Imagine living during the middle 19th century as a free man
How is the outcome of the voices?
Imagine living during the middle 19th century as a free man in New York State with a wonderful family and having the talent to play the fiddle so well that you are requested to play numerous venues for pay.  This is the true story written by Solomon Northrup who was tricked into accompanying two men out of the North on the pretense of playing his fiddle for a job.  Although there are very graphic descriptions of Mr. Northrup's experiences as a slave in Louisiana, his narrative is very interesting. This is a very personal story written by a talented man who never really planned to write a book. Therefore, there is not an urgency to read in order to find out what is going to happen. Instead, the urgency is to find out what actually did happen to him, how he survived and how he returned to the North and his family where he wrote his story.  Remember that today an average person who has an extraordinary life experience usually narrates the story to another person who is an experienced writer, a collaborator. With this in mind one will be pleasantly surprised at how well Mr. Northrup describes details of his experiences and his surroundings during his twelve years as a slave. Some scenes will be difficult for the squeamish but necessary because they are truthful experiences. I particularly liked his very detailed descriptions of how things were made, used, and built on plantations in Louisiana.This is a great primary source and of interest to any one who wants to know about life in this very dark period of American history. I was intrigued by Solomon's resiliency, attitude and his dignity throughout his twelve year ordeal. We are so fortunate that he was willing to share his story. We are also fortunate that Steve McQueen and his wonderful cast made this book into a movie which tells the story. Whether or not you saw the movie and liked it or not, you should read the book. Even though it is a difficult topic and tragic situation Solomon and Bass prove humanity and resilience prevail when people choose the higher ground. 