--- product_id: 2725644 title: "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Dover Thrift Editions: Black History)" price: "7094CFA" currency: XOF in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/2725644-incidents-in-the-life-of-a-slave-girl-dover-thrift store_origin: SN region: Senegal --- # Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Dover Thrift Editions: Black History) **Price:** 7094CFA **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Dover Thrift Editions: Black History) - **How much does it cost?** 7094CFA with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/2725644-incidents-in-the-life-of-a-slave-girl-dover-thrift) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The true story of an individual's struggle for self-identity, self-preservation, and freedom, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl remains among the few extant slave narratives written by a woman. This autobiographical account chronicles the remarkable odyssey of Harriet Jacobs (1813–1897) whose dauntless spirit and faith carried her from a life of servitude and degradation in North Carolina to liberty and reunion with her children in the North. Written and published in 1861 after Jacobs' harrowing escape from a vile and predatory master, the memoir delivers a powerful and unflinching portrayal of the abuses and hypocrisy of the master-slave relationship. Jacobs writes frankly of the horrors she suffered as a slave, her eventual escape after several unsuccessful attempts, and her seven years in self-imposed exile, hiding in a coffin-like "garret" attached to her grandmother's porch. A rare firsthand account of a courageous woman's determination and endurance, this inspirational story also represents a valuable historical record of the continuing battle for freedom and the preservation of family. Review: A Book Deserving of Every Generations Respect and Attention - Published in 1861, at the dawn of the American Civil War, when nearly one-sixth of the population of the United States was enslaved, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is Harriet Jacobs' extraordinary journey from slavery to freedom. More than a personal memoir, it exposes the devastating reality of slavery and reveals how the institution destroyed not only the lives of those who were enslaved but also the moral fabric of the society that allowed it to exist. This book appeared on a suggested reading list while I was researching slavery in the American South for my next historical novel. Ms. Jacobs' twenty-seven-year ordeal and her hard-won journey to freedom should be required reading for every American history student. Her firsthand account lays bare the injustice, cruelty, and dehumanization endured by enslaved people. Taught to read and write as a child, Jacobs became an exceptional storyteller whose ability to bear witness to her own life is one of history's great gifts. Yet throughout her story, she remains remarkably courageous beyond words, patient, and resourceful. I especially admired her ability to think strategically, making impossible choices in her determination to save herself and her two children from the monstrous grip of slavery. Ms. Jacobs endured hardships that most people could scarcely imagine. Through emotional torment, physical suffering, and the heartbreak of watching the futures of friends and family stolen away, she never lost her capacity for love, compassion, or grace. She writes with deep gratitude for those who sheltered and protected her, including during the seven years she spent hidden in a tiny crawlspace above her grandmother's shed, willingly imprisoning herself so that she and her children might one day be free. Although this is a memoir, it reads with the momentum of a novel. Using the pseudonym "Linda Brent," Jacobs presents a compelling protagonist, a terrifying antagonist, and a series of escalating trials that make it difficult to put the book down. Each chapter leaves the reader wondering what new obstacle she will face—and whether she can possibly overcome it. With remarkable restraint and dignity, Jacobs also reveals the sexual exploitation that enslaved women routinely endured, exposing how the institution of slavery treated their bodies as property and their children as commodities. In doing so, she shows how slavery shattered not only the lives of the enslaved but also the marriages and families of those who enslaved them. Her voice remains remarkably intimate, eloquent, and powerful more than 160 years later. This is not an easy book to read, nor should it be. It is heartbreaking, inspiring, and profoundly important. Harriet Jacobs ensured that her voice—and the voices of countless enslaved women whose stories were never recorded—would not be forgotten. For that, every generation owes her our respect and attention. Review: "Rise Up, Ye Women..." - Very early in her writing, Harriet Ann Jacob showed empathy for others like herself who suffered as slaves. Her reason for writing was to bring awareness of the plight of slaves in the hopes that one day slavery would be abolished. She underscores forcefully the incompatibility of the institution of slavery and Christianity. Jacob's book throws light on a different side of slavery. Her family, although slaves, lived in relative comfort compared with those who worked in the field. But this situation did not spare them from being treated as less than human. It did not shield them from witnessing extreme cruelty. For this reason Harriet was able to commiserate with her fellow slaves who worked in the field. It is why, after successfully fleeing to freedom, she was determined to work for the abolition of slavery. Throughout her memoir she makes a special plea for women. While she documents a panoramic view of slavery, her main focus has been the "...two millions of women at the South" suffering painfully under the bondage of slavery. Her effort then is an important historical work because it gives a voice to these voiceless female slaves. This voice is very much warranted because from a sociological and historical perspective the female slave’s experience differed in many ways from her male counterpart. Repeatedly, Jacob underscores this point with numerous anecdotes from her own experiences as well as from those of her contemporaries. She notes that the difference was not only in scope but also in the severity of treatment. She writes: "Slavery is terrible for men; but is far more terrible for women". This is an important observation which has much relevance for today and should inform how we approach social issues. Women, whether black or white, suffer the most from societal ills. It is clear that Ms. Jacob was a remarkable woman who,despite her terrible situation, was able to transcend her feelings of hate and desire for recriminations and write with a global passion and love for humanity. Obviously, she was highly introspective and was able to cull much timely wisdom from the depths of her soul to leave posterity a useful road map for solving social ills. This book goes beyond slavery, beyond race and beyond gender. Although, its content is about slavery, especially how it affected the female slave, yet it resonates in the generational attitudes and societal impediments affecting people of colour today. It provides a framework for examining social issues. It’s a framework that goes beyond colour. As Jacob points out: "...slavery is a curse to the whites as well as to the blacks." So, without rancour, without finger pointing, healing is for all and all solutions must embrace all. Further, there is something which Ms. Jacob brings to our attention. she asks, "who can measure the amount of Anglo-Saxon blood coursing in the veins of the American slaves?" The irony, as insinuated by Jacob, is that the African American is a descendent of both slave masters and slaves. Obama said, there is One U. S of A. In "Black Skin White Mask" Frantz Fanon inserts a paradox when he said that a man of color has no right to expect guilt from whites for enslaving his ancestors; a man of color has no right to claim reparation for slavery. This was the agonising paradox that Harriet Ann Jacob lived and what cemented her resolve to join the fight for the abolition of slavery with her memoir. It turned out to be a laudable effort towards reforming humanity. I think she would agree with Fanon when he said, "Man is a yes that vibrates to cosmic harmonies." In the interest of creating a New World this side of the globe, it’s important to embrace this vision. 'Incidents In The Life of A Slave Girl' is a book all should read to appropriate this vision for a better humanity. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #12,733 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #25 in Discrimination & Racism #36 in African American Demographic Studies (Books) #36 in Black & African American Biographies | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 9,896 Reviews | ## Images ![Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Dover Thrift Editions: Black History) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81XXpk6YZdL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Book Deserving of Every Generations Respect and Attention *by A***E on June 29, 2026* Published in 1861, at the dawn of the American Civil War, when nearly one-sixth of the population of the United States was enslaved, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is Harriet Jacobs' extraordinary journey from slavery to freedom. More than a personal memoir, it exposes the devastating reality of slavery and reveals how the institution destroyed not only the lives of those who were enslaved but also the moral fabric of the society that allowed it to exist. This book appeared on a suggested reading list while I was researching slavery in the American South for my next historical novel. Ms. Jacobs' twenty-seven-year ordeal and her hard-won journey to freedom should be required reading for every American history student. Her firsthand account lays bare the injustice, cruelty, and dehumanization endured by enslaved people. Taught to read and write as a child, Jacobs became an exceptional storyteller whose ability to bear witness to her own life is one of history's great gifts. Yet throughout her story, she remains remarkably courageous beyond words, patient, and resourceful. I especially admired her ability to think strategically, making impossible choices in her determination to save herself and her two children from the monstrous grip of slavery. Ms. Jacobs endured hardships that most people could scarcely imagine. Through emotional torment, physical suffering, and the heartbreak of watching the futures of friends and family stolen away, she never lost her capacity for love, compassion, or grace. She writes with deep gratitude for those who sheltered and protected her, including during the seven years she spent hidden in a tiny crawlspace above her grandmother's shed, willingly imprisoning herself so that she and her children might one day be free. Although this is a memoir, it reads with the momentum of a novel. Using the pseudonym "Linda Brent," Jacobs presents a compelling protagonist, a terrifying antagonist, and a series of escalating trials that make it difficult to put the book down. Each chapter leaves the reader wondering what new obstacle she will face—and whether she can possibly overcome it. With remarkable restraint and dignity, Jacobs also reveals the sexual exploitation that enslaved women routinely endured, exposing how the institution of slavery treated their bodies as property and their children as commodities. In doing so, she shows how slavery shattered not only the lives of the enslaved but also the marriages and families of those who enslaved them. Her voice remains remarkably intimate, eloquent, and powerful more than 160 years later. This is not an easy book to read, nor should it be. It is heartbreaking, inspiring, and profoundly important. Harriet Jacobs ensured that her voice—and the voices of countless enslaved women whose stories were never recorded—would not be forgotten. For that, every generation owes her our respect and attention. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Rise Up, Ye Women..." *by A***N on June 18, 2023* Very early in her writing, Harriet Ann Jacob showed empathy for others like herself who suffered as slaves. Her reason for writing was to bring awareness of the plight of slaves in the hopes that one day slavery would be abolished. She underscores forcefully the incompatibility of the institution of slavery and Christianity. Jacob's book throws light on a different side of slavery. Her family, although slaves, lived in relative comfort compared with those who worked in the field. But this situation did not spare them from being treated as less than human. It did not shield them from witnessing extreme cruelty. For this reason Harriet was able to commiserate with her fellow slaves who worked in the field. It is why, after successfully fleeing to freedom, she was determined to work for the abolition of slavery. Throughout her memoir she makes a special plea for women. While she documents a panoramic view of slavery, her main focus has been the "...two millions of women at the South" suffering painfully under the bondage of slavery. Her effort then is an important historical work because it gives a voice to these voiceless female slaves. This voice is very much warranted because from a sociological and historical perspective the female slave’s experience differed in many ways from her male counterpart. Repeatedly, Jacob underscores this point with numerous anecdotes from her own experiences as well as from those of her contemporaries. She notes that the difference was not only in scope but also in the severity of treatment. She writes: "Slavery is terrible for men; but is far more terrible for women". This is an important observation which has much relevance for today and should inform how we approach social issues. Women, whether black or white, suffer the most from societal ills. It is clear that Ms. Jacob was a remarkable woman who,despite her terrible situation, was able to transcend her feelings of hate and desire for recriminations and write with a global passion and love for humanity. Obviously, she was highly introspective and was able to cull much timely wisdom from the depths of her soul to leave posterity a useful road map for solving social ills. This book goes beyond slavery, beyond race and beyond gender. Although, its content is about slavery, especially how it affected the female slave, yet it resonates in the generational attitudes and societal impediments affecting people of colour today. It provides a framework for examining social issues. It’s a framework that goes beyond colour. As Jacob points out: "...slavery is a curse to the whites as well as to the blacks." So, without rancour, without finger pointing, healing is for all and all solutions must embrace all. Further, there is something which Ms. Jacob brings to our attention. she asks, "who can measure the amount of Anglo-Saxon blood coursing in the veins of the American slaves?" The irony, as insinuated by Jacob, is that the African American is a descendent of both slave masters and slaves. Obama said, there is One U. S of A. In "Black Skin White Mask" Frantz Fanon inserts a paradox when he said that a man of color has no right to expect guilt from whites for enslaving his ancestors; a man of color has no right to claim reparation for slavery. This was the agonising paradox that Harriet Ann Jacob lived and what cemented her resolve to join the fight for the abolition of slavery with her memoir. It turned out to be a laudable effort towards reforming humanity. I think she would agree with Fanon when he said, "Man is a yes that vibrates to cosmic harmonies." In the interest of creating a New World this side of the globe, it’s important to embrace this vision. 'Incidents In The Life of A Slave Girl' is a book all should read to appropriate this vision for a better humanity. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Inspirational account of a slave girl struggling to build a life for herself and her children *by T***S on February 6, 2012* "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl" by Harriet Ann Jacobs is the autobiography of a slave struggling to build a life for herself and her children. Obviously, since this book was written in 1858, the era of the Fugitive Slave Act, and even though she was a free woman, she changed her name and the others in her book, to keep her identity hidden; that would have been necessary to keep herself and children safe from people who wouldn't have thought twice about murdering them to keep her silent. Reading the book, you'll get to know Harriet Jacobs as Linda Brent. She takes the reader into the antebellum South and shows the horrors of day to day life as a slave. Her grandmother was a well-respected free black woman who made baked goods for the white ladies of the small community, and Linda performed her slave labor in the home of a doctor and his family. She was never subjected to the horrific physical punishments so common at the time (which she discusses, and points out several cases of people she knows who are thus abused), but as a woman, what is more terrifying than the constant knowledge your "Master" could forever seperate you from your children and family? Or legally kill you and your children with no consequences? Linda declines marriage to a free black man she loves because any children would "follow the condition of the mother", and she also didn't want to put him through the torment of seeing her violated at the whim of Dr. Flint. Flint makes her life even more hellish when she refuses his sordid advances, more so after she has children by another man, until she decides she must escape. Imagine the inhumane ordeal she went through, hidden day and night in her grandmother's shed, in a space barely large enough for her to move in, for seven long years. Even after she fled north, her trouble was far from over. Ms. Jacob's autobiography is a historic record of her lifetime, one which should be read in classrooms to educate people, and to show how determination can cause lifechanging miracles. Her intellegence and cunning saved her from her hellish existence, and let her children breath freedom. I found myself totally caught up in the experience as I read Ms Jacobs' words, my eyes moving faster over the pages as I worried over what would happen next. I highly recommend reading this autobiography, for the historic detail as well as the heroic story of her life. ## Frequently Bought Together - Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Dover Thrift Editions: Black History) - Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (Dover Thrift Editions: Black History) - Up from Slavery (Dover Thrift Editions: Black History) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/2725644-incidents-in-the-life-of-a-slave-girl-dover-thrift](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/2725644-incidents-in-the-life-of-a-slave-girl-dover-thrift) --- *Product available on Desertcart Senegal* *Store origin: SN* *Last updated: 2026-09-19*