"Born a free man in New York State in 1808, Solomon Northup was kidnapped in Washington, D.C., in 1841. He spent the next twelve harrowing years of his life as a slave on a Louisiana cotton plantation. During this time he was frequently abused and often afraid for his life. After regaining his freedom in 1853, Northup decided to publish this gripping autobiographical account of his captivity. As an educated man, Northup was able to present an exceptionally...

Kidnapped into slavery in 1841, Solomon Northup spent 12 years in captivity. This autobiographical memoir represents an exceptionally detailed and accurate description of slave life and plantation society.

"An extended analysis of the intersections between the institutional contexts of slavery and the affective structures of sentiment, Spectacular Suffering considers not only how the enslaved subject is constructed, but also how slaves responded to and registered their experiences, creating a measure of autonomy even under the conditions of slavery"--Provided by publisher.