Uncle Tom's Cabin

By: Harriet Beecher Stowe

Narrated by: Richard Allen

Uncle Tom's Cabin opens with a Kentucky farmer named Arthur Shelby facing the loss of his farm because of debts. Even though he and his wife, Emily Shelby, believe that they have a benevolent relationship with their slaves, Shelby decides to raise the needed funds by selling two of them - Uncle Tom, a middle-aged man with a wife and children, and Harry, the son of Emily Shelby's maid Eliza - to a slave trader. Emily Shelby hates the idea of doing this because she had promised her maid that her child would never be sold; Emily's son, George Shelby, hates to see Tom go because he sees the old man as his friend and mentor.

When Uncle Tom's Cabin was published in 1852, it became an international blockbuster, selling more than 300,000 copies in the United States alone in its first year. Progressive for her time, Harriet Beecher Stowe was one of the earliest writers to offer a shockingly realistic depiction of slavery. Her stirring indictment and portrait of human dignity in the most inhumane circumstances enlightened hundreds of thousands of people by revealing the human costs of slavery, which had until then been cloaked and justified by the racist misperceptions of the time.

Public Domain (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"It is a compelling adventure story with richly drawn stories & has earned a place in both literary & American history. " ( Barnes & Noble)

A great listening experience

As with other classics, I first read this book as a teenager. Recently, I decided to purchase it in audiobook format for a "re-read." The story is still terrific and Richard Allen does an absolutely masterful job in the narration.

Captivating Read

This is a very good book. I loved listening to when Uncle Tom was worn the 2 masters who were kind to him. I couldn't wait to listen to the next part. It was hard to put away. Very sad to what happened to those people though.

Awesome

I appreciate the narrator for his use of character and his ability to change and maintain. It felt like I was almost watching it. I really enjoyed it.

Timeless

Loved it. Enjoyed the struggles. Narrator did agood job. Amazing insight into the minds of both slaves & masters.

Powerful Story with a Great Narrator

The story is divided into multiple short tales that interlace as it progresses. Each character is given enough back story for their impact to be meaningful based on how major our minor of a role they have. Having been published in 1852 helps to keep the authentic feel and the narrator masterfully adapts his vice to each character. some of the best parts are when the narrator pours heartfelt emotion through the accents making the events feel so powerful. I was surprised at how little the cruelty aspects were detailed, but this was countered by the final chapter telling how the author based events and characters from what she saw or heard from family/friends. A book to remember and to teach an important lesson that should not leave us.