In the nineteenth century Uncle Tom's Cabin sold more copies than any other book in the world except the Bible.

Presents an annotated version of Harriet Beecher Stowe's classic novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" that describes the lives of slaves and abolitionists in the 1800s, historical discussions of the Underground Railroad, slave trade, and plantation life, and advertisements that were influenced by the novel.

As Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin traveled around the world, it was molded by the imaginations and needs of international audiences. For over 150 years it has been coopted for a dazzling array of causes far from what its author envisioned. This book tells thirteen variants of Uncle Tom’s journey, explicating the novel’s significance for Canadian abolitionists and the Liberian political elite that constituted the runaway characters’ landing points; nineteenth-century French theatergoers; liberal Cuban, Romanian, and Spanish intellectuals and social reformers; Dutch colonizers and Filipino nationalists in Southeast Asia; Eastern European Cold War communists; Muslim readers and spectators in the Middle East; Brazilian television audiences; and twentieth-century German holidaymakers. Throughout these encounters, Stowe’s story of American slavery serves as a paradigm for understanding oppression, selectively and strategically refracting the African American slave onto other iconic victims and freedom fighters. The book brings together performance historians, literary critics, and media theorists to demonstrate how the myriad cultural and political effects of Stowe’s enduring story has transformed it into a global metanarrative with national, regional, and local specificity.

Josiah Henson (June 15, 1789 - May 5, 1883) was an author, abolitionist, and minister. Born into slavery in Charles County, Maryland, he escaped to Upper Canada (now Ontario) in 1830, and founded a settlement and laborer's school for other fugitive slaves at Dawn, near Dresden in Kent County. Henson's autobiography, The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Narrated by Himself (1849), is widely believed to have inspired the character of the fugitive slave, George Harris, in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852).

This book is a plantation fiction novel. It was a strong commercial success and bestseller. Based on her growing up in Warrenton, Virginia, of an elite planter family, Eastman portrays plantation owners and slaves as mutually respectful, kind, and happy beings.

“Fascinating . . . a lively and perceptive cultural history.” —Annette Gordon-Reed, The New Yorker In this wide-ranging, brilliantly researched work, David S. Reynolds traces the factors that made Uncle Tom’s Cabin the most influential novel ever written by an American. Upon its 1852 publication, the novel’s vivid depiction of slavery polarized its American readership, ultimately widening the rift that led to the Civil War. Reynolds also charts the novel’s afterlife—including its adaptation into plays, films, and consumer goods—revealing its lasting impact on American entertainment, advertising, and race relations.

Father Henson's Story of His Own Life is an autobiographical account of the life of Josiah Henson, an African American man who was born into slavery in Maryland in the late 18th century. Henson's story is a testament to the resilience and strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Despite being subjected to the cruelty of slavery, Henson was able to escape and establish himself as a respected member of the free black community in Canada. The book chronicles Henson's life from his early years as a slave on a plantation to his eventual escape to freedom. Along the way, Henson describes the various hardships he faced, including the separation from his family, the brutal treatment of his fellow slaves, and the constant threat of violence from his white masters. Despite these challenges, Henson was able to maintain his faith and his determination to be free.Henson's story is also a valuable historical document that sheds light on the realities of slavery in the United States. Through his vivid descriptions of plantation life, Henson gives readers a glimpse into the brutal and dehumanizing nature of the institution. He also provides insight into the various strategies that slaves used to resist their oppressors, including acts of rebellion and escape.Overall, Father Henson's Story of His Own Life is a powerful and inspiring account of one man's journey from slavery to freedom. It is a testament to the resilience and strength of the human spirit, and a valuable historical document that sheds light on the realities of slavery in the United States.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.