Uncle Tom's Cabin (Norton Critical Editions)

By Harriet Beecher Stowe

Book Overview

In the nineteenth century, Uncle Tom's Cabin sold more copies than any book in the world except the Bible. Upon publication, it was quickly translated into thirty-seven languages and has never gone out of print. It remains a controversial and complex text that, along with David Walker's Appeal, Henry David Thoreau's Walden, W. E. B. DuBois's The Souls of Black Folk, and Helena Mar a Viramontes' Under the Feet of Jesus, among others, stands out as an important text in the progressive struggle for social justice in the United States.

This Second Edition is based on the original 1852 book edition, published in two volumes by John P. Jewett and Company, Boston, and includes all original illustrations. The text is accompanied by a preface and detailed explanatory annotations to assist the reader with obscure historical terms and biblical allusions.

"Backgrounds and Contexts" includes a wealth of historical documents addressing the issues of slavery and abolitionism. New visuals in the Second Edition include a selection of abolition posters and records of torture. Also newly included is J. Hector St. John de Cr vecoeur's eyewitness account of slavery as a visitor to the United States, a selection from David Walker's Appeal, and Henrietta King's autobiographical account of the horror of slavery.

"Criticism" presents a balanced view of the ongoing controversy over Uncle Tom's Cabin in fifteen reviews and scholarly interpretations spanning more than 150 years of writing about the novel. Paul Laurence Dunbar, Jane P. Tompkins, and Susan M. Ryan, among others, admire Uncle Tom's Cabin for its social vision and artistry, while James Baldwin and Sophia Cantave, among others, argue that the book's racism continues to promote misperceptions and that its prominence does ongoing damage. A Chronology of Stowe's life and work, a Brief Timeline of Slavery in America, and an updated Selected Bibliography are also included.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393933997
• ISBN13: 9780393933994
• Release Date: February 2010
• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc
• Length: 612 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 1.5" x 5.0"

Customer Reviews

A Classic of the Pre-Civil War Era.

This book has been one I have meant to read ever since I was a boy. I just never got around to it! My interest in the Civil War finally lead me back to it. It is indeed a classic. I purchased the book used from thrift store. You can also download the book free on Kindle. It was one of those books that you don’t want to put down once your into it. Well written, I can see why it was popular during the time it was written in pre-war Antebellum times. It is as much a book about faith in God as it is about the tragedy of slavery. The struggles everyone goes through in life about good vs evil. Lincoln once joked with Stowe that she was the little woman whose book caused all this trouble that lead to war. The book did rile up passions on both sides of the issue of slavery. The hero, Tom was a devout Christian, a pacifist, and in the end a martyr. Like the Apostles he suffered much, was abused and brutally murdered for his faith, and his refusal to deny it. He was a large, strong man who could easily have defended himself. In addition to his faith, it just wasn’t in his nature to be a brute. He was a gentle, kind, and caring man. If all men were such there would be no wars. It took hard men, in a hard and brutal war to finally gain freedom of the slaves in America. The war didn’t end racism against Africans in America. After all, Satan still has authority over this earth. At least until Jesus returns in glory. Stowe was an abolitionist and I would say one of the early feminists of her time. I enjoyed the book very much. Being a Christian myself, it caused me to take a good hard look at my own life, and the changes I went through to get to where I am today spiritually. It should be required reading in schools in my opinion. Not likely to happen in today’s America. But, who can say? Change is in the wind, though the country is still divided likely as bad as it was pre-Civil War. Until Christ comes in glory, the struggle of good vs evil will continue. Sadly, so will wars and rumors of wars. If we can keep our faith through life’s trials and hardships like Uncle Tom did in this great work of historical fiction, we can rejoice in Heaven with our Lord Jesus in eternity. What a glorious hope we have, it is only fitting we share it with others, just as Tom did. I know my opinion will bring some hateful replies likely. That’s OK, this is America. We are still free enough to voice our opinions, and disagree.

Very Pleased

Very pleased with the price and condition of the book.

Pleased

The book arrived on time and in better condition than described

Great book!

My 92 year old grandmother had read this years ago and was wanting her own copy. I knew this was the place to find it :)

One of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read.

This is a beautiful, heartbreaking story with complexity and suspense. Highly recommended read!

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

I think everyone should read this book.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

What can I say..Uncle Tom's Cabin is the most important and influential book ever written by an American. It should be a part of every serious reader's library.

Wow

Wow! I must say this book is just...really amazing. I would reccomend it to anyone especially anyone who is studying the civil war or slavery in school.