Although this book is listed for young adults it is written in fact for adults also. Very interesting first hand accounts of the lives of slaves prior to the civil war. Their stories are told with much emotion in their own words. I had a hard time getting thru many of the pages without tears. Their shared memories are as painful for the reader as they are for the one remembering. Each story that you read is different. Each person that you read about is real. Names were furnished when possible. Extremely moving book. I have never read anything quite like this one. This is not a book for young children.
True stories about slavery from the words of the slaves themselves.
Words directly from former slaves mouths. Very touching. Not for children under 6th grade.
Let me start off by saying, this is a great historical children's book, and it should be required reading in schools across America. Where I grew up, we didn't learn much about slavery, the civil rights movement, or any African American history for that matter. This is such an important part of our history.
I loved that the book has different chapters based on each time frame throughout slavery, including how they made it to the slave ship, their horrible journey to America, plantation life and then the emancipation. Each section has stories from different sources and slaves. It really explains how life was for them, and the things they had to experience. Excellent book overall!
http://sheenathebookgeek.blogspot.com/2011/09/book-review-to-be-slave-by-julius.html
Very interesting, but sad. A collections of real accounts by slaves.
I had ancestors who were abolitionists and chose to read this book due to that fact. I suggest everyone read it. One cannot understand what this horrible experience was like unless it happened to you... Their experiences from a first hand account tell what it was truly like to be forced to live out their lives in this manner. Julius Lester's comments add so much insight as well as the accounts of those whose words speak of this terrible time in history. It is a reminder as well that slavery still occurs in the world and we still need to work toward the abolition of this terrible blight on humankind. I recommend that we tell our children and use books at their level as well. It is extremely sobering.
