A fascinating read that left me to wonder why this book hasn't received the same amount of attention in schools as Uncle Tom's Cabin. I know Stowe's novel was historically important, and it shouldn't be ignored, but Twelve Years a Slave paints the slave experience in strikingly vivid detail. I wonder if it may not have received as much attention during the time for, ironically, the color of its author. In any case, it's a powerful read and I look forward to seeing how Steve McQueen will adapt it.