104 pages 3 hours read

Harriet Jacobs

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1861

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

In Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs, who calls herself "Linda Brent" in the narrative, Jacobs describes her life as an enslaved woman in the Southern United States, detailing her efforts to escape the sexual harassment of her owner, Dr. Flint, and her eventual flight to the North where she secures her freedom and reunites with her children. The memoir addresses themes of sexual abuse, exploitation, and the struggle for autonomy.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs receives widespread acclaim for its poignant and powerful depiction of the female experience under slavery. Reviews praise Jacobs' bravery and compelling narrative. Criticisms include occasional disjointed storytelling, yet the book's emotional and historical impact overshadows these minor flaws.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl?

Readers who value Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe or The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois will be engrossed by Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs. They will appreciate its firsthand perspective on slavery, resilience, and the quest for freedom detailed through personal narrative.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Lexile Level

740L

Book Details

Genre

Inspirational

African American Literature

Education

Topics

Race / Racism

Trauma / Abuse / Violence

History: U.S.

Period

American Civil War

Themes

Identity: Race

Society: Class

Values/Ideas: Power & Greed