Twelve Years a Slave is a compelling memoir by Solomon Northup, a free black man who was cruelly kidnapped and sold into slavery. Born in New York, Northup was lured to Washington, D.C. with the promise of a lucrative job, only to be drugged, beaten, and sold into slavery. He spent the next twelve harrowing years of his life in captivity on a Louisiana cotton plantation.

Northup's narrative provides a vivid and detailed account of slave life, from the brutal conditions he endured to the rare moments of kindness he received. His story sheds light on the slave markets of Washington, D.C. and New Orleans, as well as the daily routines and hardships faced by slaves in the Southern United States.

This powerful autobiography is not only a personal account of survival but also a crucial historical document that offers insight into one of the darkest periods in American history.