Publisher's Synopsis
BOOK SUMMARY Twelve Years a Slave: Narrative of Solomon Northup, citizen of New-York, kidnapped in Washington city in 1841, and rescued in 1853, from a cotton plantation near the Red River in Louisiana. INTERVIEWS AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF FREED SLAVES. This edition of Northrup's autobiography is unique because it includes photographs and interviews with former slaves who voice their experiences of slavery. Many talk about how they were treated, the condition before their freedom and after. Unlike Solomon Northrup, there were no Canadians to rescue them from slavery, they did not ride off into the sunset. A few spoke of the beatings, the work and their fear of the Klan after the abolition of slavery. Readers most also bear in mind the the majority of interviewees were unable to read and write, and sadly the interviewers, often recorded their narrative voices in a somewhat racist and stereotypical vernacular as often seen in Uncle Ben and Mammy type caricatures of African-Americans in the late 19th and early 20th, Century. THE SCREEN PLAY The book 12 Years a Slave is now a major screenplay that has received wide critical acclaim, and was named the best film of the year by several media outlets. It also proved to be a box office success, earning over $140 million on a production budget of $20 million. The film has won three Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for Nyong'o and Best Adapted Screenplay for Ridley. It was awarded the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama, and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts recognized the film with the Best Film and the Best Actor award for Ejiofor. 12 Year a Slave. However, little mention has been made of the fact that 12 Years a Slave the film is a REMAKE! What's more, the original television film Solomon Northup's Odyssey, was re-issued as Half Slave, Half Free, is a 1984 directed by the often celebrated Gordon Parks. The screenplay was written by Lou Potter and the noted playwright-actor Samm-Art Williams, who were also, inspired by Northrup's 1853 book Twelve Years a Slave. Why this fact has not been mention by film critics is a mystery, that has yet to be explained. ABOUT THE EDITOR D. Constantine-Simms is an Occupational Psychologist, Counselling Psychologist and a qualified Therapeutic Career Coach. He is also as freelance print and photojournalist, whose work is regularly submitted and distributed by photo agencies such as Corbis Images and Demotix. His articles and images have appeared in British and international publications such as the Word (Canada) The Big Issue, The Guardian, The Voice Newspaper, Miami Times, and many other publications. Constantine-Simms has previously edited the following books and Co-edited Teachers for the Future (1995) The Greatest Taboo: Homosexuality in Black Communities (2001) Hip Hop Had a Dream: Vol. 1 the Artful Movement (2008) Constantine-Simms is the recipient of the 2001 Lambda Award for Best Anthology for his book: The Greatest Taboo: Homosexuality in Black Communities (2001) He is also a novice graphic artist who distributes/sells his work under the appropriately artistic name of "THINKDOCTOR" through the Following websites: www.deviantart.com www.zazzle.com/thinkdoctor www.zazzle.com/anythingobama
