Born a free man in New York State in 1808, Solomon Northup was kidnapped in Washington, D.C., in 1841. He spent the next 12 years as a slave on a Louisiana cotton plantation, during which time he was frequently abused and often afraid for his life... Against all odds, Northup eventually succeeded in contacting a sympathetic party and managed to get word to his family. The ensuing rescue and legal cases were no less shocking and intriguing than the rest of the tale. Northup's account also provides a rare insight into a murky past, with meticulous first-hand recordings of slave life.