A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin - by Harriet Beecher Stowe (Paperback)

About the Book

In 1852 Stowe's bestselling Uncle Tom's Cabin was acclaimed by Northerners and condemned by Southerners. The following year she produced this defense, which cites real-life equivalents to her characters.

Book Synopsis

"I highly recommend reading this supplement in conjunction with Ms. Stowe's novel to gain a better understanding of the history of our nation." -- The Literary South
In 1852 Harriet Beecher Stowe published Uncle Tom's Cabin, an instant classic that received overwhelming acclaim by Northerners and other abolitionist readers. Southerners, conversely, strongly denied the novel's accuracy. The following year Stowe answered pro-slavery critics with this unique bestseller, a meticulous and thoughtful defense of her work, which cites real-life equivalents to her characters.
Southern readers were further incensed by this follow-up volume, their wrath in no small part inflamed by a Yankee woman's presuming to tell men what to think. A critical aspect of Stowe's Key is her critique of the law's support of not only the institution of slavery but also the mistreatment of individual slaves. As in the original novel, her challenge extends beyond slavery to the law itself. American society's first widely read political novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin influenced the development of the nation's literature, particularly in terms of protest writing. This supplement to the novel offers valuable insights into a historical and literary landmark.

About the Author

American abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) wrote more than 20 books, including novels, travel memoirs, and collections of articles and letters. Her 1852 publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin created a sensation throughout the United States and Great Britain.