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Harriet Jacobs

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Harriet JacobsNonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1861

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Harriet Jacobs

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1861
Book Details
Pages

176

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

Southern United States • 19th century

Publication Year

1861

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Lexile Level

740L

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Super Short Summary

In Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs, who calls herself "Linda Brent" in the narrative, Jacobs describes her life as an enslaved woman in the Southern United States, detailing her efforts to escape the sexual harassment of her owner, Dr. Flint, and her eventual flight to the North where she secures her freedom and reunites with her children. The memoir addresses themes of sexual abuse, exploitation, and the struggle for autonomy.

Melancholic

Informative

Unnerving

Inspirational

Reviews & Readership

4.4

64,050 ratings

80%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

5%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs receives widespread acclaim for its poignant and powerful depiction of the female experience under slavery. Reviews praise Jacobs' bravery and compelling narrative. Criticisms include occasional disjointed storytelling, yet the book's emotional and historical impact overshadows these minor flaws.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl?

Readers who value Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe or The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois will be engrossed by Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs. They will appreciate its firsthand perspective on slavery, resilience, and the quest for freedom detailed through personal narrative.

4.4

64,050 ratings

80%

Loved it

15%

Mixed feelings

5%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

176

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

Southern United States • 19th century

Publication Year

1861

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Lexile Level

740L

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