Showing results for "The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano", by author "Olaudah Equiano" in All Categories

Kidnapped and sold into slavery at the age of 10, Olaudah Equiano's memoir caused a sensation when it was first published in 1789. The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano is the true story of his life, from his 10 years of service as a slave in the British Navy to his experiences - after having purchased his freedom twice - as a freed Black man living in 18th-century England. Equiano would go on to be a leading figure in the anti-slavery movement, boosted by the success of his memoir, which became a best seller and went through nine editions in his lifetime.

Equiano’s story, by his own admission, was not one that was particularly different from those of other slaves from his place and time; however, he wanted to recount his story as a way to aid others who were living similar lives and provide inspiration for those hoping to eventually purchase freedom themselves.

Chosen by the Guardian as one of the one hundred best nonfiction books of all time, Olaudah Equiano’s searing first-person account helped awaken contemporary readers to the nightmare of slavery.

First published in 1789, this autobiography of Olaudah Equiano comprises a variety of styles, such as a slavery narrative, travel tale, and spiritual journey. It recounts Equiano's time as a slave, and chronicles his attempts at becoming an independent man through his study of the Bible, and his eventual success in gaining his freedom.

This collection contains: Twelve Years a Slave, Up from Slavery, Life and Times of Frederick Douglass, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave, The Life of an American Slave (Fifty Years in Chains), The Experience of Rev. Thomas H. Jones, Memoir and Poems of Phillis Wheatley, a Native African and a Slave, From Log Cabin to the Pulpit, and many more.

The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano was one of the first widely-read slave narratives. Eight editions were printed during the author's lifetime, and it was translated into Dutch and German. The narrative appears in a variety of styles and describes Equiano's time spent in enslavement, documenting his attempts at becoming an independent man through his study of the Bible, and his eventual success in gaining his own freedom.

Olaudah Equiano's autobiography is a slave narrative which attracted a wide readership. It reveals many aspects of life in the 18th century. The book also shows the many the perils of seafaring, describing incidents of near drownings, shipwrecks, and collisions.