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Uncle Tom's Cabin

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About this listen

Uncle Tom's Cabin opens with a Kentucky farmer named Arthur Shelby facing the loss of his farm because of debts. Even though he and his wife, Emily Shelby, believe that they have a benevolent relationship with their slaves, Shelby decides to raise the needed funds by selling two of them - Uncle Tom, a middle-aged man with a wife and children, and Harry, the son of Emily Shelby's maid Eliza - to a slave trader. Emily Shelby hates the idea of doing this because she had promised her maid that her child would never be sold; Emily's son, George Shelby, hates to see Tom go because he sees the old man as his friend and mentor.

When Uncle Tom's Cabin was published in 1852, it became an international blockbuster, selling more than 300,000 copies in the United States alone in its first year. Progressive for her time, Harriet Beecher Stowe was one of the earliest writers to offer a shockingly realistic depiction of slavery. Her stirring indictment and portrait of human dignity in the most inhumane circumstances enlightened hundreds of thousands of people by revealing the human costs of slavery, which had until then been cloaked and justified by the racist misperceptions of the time.

Public Domain (P)2008 Tantor
Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

Critic reviews

"It is a compelling adventure story with richly drawn stories & has earned a place in both literary & American history. " ( Barnes & Noble)
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I have wanted to read this book since reading Sue Monk Kidd's 'The invention of wings' about two sisters who were abolitionists. The first version I bought of this audio book was diabolical. The narration was awful. The narrator on this one , Richard Allen, however was first class. He really brought the characters to life. This book has reply affected me and was great to listen to.One of those books where you find many excuses to take a longer route, drive slower, go for long walks or ignore conversations so you can continue listening. Would highly recommend to anyone who would like to hear more personal accounts of slavery based on real life experiences.

Fantastic narration

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A moving story beautifully read. It becomes rather wordy and preaching but is obviously honest & sincere in its message.

Excellent narration

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This is a moving account of the lives of enslaved people in the Southern States of the USA before the civil war. It confronted the people of the day with a moving account of what it means to be a slave. I was in tears as I listened to these accounts.

A Fact Based Revelation in narrative form

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a deep and moving book and arguably one of the most important and influential works of literature in history. beautifully read.

heart-rending and uplifting

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There are no words to explain the phenomenal book here. Read it. if there is only one book you will ever read or listen to then make it this one. the narration was perfect and you could really see the charecters when each was presented. I am quite a hardy person but even I succumbed to the emotion presented within the book and within the narration that was executed with perfecion by Richard Allen. 10 out of 10 in all aspects!

wow. just... wow

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