Letters from a Slave Girl: The Story of Harriet Jacobs by Mary E. Lyons
The fictionalized version of a real-life runaway slave story.
Originally published in 1996.
Originally published in 1996.
Mary E. Lyons' book Letters from a Slave Girl is a fictionalized account of the true story of
Harriet Jacobs, a slave girl from North Carolina who escaped and hid in
her grandmother's attic for seven years, beginning in 1835, before making her way north to
freedom.
Lyons chose to use a fictional diary format to tell the story of Harriet Jacobs. In real life Jacobs could read and write and actually published a book about her life in 1861 called Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.
The diary format
has some strengths - it is an efficient way to note the passage of time
and to tell about Harriet's feelings. However, it is not nearly as
memorable as telling her story as a novel. The letters just do not have the same flow and impact as a story.
The book also include a set of pictures of some of the real people and places involved, a family tree and a thorough bibliography.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
This book can be found on Amazon.com here: Letters from a Slave Girl.
Reviewed on August 15, 2007.
Lyons chose to use a fictional diary format to tell the story of Harriet Jacobs. In real life Jacobs could read and write and actually published a book about her life in 1861 called Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.
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| The reward notice for Harriet Jacobs |
The book also include a set of pictures of some of the real people and places involved, a family tree and a thorough bibliography.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
This book can be found on Amazon.com here: Letters from a Slave Girl.
Reviewed on August 15, 2007.
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