This book tells the story of Solomon Northup in his own words. It has captured the attention of the nation over a century after its publication. Northup was born to free parents in the North and lived as a free man until 1841, when two men pretending to offer him a role in the circus kidnapped him. He was sent to Louisiana where he worked on various plantations for 12 years, never telling anyone about his true identity for over a decade. When he finally was able to confide, his confidant came through. He was brought back to freedom for the rest of his life. His book is dedicated to Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
