Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Written by Herself Audiobook By Harriet Ann Jacobs cover art

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Written by Herself

 Preview
Season's Savings

$0.99/mo for 3 months

Audible Standard auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.
Get this deal
Offer ends on December 28, 2026.
More purchase options

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Written by Herself

By: Harriet Ann Jacobs
Narrated by: Jean Barrett
Get this deal

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends December 28, 2026. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $16.13

Buy for $16.13

Season's Savings | $0.99/mo for 3 months

$8.99/mo thereafter—terms apply.

One of the first personal narratives written by an ex-slave, this is also one of the few written by a woman. Harriet Jacobs (1813-97) was enslaved, along with her family, in North Carolina under a ruthless master who sexually harassed her. After several failed escape attempts, and several years of hiding, she finally made her way North to freedom, where she was eventually reunited with her children. The book was published in 1861.

Public Domain (P)2012 Audible, Inc. Americas Biographies & Memoirs Cultural & Regional
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Editorial reviews

Literate Harriet Jacobs escaped from slavery after many tries, finally freeing herself of a cruel, sexually abusive master. Jacobs survived to write and expose the horrors of life in slavery. Her autobiography substantiates the abuse endured by female slaves. Jacobs writes about her past with an almost academic detachment. Having survived she evolves into a historian, bent on accurately recording the damning truth for the purpose of social indictment. Narrator Jean Barrett’s calm conversational tone matches Jacobs’ understated language. Just like Jacobs, Barrett sounds educated and self-possessed. There is subdued passion in her voice, but no hysteria. Barrett’s precise speech and ironically polite oration underscores the miserable details of what Jacobs endured and triumphed over.

Critic reviews

"One of the major autobiographies of the African American tradition." (Henry Louis Gates, Jr.)
"Harriet Jacobs in her narrative reveals how she refused to be victimized within her own mind, but rather chose to act instead from a steadfast conviction of her own worth.... Hers is an example worth emulating even in these modern times." (Louise Meriwether)
Powerful Storytelling • Gripping Narrative • Heartfelt Account • Engaging Content • Well-written Prose • Smooth Voice

Highly rated for:

All stars
Most relevant
I say it's a hard read because hearing the things that happened to African Americans is so hurtful and horrible to listen to. I find much of the time I'm in shock or angry or both. But it's a necessary read, so that we never repeat the horrible history, and so we can understand what it these people were put through. I'm thankful she finally got her freedom and for her writing her account so we can see the wrongs committed by the person they were committed on.

Hard but necessary read!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I love that this was a first hand account, I felt as though I was there with the author in real time.

Wonderful and thought provoking

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is a must listen. Linda is so strong, and the best heroine. A sobering look at what people had to go through.

Eye opening. Stunning.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Should be as well known as the Dairy of Anne Frank. The readers voice gives personality to the written text perfectly

Was 10 years old the first time I read this book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The best autobiography ever written.
So disturbingly sad. USA has a lot to recon with it’s horrible treatment of people of color.

Disturbing truth about slavery

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews