Twelve Years a Slave cover art

Twelve Years a Slave

 Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for £5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Twelve Years a Slave

By: Solomon Northup
Narrated by: Richard Allen
Try Standard free

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £14.51

Buy Now for £14.51

About this listen

12 Years a Slave is the harrowing account of a Black man, born free in New York State, who was drugged, kidnapped, and sold into slavery in 1841. Having no way to contact his family, and fearing for his life if he told the truth, Solomon Northup was sold from plantation to plantation in Louisiana, toiling under cruel masters for 12 years before meeting Samuel Bass, a Canadian who finally put him in touch with his family, and helped start the process to regain his freedom. This extraordinary text is the basis for the major motion picture starring Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Public Domain (P)2013 Dreamscape Media, LLC African American Americas Black & African American Cultural & Regional Literary History & Criticism Social Sciences State & Local United States
All stars
Most relevant

What made the experience of listening to Twelve Years a Slave the most enjoyable?

The truth and honesty that was not always pleasant to hear.
The way in which people can survive in the most inhumane situations and still have faith and show kindness to on another.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Solomon northup because he was a genuine kind person whom survived and done the best he could always.

Have you listened to any of Richard Allen’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to any other performances by Richard Allen and if completely honest it took me a couple of chapters to relate to his voice but once I heard more I could imagine completely that it was how Solomon spoke and by the end of the audio I loved his voice. I would be happy listening to him many more times.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

All of the above. I felt so moved that it once was part of our society and cried many times at the cruelty people showed to others. I have always felt very strongly that slavery is and was disgusting and found the part about how the slaves were whipped for pleasure and they would also be so cruelly whipped for the slightest thing. The 10 year old boy whom would also command the slaves to be whipped as he saw that was what his father did. I cried but enjoyed the audio.

Any additional comments?

Everyone should take time to listen or read this as it it part of our history and I would hope that it inpacts readers in the way it should.

Everyone should read or listen to this.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.