Twelve Years a Slave

By: Solomon Northup

Narrated by: Richard Allen

12 Years a Slave is the harrowing account of a Black man, born free in New York State, who was drugged, kidnapped, and sold into slavery in 1841. Having no way to contact his family, and fearing for his life if he told the truth, Solomon Northup was sold from plantation to plantation in Louisiana, toiling under cruel masters for 12 years before meeting Samuel Bass, a Canadian who finally put him in touch with his family, and helped start the process to regain his freedom. This extraordinary text is the basis for the major motion picture starring Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Public Domain (P)2013 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Narrator, Richard Allen, Excellent

What did you love best about Twelve Years a Slave?

The story is gripping. The narrator brings it to life.

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

Marvelous voice for the main character

Shocking truth revealed

I had a hard time imagining the suffering of the slaves fully until now as it was so vividly narrated. This telling left no doubt in the mind of those extreme hardships born. Awful, hateful, disgusting and criminal acts bestowed upon poor negro people as I could not stomach. It was so intense that I had to hear it in small portions; praying and mourning the death and suffering of those folks. I hate that this ever happened!

Very important narrative undermined by the narrato

Would you consider the audio edition of Twelve Years a Slave to be better than the print version?

Absolutely not. In addition to the disastrous narration, the printed versions have supplemental materials that greatly enhance the work.

What did you like best about this story?

Condensing an enormous problem into a personal story.

How could the performance have been better?

The narration could have drawn the reader into the story and scenes therein, rather than making the reader feel as if he/she were a member of an audience or congregation listening to a speech or sermon being delivered.

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

Start to finish, to tell you the truth.

Any additional comments?

Pick up the book, and enjoy it 10x as much.

Dictionary

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Words that did not require a dictionary or not having to wait until the whole sentence or paragraph was read to know exactly what the author was talking about.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Did not finish the book

Would you be willing to try another one of Richard Allen’s performances?

No

What character would you cut from Twelve Years a Slave?

Did not finish the book.