Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (Norton Critical Editions) by Jacobs, Harriet published by W. W. Norton & Company Paperback

This autobiographical account by a former slave is one of the few extant narratives written by a woman. Written and published in 1861, it delivers a powerful portrayal of the brutality of slave life. Jacobs speaks frankly of her master's abuse and her eventual escape, in a tale of dauntless spirit and faith.