposed narratives highlight the harsh reality of slavery.
94 Reviews
3.5
Lexi T. Walker
Created 17 days agoShare
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“Wow. Just wow.
I read this for research for a book I’m writing and, while I knew the history of the book, until I read it I didn’t fully under *why* it had the impact it did on pre-Civil War America. It’s less compelling now because life is different now and I’m not one of the types the author was trying to persuade in 1854, but looking at it in the context of 19th Century America and from the viewpoint of those she was addressing, I can see how it shook the nation.
From a style perspective, it takes time to get into it. There are a lot of different threads of the story that get dropped and picked up again later and the narrative style takes some getting used to. On the whole, very well written, but someone used to the short, punchy phrasing of modern writing might find it dry or hard to follow at first.
As far as the story goes . . . I know we readers are doomed to have our favorite characters die in the books we read, but did she have to kill so many off?? 😅 I’ll refrain from saying *who* so others can have their hearts broken in their own timing.
The parallels between this and Martha Finley’s Elsie Dinsmore series were interesting, but I suspect many books of the time have a fair number of similarities.
Overtly religious. If you can’t stand a sermon, don’t read it. If you enjoy theology, philosophy, and other deep topics, Stowe weaves those all throughout the book. Personally I enjoy that depth.
—>Not a great read for someone who has a hard time with hard themes. Slavery, violence, death, abuse, SA, etc. are all mentioned in the story, though it’s less graphic than I expected and technically clean (no s3x scenes).”BelievableDiverse representationMemorableNonlinear narrativeSlow start, strong finishTwistyWell-structuredGrittyHistoricalRealisticSetting fits the storyVivid descriptionsBeautifully-writtenDescriptiveStraightforwardTakes getting used toChallengingThought-provokingAuthoritativeData-drivenWell-researchedAddresses counterargumentsBalanced perspectivesWell-arguedEloquentVerboseAbuseChild abuseChild lossDeathGriefMurderRacismSexual assaultViolence
Jeannine
Created 28 days agoShare
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Mohnish Singh
Created about 1 month agoShare
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TracyE
Created about 1 month agoShare
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“What a difficult read on so many levels. Glad I read it. Almost gave up at one point, but glad I didn’t. I can understand why it’s an important part of literature history.”About Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) was a famed abolitionist and author. In 1851, she received $400 (a great sum in her day) for a serialized version of her novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, which went on to be the bestselling novel of the 19th century and the second most-sold book, behind The Bible. The novel's portrayal of slavery is credited as a catalyst for the slavery debate in the years preceding the Civil War.
Other books by Harriet Beecher Stowe
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