In the antebellum united states, solomon northup, a free black man from upstate new york, is abducted and sold into slavery. Born in july 1808, he was the son of an emancipated slave. At the producers guild of america awards, 12 years a slave, tied with gravity for best theatrical motion picture. Book awards book club selections books by author books by series coming soon kids books new releases teens books this months biggest new releases. Directed by steve mcqueen hunger, shame and scripted by john ridley red tails, 12 years a slave is a wellcrafted film that uses the topic of slavery in the precivil war u.
In it, he takes the reader on an unforgettable journey from the slave markets in washington, d. As henry louis gates jr, an expert on slave narratives and consultant on the film 12 years a slave, has noted, literacy was the very commodity that separated animal from human being, slave from. Finding the real patsey of 12 years a slave vanity fair. Its strange how awards can change your expectations for a film. The book twelve years a slave was published in 1853 by the american. Twelve years a slave originally published in 1853 with the subtitle. The historian who unearthed twelve years a slave the. Twelve years a slave is the memoir of a freeborn african american from new york who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. The film received four nominations at the 20th screen actors guild awards, with nyongo winning the award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role. Mcpherson, pulitzer prize winning author of battle cry of freedom, in the. Solomon northup wins his first award of the year for 12. Narrative of solomon northup, a citizen of newyork, kidnapped in washington city in 1841, and. The searing drama 12 years a slave was named best picture at the 86th academy awards on sunday night. Stowes a key to uncle toms cabin was published in 1853 and outlined the accuracy of the.
Northup, a black man who was born free in new york state, details his being tricked to go to washington, d. A free africanamerican living in saratoga springs, new york, with his wife and two children, solomon was kidnapped and sold into slavery as an escaped slave named platt. Not hopefully for our enjoyment but giving us the understanding and knowledge not to repeat and if done and we are made aware do something about. The period drama 12 years a slave won the oscar for best picture, cate blanchett and matthew mcconaughey took home the top acting awards and gravity led the field with seven trophies at the 86th. Librivox recording of twelve years a slave, by solomon northup. An illustration of patseys whipping from the book 12 years a slave. Northup was put to work on plantations in the state of louisiana for 12 years before. The movie won the bafta award and the academy award for best picture as. The book was expanded and reissued by praeger in august 20 as solomon northup. With chiwetel ejiofor, michael kenneth williams, michael fassbender, brad pitt. Hes also the baftanominated screenwriter of 12 years a slave. This harrowing true story of solomon northup was the basis for the academy awardwinning film 12 years a slave. The books appendix c provides the publishing history for twelve years a slave during the 19th century.
The complete story of the author of twelve years a slave, isbn 9781440829741, with coauthors fiske, clifford w. Critical essays novel versus film adaptation the film 12 years a slave, based on northups memoir, was released in 20 and went on to receive acclaim in the motion picture industry. The dedication reads, to harriet beecher stowe, whose name, throughout the world, is identified with the great reform. Film 12 years a slave years a slave is the true account of solomon northrups life. Extracted from the new edition of twelve years a slave by solomon. Editions of twelve years a slave by solomon northup. Twelve years a slave is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by american solomon northup as told to and edited by david wilson. Website for movie adaptation of 12 years a slave view the movie website share. Images courtesy of publishers, organizations, and sometimes their twitter handles. While adulations currently ring out for the film 12 years a slave, some critics have questioned why british director, steve mcqueen, chose to make an american historical film. This unforgettable memoir was the basis for the academy awardwinning film 12 years a slave.
The searing drama 12 years a slave was named best picture at the 86th academy awards on. Its so many other things, too, as others have noted. New book claims twelve years a slave is fake news from 1853. His story became a banner of the abolitionist movement until it was overshadowed by harriet beecher stowes uncle toms cabin in the mid19th century.
In addition to many other honors, it won three academy awards, including best picture, best adapted screenplay, and best supporting actress for lupita nyongo, who played patsey. It almost goes without saying that you have to allow room for some creative leeway and exaggerationchanges for dramatic effect something i addressed last year with an examination of the truth vs. Narrative of solomon northup, a citizen of newyork, kidnapped in washington city in 1841, and rescued in 1853, from a cotton plantation near the red river in louisiana is the written work of solomon northup. Twelve years a slave 1853, i have a dream 1963 and 12 years a slave 2014. In 1841, northup chiwetel ejiofor, a free citizen, is kidnapped, stripped of his identity and sold into slavery. The slave narrative follows solomons incarceration fettered to chains. After being held for twelve years on a series of louisiana plantations, he is eventually freed and reunited with his family.
List of accolades received by 12 years a slave film. Steve mcqueen, director of 12 years a slave, from the foreword. Now the major motion picture that won the 2014 academy award for best picture, starring chiwetel ejiofor, michael fassbender, and lupita nyong o, and directed by steve mcqueen. How twelve years a slave was made, 150 years before 12. In chapters i and ii, northup tells of his life as a free black man living in upstate new york. The online edition has duplicate pages and is missing several pages e. Based on the autobiographical narrative 1853 of solomon northup.
Now, he must find the strength to survive in this unflinching story of hope that earned a golden. To understand a historical development, however, a literary analysis of the works isnt sufficient to uncover all tendencies and reasons for before mentioned development. The book twelve years a slave is wonderfully written and sadly hundreds of stories that are true and need to be written. Google digitizing the worlds books seems like an excellent idea, but if the results are as poor as this. Best performance by an actress in a supporting role. Questions were often raised about accuracy or authenticity of books about slavery, including slave narratives. John ridley shared the award with the late northup as 12 years a slave beat out fellow adaptations captain phillips, philomena, the spectacular now and what maisie knew.
Harriet shaw, admirably played by alfre woodard, was a real person, whose son daniel webster shaw lived in oberlin for several years, and is buried in westwood cemetery. The movie won the bafta award and the academy award for best picture as well as the golden globe award for best drama. Narrative of solomon northup, citizen of newyork, kidnapped in washington city in 1841, and rescued in 1853, from a cotton plantation near the red river in louisiana, is a memoir by solomon northup as told to and edited by david wilson. Twelve years a slave, solomon northup 1808 1863 twelve years a slave is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by american solomon northup as told to and edited by david wilson. However, it fails to make a clearcut statement about the slavery issue or provide new insight on that dark chapter in american. Now you tell me all is lost, tell no one who i am and thats the way to survive.
I hope my film can play a part in drawing attention to this important book of courage. Buy twelve years a slave by solomon northup from waterstones today. I hope my film can play a part in drawing attention to this important book of. In 1841, northup, a free black man, was drugged and then. The slavery drama 12 years a slave won the academy award for best picture on sunday, making history as the first movie from a black director to win the film industrys highest honor in 86 years. Though louisiana is the primary setting for the film 12 years a slave, there is a connection between oberlin and one of the characters featured in the movie. Despite being excited to see it during its original theatrical run by the time 12 years a slave was winning gold statues left, right and centre i had begun to question whether this true life story of a freeman kidnapped into slavery wasnt just another awards baiting movie masquerading as a worthy prestige picture. The bombshell book that helped ignite the american civil war.