Uncle Tom's Cabin

By: Harriet Beecher Stowe

Narrated by: John Howels

Length: 18 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe, published in 1852. After the publication of "Uncle Tom's Cabin", Southerners accused Stowe of misrepresenting slavery. In order to show that she had neither lied about slavery nor exaggerated the plight of enslaved people, she compiled "The Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin". "The Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin" was published to document the veracity of the depiction of slavery in Stowe's anti-slavery novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin".

First published in 1853, the book also provides insights into Stowe's own views on slavery. The book was subtitled "Presenting the Original Facts and Documents upon Which the Story Is Founded, Together with Corroborative Statements Verifying the Truth of the Work".

©2019 Audioliterature (P)2019 Audioliterature

A Masterpiece!

With all that was going on in our nation, I wanted to find out the meaning of "Uncle Tom" as a derogatory reference. So I dove into the book that had a profound effect on America at the time it was written and certainly moved the country closer to emancipation.

I was mesmerized by this story. The author held up a mirror to America while simultaneously showing us the heartbeat of slaves in a way that most of America at that time and place, could relate to. She skillfully wove the good, the bad and the ugly tales of humanity at its finest and its ugliest pertaining to slavery.

Nevertheless, I found the first chapter jarring because of the language used and first finding myself transported to that time almost 200 years earlier.

But clearly the book was written to show the humanity of slaves who half of America thought ok to own as property and the other half had not yet rose up in righteous indignation at the very concept despite much of America's unifying belief in God. The slaves were described with terms that we might find offensive today but the author was making a case to see them as the humans that they were and not property. She often described slaves as very simple but we could clearly see how their living conditions made them so. She wanted the readers to do something to end the injustice.

I also noted that some of the phrases she used about the slaves were also used about others. So poor "critters" was not a specific reference to skin color but rather a term used regarding an individual facing hardship.

The stories unfolded with arguments against all the reasons for slavery both thought of and never considered. But the arguments weren't so much made with words of debate but rather they came from the depth of the souls of the tales she told. The narrator of the story brought the people to life. I found myself driving down the road crying in several instances.

Having said all that; I think it would be an honor to be a "Uncle Tom." He was SUCH a noble character shaped and sustained by his abiding faith in God. Others may think that Uncle Tom didn't fight the system and so consider him less for it. I think he may have been the force that ultimately brought slavery down.

Life changing book

A call for all Christian men and women to stand against injustice wherever it may be found, even in their own home or beloved nation. What would the author write about the current laws protecting the murder of the unborn? Wish we had one with her courage and talent to take up the pen mightier than any sword and open our nation’s heart to the horrors of that vile injustice.

“In conclusion, slavery is bad and Christianity is good”

Honestly, great story. I loved it and I totally see why it sold so many copies when it was released.

Epic novel

Depressing—hopeful! Filled with insight and sensitivity page one to page last. Audible helped bring the many characters to life. Far from being passive and weak Uncle Tom’s character lines up more with Martin Luther King than Stokley Carmichael. Uncle Tom is a true theologian and that’s a problem when you’re living in a political world.

Great book.

I loved the book. Even though it was hard to read at first, the book exhibited a very realistic portrayal of the reality of slavery. I will never look at the civil war the same way again. Nevertheless, we have it easy here in America, for many of the hardships they faced are not present in this society. This is part of the reason why I say that I enjoyed Uncle Tom's Cabin and hope that many others will feel the same.

Must read

This ofcourse is a classic and much of how blacks are portrayed is old fashioned and would be racist if written today, but insights are priceless. You can not own anothers persons soul.

Great Book

I’m happy, I came across this book on amazon and audible. It really shines some light on my journey of self education and learn my history of America. Great book, highly recommended

Racism at its best

The author spent 75 percent of her time depicted black folks in the most negative light she could perceive, my god. White folk are obsessed with blacks color, our bodies, our thought processes.. and it appears to be a genetic pathology of Europeans.

Let’s hope in 2020 they have a life and can self evaluate and self study, self reflect and improve as a human species! ... when Black Lives Matter, all lives matter.

What an amazing story of the reality of slavery

I can’t believe I made made it to my 60’s never having read Uncle Tom’s c

Favorite Audio Book Thus Far

I've known about this book nearly my entire life but never read it. Having recently listened to a short biography of Harriet Beecher Stowe as told by the famed American Historian David McCullough, I was prompted to add "Uncle Tom's Cabin" to my reading list immediately. I should have done so long ago.

This story is far more important than I could have ever imagined and I'm glad that I finally took the opportunity to listen to this audio book.

Mrs. Stowe tells a beautiful story, which she has written in the most masterful way. Her ability to knit the story together in a such a way - a way that draws the reader in and holds one's interest so keenly; instilling a sense of longing to know what is to come next, as well as a fear that what comes next won't be as we want to hope for. Our talented and skillful narrator, Mr. Powell, has done an outstanding job of bringing her characters to life in a rich and evocative way that rings truly authentic; as though her characters were whispering their stories directly into our ears.

Please read this book or listen to the Audible version and know that in so doing you will receive a glimpse into a part of American history that rings both painful and humbling; sad yet hopeful.

This story may be a work of fiction, but the context and reality are far from that. And, as Mrs. Stowe recounts in the final chapter, they are indeed real stories of real people - they just had different names.