Customer Reviews

Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

THE ROAD TO FREEDOM is a superb account of the American "Black Moses", Harriet Tubman. The book actually opens with Ms. Tubman's last major public endeavor surprisingly (at least to this author) occurring in 1908 long after her famous role as an engineer of the Underground Railroad. The bio then shifts back to the early nineteenth century as Ms Tubman is born during ironically the "Era of Good Feeling" as a slave in Maryland. It follows her as she marries John Tubman, flees to Canada without him, joins John Brown, works as a Civil War nurse and spy, and of course the Underground Railroad.. Of interest is that Ms. Tubman not only advocated racial freedom, she championed women's suffrage.

Ms. Tubman's salad days lack insightful personal information due to her slave status and a 1850s fire. Therefore Ms. Clinton provides a general look at conditions for slaves in Eastern Shore, Maryland. This generalization enables the audience to infer how Harriet probably lived in her early years. Deeper insight is provided to her middle and later years this is a suburb account that biography readers will appreciate because it is well written, easy to follow, and loaded with plenty on interesting detail about a genuine American hero. Though the author too easily accepts the "legendary" Tubman as gospel, HARRIET TUBMAN: THE ROAD TO FREEDOM is an endearing educational and entertaining book that history buffs and biography aficionados will enjoy.

Harriet Klausner

This book is highly readable, and Clinton navigates smoothly through what is at times complex material. But I'm giving it 4 rather than 5 stars because it does not take advantage of the most current research in the field and at times, recycles myths which have been debunked...for example, the myth that there was a $40,000 bounty on Tubman's head.

Still, it does update much of what we learned about Tubman in our children's books, so I can recommend it to general readers. But I feel academics will be better served by Kate Clifford Larson's HARRIET TUBMAN - BOUND FOR THE PROMISED LAND.

Curator, AfroAmericanHeritage dot com

Catherine Clinton's biography of Harriet Tubman is a major addition to the American historical corpus. She has fully and magnificently brought to life for adults a woman who before now generally resided in children's books and half-remembered stories from elementary school. Harriet Tubman was an amazing woman and a pivotal figure in antebellum American history; Clinton has produced a biography worthy of its subject. It is eminently readable, well-researched, and deserves to stand alongside her other books, including her fascinating works on Fanny Kemble.

Catherine Clinton has written a truly captivating and engaging biography of one of America's greatest heroes! Hooray! While I would love to add my review to the chorus, it seems that Publisher's Weekly, BookList, and Time Magazine--where I first read about the book have already given Clinton much praise for her stellar scholarship and meticulous evaluation of the sources. And while I certainly love a good debate, I must disagree with CreativeFolk; so the authors differ on a few points. I am just so happy that there is more to read! But instead of suggesting to you all another book on Harriet, I --like the author of the Time magazine article--see Clinton's book in a very fascinating dialogue with Jean Yellin's recently published biography of Harriet Jacobs. So, I recommend checking out both Harriet Tubman and Harriet Jacobs!

James Hart

Harriet Tubman is possibly one of the best known women outside of America, and it is ironic that she was born a slave and not considered important enough to even note her arrival except as property in Southern America of the 1820's, yet she rose to be one of the most important women of her time - or do I mean influential.

I digress through. I loved this biography. I thought Catherine Clinton did a fine job in making an enormously readable and well researched biography. I liked the simple spare text and Clinton's able explanations which allowed me to understand context with the minimum of fuss.

Harriet Tubman was a woman of whom it can be said there were many firsts. She was the first to black, and first woman, to be a conductor on the underground railway, the organisation which took slaves from the Southern plantations and guided them to safety in the North. Later she guided them all the way to Canada. Until Harriet Tubman came along all the conductors had been white men. Her stoic courage and her sheer hardwork under all circumstances are extraodinary.

So little remains on record of those days. The underground Railway was after all an illegal institution and the government of the day includded slave owners who at various times passed laws to make their work more difficult. So there is not a great deal of documentary evidence available. What is there Clinton has done a great job searching out.

We are lucky that Tubman did leave an autobiography as without that there would be slim reference to her in history.

What I most enjoyed about this book was that I had read some biographys of Harriet Tubman as a child, but this one allowed me, as an adult to understand so much more about her. The context of the world she lived in, the passing of the laws, her role in the civil war, and even in the raids. Tubman lived another 50 years following the end of the war and in that time she was still a ceaseless worker for her people.

I only hope that my children will be more inspired by someone like Tubman than the current rash of Paris Hilton-esque superficial wannabes. Tubman is proof that no matter what your circumstances with ceaseless determination you can effect change.

A great book which I would highly recommend to be motivated yourself!

I've been reading about Harriet Tubman since I first learned to read, and I can honestly say, this is the best I've read. Any fan of Harriet Tubman who want more details about her life as a slave, her roles as a spy and nurse during the Civil War, and her work after the war will find a lot of goodies here. The book also discusses some little known mysteries in H.T.'s life, especially her "niece" that she kidnapped. This is the only book you ever need to buy about H.T.'s life, period!

Many of us know Harriet Tubman from our elementary school days. Saving hundred of slaves, showing them their paths to life in Canada, risking her own life for that of others. She's a national heroine, and a national treasure, yet how many of us know anything about her? Catherine Clinton's book is an attempt to get closer to this intentionally illusive conductor, and she does it with grace and aplomb.

Drawing on as many resources as possible, Clinton pastes together a narrative of the life of this amazing woman. The task is formidable. The Underground Railroad, of which Tubman spent many years of her life serving, was one meant to be secretive. This secrecy ensured its survival, both of the people who worked in it, and those who survived because of it. Very few records exist, and Clinton finds as many as possible. Plus, as Tubman starts out as "property", her early existence wasn't notable enough to record. Clinton does a very credible job in building her narrative with little information.

As Tubman progresses into her most dangerous years, the tension rises. It's nearly impossible to separate the woman from the movement, and thus, talking about the mechanics of the Underground Railroad is helping us understand Tubman. As you read, how amazing this woman is comes clear: an illiterate, uneducated woman defying odds and leading people to freedom. It's compelling, and it's true.

Clinton thankfully doesn't draw out the end of Tubman's life, drawing her amazing experience to a close as she gracefully ages into her final years. Her message of reliance, and perserverence, is one to teach all of the children. Clinton claims at the end of her book a desire to "rescue" Tubman from elementary schools and introduce her to adults. That's great, but let's leave her in school too, to guide, inspire, and teach our children that one person truly does make a difference in so many lives.

Herriet Tubman was one who walked the walk and talked the talk, as the current saying goes. She craved freedom, both for herself and others, and did what she had to do to obtain this freedom. She never forgot her roots and sacrificed her life to help others less fortunate than herself.

Ms. Clinton's clear and moving biography of this remarkable woman reflects her scholarly research and extensive knowledge. We are able to get a glimpse of the world in which Tubman lived, both as a slave and as a free woman in the North. This is a view that we don't see very often. What a delight!

Catherine Clinton has done justice to a treasured historical figure whose life has often been confused with legend. Great writing and thoroughly researched. Accompanied by fine photos.

Harriet Tubman lead an active life as a fugitive to the North,
a tireless champion for the rights of women and the leader of the
famous Underground Railroad utilized to transport slaves to the
free states. She was known to John Brown who referred to her
as General Tubman. She travelled from the slave states to the
northern states and into St. Catherine , Ontario -Canada. The
Clinton work shows memorable pictures of Harriet during the
Civil War. She gave important help to the Union during the war.
As a fugitive, she changed her name from Araminta to Harriet.
She was once named as property in a will because slaves were
considered inheritable. The book is written like a narrative
story with pictures of Harriet throughout. It is a good purchase
for serious students of America's struggle through a period of
slave ownership to freedom for all citizens. Harriet's work
also had important implications for the rights of all women
in the United States and even overseas.