Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Norton Critical Editions) Review
This memoire of a woman born to slavery was shocking as well as eye-opening. The author brings to light practices not reported in other accounts of the same genre such as holiday traditions, religious services, and how freed slaves might buy their own family members. There were descriptions of a life so horrible one would rather die or be locked in an attic for years rather than be subjected to a master. The mean-ness of the times seems to be a judgment of society, as only the guilty become paranoid and defensive to the point of abuse.
A detractor from the content for me was the style of writing. At times the book became tedious and repititious. The editing also felt stilted as some very elegant Victorian passages were interjected among other simple phrases that seemed to be taken from a primer reader. The "preachy" quality also lost its impact. The events themselves were powerful enough to carry the intended message.
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Norton Critical Editions) Overview
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is the first full-length narrative written by a former woman slave in America. The text is that of the 1861 first edition. Contexts includes contemporary responses to Incidents, selections from Jacobs's other published writings, and extracts from her correspondence. Criticism includes eleven important assessments of the narrative, contributed by Jean Fagan Yellin, Ann Taves, Valerie Smith, Nellie Y. McKay, Harryette Mullen, Michelle Burnham, Nell Irvin Painter, Frances Smith Foster, Sandra Gunning, Elizabeth V. Spelman, and Christine Accomando. A Chronology and Selected Bibliography are included.
About the Series: No other series of classic texts equals the caliber of the Norton Critical Editions. Each volume combines the most authoritative text available with the comprehenive pedagogical apparatus necessary to appreciate the work fully. Careful editing, first-rate translation, and thorough explanatory annotations allow each text to meet the highest literary standards while remaining accessible to students. Each edition is printed on acid-free paper and every text in the series remains in print. Norton Critical Editions are the choice for excellence in scholarship for students at more than 2,000 universities worldwide.
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Customer Reviews
COOL - Jocelyn Diaz -
I ACTUALLY READ THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT WAS A CLASS REQUIREMENT AND IT WAS VERY INTERESTING TO ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THE PROTAGONIST WENT THROUGH.
Great read on slavery! - Angie B. - Idaho
I really enjoyed this book and if you want to learn a little more about slavery back in the 1800's then you should read it too!
This is a true book written from a former slave and it will open your eyes to what she and others went thru.
I suggest this book to anyone who enjoys this genre!
Wonderful Book - Katie -
This book is such an eye-opener, it never lost my attention and truly painted the picture of what slavery was like and the unconditional love a mother has for her children. A must read!
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