Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

By: Harriet Jacobs

Narrated by: Audio Élan

Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

Harriet Jacobs’ autobiography, written under the pseudonym Linda Brent, details her experiences as a slave in North Carolina, her escape to freedom in the north, and her ensuing struggles to free her children. The narrative was partly serialized in the New York Tribune, but was discontinued because Jacobs’ depictions of the sexual abuse of female slaves were considered too shocking. It was published in book form in 1861.

©1861 Public Domain (P)2012 Cherry Hill Publishing

Critic reviews

"In such volumes as this, the true romance of American life and history is to be found. Patient suffering, heroic daring, untiring zeal, perseverance seemingly unparalleled, and growth from surroundings of degradation and ignorance to education, refinement, and power: all find in these modest pages their simple, yet affecting narrative. It is the "oft told tale" of American slavery, in another and more revolting phase than that which is generally seen. More revolting because it is of the spirit and not the flesh. In this volume, a woman tells in words of fire, yet never overstepping the bounds of the truest purity, not, how she was scourged and maimed, but that far more terrible sufferings endured by and inflicted upon woman, by a system which legalizes concubinage, and offers a premium to licentiousness. No one can read these pages without a feeling of horror, and a stronger determination arising in them to tear down the cursed system which makes such records possible. Wrath, the fiery messenger which goes flaming from the roused soul and overthrows in its divine fury the accursed tyrannies of earth; will find in these pages new fuel for the fire, and new force for the storm which shall overthrow and sweep from existence American slavery." ( Weekly Anglo-African, New York, N.Y., 13 April 1861)

Amazing story or a strong womans fight freedom.

Loved hearing Linda's story. She is honest and real. Her fight for her childrens freedom is inspiring.

Tragic and true...

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Powerful Testimony

I happened across this book at the Birmingham African American Museum in 2015. I read the book in a matter of weeks. However, listening to this book on audio was much more powerful. This story will always stay with me as an African American woman.

The real story.

Listening to actual persons who were under the bondage of slavery in the US before the Civil War, slavery is better defined as benevolent and dastardly, nurturing and tyrannical, kind and cruel, all depending on who were the masters. Unbeknownst by myself, there were many moral slave owners who respected their slaves and provided them good food, empowering responsibilities, teaching trade skills, treating them as family, days of rest each week, reasonable work hours, not beaten as a form of punishment, allowed to stay in family units together, and allowing them freedom to come and go around their community near their plantation. Thereby the slaves were very happy with their situation and worked harder than those other slaves being starved and beaten by neighboring masters. Other slave owners would not expose their slaves to the slaves of such just masters. Even after emancipation the slaves would stay and work for their previous masters because of their fair and kind treatment.
However, they were still restricted to actions dictated by their owners and still subject to slave laws that considered them as chattel without regard to the sanctity of life. Though there were good owners, these owners were rare (though not as rare as I had previously been led to believe) and hated by other slave owners who were cruel by nature to persons that they did not consider of any value other than financial gain. I suspect, that good slave owner stories simply did not sell books or interest persons as a human interest story at the time. The appalling treatment was the catalyst that drove the insatiable desire to experience the edge of emotional reason to excite the curiosity of something so counter to our own paradigms.
Other stories were so horrendous that perceiving the reality of such brutality is almost outside of our ability to comprehend. Nazi atrocities have hardened our minds to be able to look upon such atrocities and realize that they were real. How would the early 20th century citizen digest such despicable human behavior without rejecting the reality of the events as implausible.
Though slavery is embedded in many cultural histories, it is usually with greater humanity than what was experienced in the southern United States.
Less than 3% of the world's black slave trade was diverted to the U.S. but as the industrial revolution increased the societal standard of living, the question of bondage as a justifiable institution was spread as a cause for all men to be free. The south did not get the memo.

Accent

A horrible accent is it southern or British? Please reread the book with another reader.

Captivating, earnest, heartwrenching, triumphant!

I trembled, screamed, yelled, cried, and cheered while listening to this NON-fake, darkly shameful, account. A former slave girl/woman enlightens us about the TRUE the history of America. Great narrator voice!

A valuable read!

This narrative brought to life the struggles and strength of our African American ancestors. Their struggles and strength to escape a cruel life in slavery. The beatings, murder and separation of family and friends as a means of control of the slave is abhorrent and the ramifications are still present today.

Accounts and Impact of a Diabolical Institution

Excellent eyewitness account of slavery. The author blends the social, economic, familial and even political impact of the diabolical business of selling and owning human beings.

Shocking!!

Excellent reading of a very sad and shocking autobiography of treatment of author and blacks!

Riveting peace of African American Literature

What made the experience of listening to Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed the way that the narrator told the story, it made me feel as though I was experiencing the history of slavery in a whole new light of what I was taught and learned about slavery in High School and the Telemedia of today.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Linda Brent (Harriet Jacobs), because she endured so much hardship and pain at such young age; and prevailed to the very end of her freedom from the hand of slavery.

What does Audio Élan bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The depth and the intensity of the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, when Linda Brent stood her ground against Dr. Flint

Any additional comments?

I would recommend this novel to others.