Take a photo of a barcode or cover
aaronj21's Reviews (912)
Excellent subject matter and an ambitious scope can't completely save this book from it's duller moments and awkwardly forced autobiographical interjections from the author. Nevertheless, as a broad introduction and a starting place for further reading on these texts and cultures it's a useful and relatively quick read.
Everyone has heard of Harriet Tubman. Everyone was taught in grade school about the fearless female "Moses" who rescued her people from slavery and who famously "never lost a passenger" on the Underground Rail Road. After grade school though Tubman is largely omitted from text books and class discussion save for a few meager sentences to remind you of the platitudes you were taught in first grade history, indeed, finding a scholarly work on Tubman's life at all is a tricky prospect and most searches online or through library databases will yield mainly children's books.
The result of this glaring and galling omission is that most people, myself included, tend to have a very feeble grasp on the true measure of Harriet's courage, skill, historical importance, and impact.
Everyone knows she escaped slavery only to return to the south multiple times to save others. Most don't know she returned time and again to the same area she escaped from, sometimes the very same plantation she had fled, each new mission growing increasingly, almost unbearably dangerous as the slave owners of Dorchester county Maryland, doubled, then trebled their guard in the face of the ever rising number of successful runaways from their small county.
Everyone knows Harriet was a conductor on the famed Underground Rail Road, and most even know of her impressive track record of never losing even a single passenger. But far too few people know Harriet was also a valuable asset to the Union army during the civil war, or that she personally orchestrated and led an immensely successful military raid into Confederate territory that resulted in the saving of some seven hundred people and almost no Union casualties.
And finally, everyone knows Harriet Tubman was a hero who acted on her convictions and helped enslaved people escape to freedom. But almost no one knows the true tragedy of this brave woman's life. The fact that she spent her whole life helping her family and anyone else in need yet died in dire financial straits due in no small part to being denied a salary and pension from the U.S. Army for years after her invaluable service. The fact that she served her country with the highest distinction during the horrors of the Civil War yet was forcibly and violently thrown out of a whites only railway car years later, resulting in a broken arm while fellow passengers simply jeered or yelled for her to be thrown off the train entirely. The final and perhaps greatest indignity would come only after her death. Following the Civil War Tubman's legacy and memory was passed over as too controversial and too upsetting, the figure of a former slave freeing others from the heinous institution of bondage didn't mesh well with the spirit of forgiveness, reconciliation, and historical white washing that pervaded the country. The result of this glossing over are apparent even today, as I mentioned earlier this remarkable and unique historical figure still struggles to get full attention from authors, historians, and the public; the dearth of adult materials on Tubman's life and exploits is truly saddening.
To sum up, this biography is an excellent resource as well as a captivating read (although credit is due in no small part to the remarkable and fascinating nature of Harriet's life itself). The author understands the importance of Tubman as a largely forgotten historical figure and this perspective informs her writing in a crucial way. Do yourself a favor and read this book about one of America's truly great heroes, not another general who happened to be present at a critical battle or another president whose marble facade doesn't hold up well under historical scrutiny, but a truly brave a selfless hero who risked everything for her family and country even when no reward or even recognition was forthcoming.
The result of this glaring and galling omission is that most people, myself included, tend to have a very feeble grasp on the true measure of Harriet's courage, skill, historical importance, and impact.
Everyone knows she escaped slavery only to return to the south multiple times to save others. Most don't know she returned time and again to the same area she escaped from, sometimes the very same plantation she had fled, each new mission growing increasingly, almost unbearably dangerous as the slave owners of Dorchester county Maryland, doubled, then trebled their guard in the face of the ever rising number of successful runaways from their small county.
Everyone knows Harriet was a conductor on the famed Underground Rail Road, and most even know of her impressive track record of never losing even a single passenger. But far too few people know Harriet was also a valuable asset to the Union army during the civil war, or that she personally orchestrated and led an immensely successful military raid into Confederate territory that resulted in the saving of some seven hundred people and almost no Union casualties.
And finally, everyone knows Harriet Tubman was a hero who acted on her convictions and helped enslaved people escape to freedom. But almost no one knows the true tragedy of this brave woman's life. The fact that she spent her whole life helping her family and anyone else in need yet died in dire financial straits due in no small part to being denied a salary and pension from the U.S. Army for years after her invaluable service. The fact that she served her country with the highest distinction during the horrors of the Civil War yet was forcibly and violently thrown out of a whites only railway car years later, resulting in a broken arm while fellow passengers simply jeered or yelled for her to be thrown off the train entirely. The final and perhaps greatest indignity would come only after her death. Following the Civil War Tubman's legacy and memory was passed over as too controversial and too upsetting, the figure of a former slave freeing others from the heinous institution of bondage didn't mesh well with the spirit of forgiveness, reconciliation, and historical white washing that pervaded the country. The result of this glossing over are apparent even today, as I mentioned earlier this remarkable and unique historical figure still struggles to get full attention from authors, historians, and the public; the dearth of adult materials on Tubman's life and exploits is truly saddening.
To sum up, this biography is an excellent resource as well as a captivating read (although credit is due in no small part to the remarkable and fascinating nature of Harriet's life itself). The author understands the importance of Tubman as a largely forgotten historical figure and this perspective informs her writing in a crucial way. Do yourself a favor and read this book about one of America's truly great heroes, not another general who happened to be present at a critical battle or another president whose marble facade doesn't hold up well under historical scrutiny, but a truly brave a selfless hero who risked everything for her family and country even when no reward or even recognition was forthcoming.
