Part of the Hero Classics seriesReader, did you ever hate? I hope not. I never did but once; and I trust I never shall again. Somebody has called it the atmosphere of hell ; and I believe it is so.

First published in 1861 under a pseudonym, this is the autobiography of Harriet Jacobs, a mother, fugitive and slave. The book outlines her life, the struggles she faced as a female slave as well as the hardship she endured to protect her children and the fear of them being sold. As well as a precious historical document, it is also a timeless exploration of issues of race, gender and the struggle for freedom.

The Hero Classics series: Meditations The Prophet A Room of One’s Own Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl The Art of War The Life of Charlotte Bronte The Republic The Prince Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave