Uncle Tom’s Cabin was Published

A movie poster from Kroger Babb’s 1965 production of Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly was published on March 20, 1852 as a serial by (The National Era & John P. Jewett and Company (in two volumes)). The book was written by Connecticut born author Harriet Beecher Stowe, a teacher at the Hartford Female Seminary and an active abolitionist. The book became the best seller of that century as it was written, following the bible. She wrote the book while she and her husband, Calvin Ellis Stowe, were in Maine, when she heard about the Fugitive Slave Act which penalized officials who did not arrest runaway slaves.

Harriet Beecher Stowe was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, on June 14, 1811. Her parents sent her to a seminary school growing up where she received a traditional “male” education. Her father was Harry Ward Beecher, a well known abolitionist. Growing up she supported the Underground Railroad. She was also interested in writing,

She believed it was her duty to bring money into the house just as her husband did. She worked at raising their two daughters. She could be looked at as a Martha Stewart of her generation. The publishing of this one novel made her and her family very well off.
Did you know that her neighbor was Mark Twain.

References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Tom%27s_Cabin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugitive_Slave_Act_of_1850
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Beecher_Stowe

 

Related articles

• General Tom Thumb was Born
• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was Published on December 10, 1884
• A Visit from Saint Nicholas was First Published on December 23
• The Premier of Symphony No. 7 by Ludwig van Beethoven
• Rosa Ponselle was Born
• The Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn is Played at the Marriage of Queen Victoria’s Daughter and Friedrich of Prussia
• The Witch Panic of Fairfield of 1692
• The Tradition of the Annual Ball Drop in Times Square

 

A Christmas Carol was First Published on December 17, 1843

The novella by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, or Scrooge as some may call it, was first published on December 17, 1843 by Chapman & Hall. This is the perfect gift for someone to find in his or her stocking or under the tree on Christmas morning.

This story befitting even of today’s standards as Ebenezer Scrooge, Charles Dickens’s leading character, mirrors so many of today’s Republicans and other Capitalists. Marley’s ghost comes to visit Ebenezer and turns his whole life upside down. After all, Scrooge believed if a man wasn’t working, he didn’t deserve to be paid, they belong in jail or in the workhouses. It wasn’t his job to feed the poor. Scrooge cares about money, the making of money, and holidays come in second place. If Scrooge is working, so are his employees. As far as he is concerned, everything else is frankly, “Bah! Humbug!” Bob Cratchit, his clerk who he paid a minimal stipend, even though he had a family to support, is the one who has to hear this from his boss Mr. Scrooge. Most of the time when he asks for time of the answer is an astounding, “No.” The other family members pitch in, because Cratchit’s meager salary hardly covered the costs  to fulfill all the family needs. His family never complained. Scrooge complained all the time.

It also carries the meaning of Christmas, and reminds us about what is important. The story has become immortal. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, this time honored classic cannot help but touch your heart, because Charles Dickens was a humanitarian, and it is obvious he cared about people, and saw through the foolishness of law and of men. It also made a huge impact on society and influence can be seen in many of our favorite holiday classics.

The ideas I present to you are all thanks to Charles Dickens. He was always the social critic, constantly looking at peoples ideals and often finding ways in his books to throw it back in their faces. He was aware that their actions spoke loudly, and he used the information he gained wisely.

Here is the Audiobook of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Carol

Cassandra

 

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was Published on December 10, 1884

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published on December 10, 1884 in the United States. The last book he had published was Life on the Mississippi. This book was just in time for Christmas for people to purchase as gifts for those who loved reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. It took him a couple of years to compose the novel, and Mark Twain had a little trouble deciding on the name until he made his final decision.

The book was written for adults and it was very controversial. They could not figure out whether the book was racist or not. The question still rages on. Young people everywhere read the book. Mark Twain never wanted young people to read these books. Despite the fact that Huckleberry Finn is not well read, he is quite adventurous, and he cares about his friends. This classic satirical novel is fun, and may perhaps in some ways been reflective of brer rabbit and brer bear. At that time, the kids must have been interested in reading about Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.

At least there is talk of Tom Sawyer read Don Quixote, or how else could they interest people into reading. Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) kept the story interesting. The story is riveting, with a lot happening. The southern drawl of the story adds a lot considering the time Samuel Clemens spent on the Mississippi. The stories were part of his life and are now part of ours.These stories help us grow.

I grew up reading Adventures of Huck Finn. It has been one hundred and twenty nine years since this book was published, I feel we are better off in some ways having young people read this book. The hero of course, is Huck Finn, a young boy, but like Charles Dickens, Mark Twain looks at how things are in some ways, and perhaps in some ways, is thinking of how things should be. The remarkable things things that come to our minds when we sit down and write.

Below in a Audio Book Recording of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.

Reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventures_of_Huckleberry_Finn

Cassandra