This collection of four first-hand accounts of slavery were chosen from the experiences of more than 6,000 ex-slaves, who by 1944 had written moving stories of their captivity. This volume includes portraits of the lives of Olaudah Equiano, Frederick Douglass, Mary Prince, and Harriet Jacobs.

These autobiographical narratives are the first texts in which black slaves began to proclaim themselves as human beings. The literature forms an intriguing personal tapestry, encompassing varied stories but inevitably depicting the horrors of human bondadge.

The ten works collected in this volume demonstrate how a diverse group of writers challenged the conscience of a nation and laid the foundations of the African American literary tradition by expressing their in anger, pain, sorrow, and courage. Included in the volume: Narrative of the Most Remarkable Particulars in the Life of James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw; Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano; The Confessions of Nat Turner; Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass; Narrative of William W. Brown; Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Henry Bibb; Narrative of Sojouner Truth; Ellen and William Craft's Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom; Harriet Jacobs' Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and Narrative of the Life of J. D.Green. LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation’s literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America’s best and most significant writing. The Library of America series includes more than 300 volumes to date, authoritative editions that average 1,000 pages in length, feature cloth covers, sewn bindings, and ribbon markers, and are printed on premium acid-free paper that will last for centuries.

From the bestselling author of The Circle comes a taut, suspenseful story of two foreigners' role in a nation's fragile peace. With echoes of J. M. Coetzee and Graham Greene, this "darkly funny" novel (The Los Angeles Times) questions whether we can ever understand another nation's war, and what role we have in forging anyone's peace. An unnamed country is leaving the darkness of a decade at war, and to commemorate the armistice the government commissions a new road connecting two halves of the state. Two men, foreign contractors from the same company, are sent to finish the highway. While one is flighty and adventurous, wanting to experience the nightlife and people, the other wants only to do the work and go home. But both men must eventually face the absurdities of their positions, and the dire consequences of their presence.

**** New edition of the Greenwood Press original of 1979 (which is cited in BCL3), with a new introduction, chapter, and a supplementary bibliography. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

Seven complete narratives from the middle of the 19th century. In addition to the well-known Nat Turner and Frederick Douglass, the authors include West Indian Mary Prince, William W. Brown on the survival ethic and slave tricks, family man Henry Bibb, an account of a daring escape, and a expose of sexual abuse. No index or annotation. Bibliographical references are limited to the introduction. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Essential reading for students of African-American history includes autobiographies of former slaves Washington and Douglass, plus Du Bois' landmark essays, which counsel an aggressive approach to civil rights.