Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad

Not quite a biography and not quite a novel, Harriet Tubman is a prime example of creative nonfiction. Using simple, lucid, accessible language, Petry palpably captures Tubman’s inner life as she yearns for freedom and finally achieves it after a daring escape. Throughout her subsequent adventures as conductor on the Underground Railroad, recruiter for the Harpers Ferry raid, scout for the Union Army, and suffragist, we get a vivid sense of her motivations, convictions, hopes, fears, and doubts.

While the book follows a simple trajectory—from Tubman’s birth (circa 1822) to her death in 1913—Petry uses a brilliant splicing device to situate Tubman’s life in a wider historical context: each chapter ends with an italicized show more segment describing an important event that took place elsewhere during that phase of Tubman’s life and offering a preview of how the key players would eventually cross paths with Tubman.

The back matter includes a good index and a timeline that situates Tubman’s many milestones alongside events such as the publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin and the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. This edition also features a Discussion Questions page and an Extension Activities page, both of which offer useful ways to enhance classroom study.

My only complaint about the book is its lack of visual content. None of the many striking photographs of Tubman are used in this edition, so the readers can only get an impression of her famously determined scowl from the somewhat cartoonish jacket illustration. And given the importance of geography in the text itself—North vs. South, the shifting borders to freedom after the Fugitive Slave Act—I would love to have seen some maps of Tubman’s routes at the very least, but the book is disappointingly gray once you get past the inside flap. show less

Harriet Tubman, one of the most admirable figures in American history, is the subject of this moving biography. Beginning with descriptions of the slave quarter Harriet was born into, this biography follows her life and ends with a description of one of the monuments commemorating her in Auburn, NY. The narrative is moving, well paced, and engaging. Italicized text at the end of each chapter give a picture of historical events in the U.S. beyond Tubman's immediate story. In the audio, the transition is jarring, despite extraordinary voice talent. Slightly troubling is the lack of a bibliography and creative nonfiction of conversations between the people presented. The book is worth a read, but is not a necessary addition to collections show more where Tubman is already represented by more authoritative texts. show less

Ann Petry's HARRIET TUBMAN offers a succinct, comprehensive, and smooth retelling of the life of this astonishing, strong, and brave woman.

Chapter descriptions of her years and her many friends and rescues in The Underground Railroad alternate with historical evidence from a variety of sources.

The memory of Harriet Tubman will resonate with both kids and adults.

I read this book in a day out of necessity caused by procrastination, so my view of the book is admittedly a little warped. I enjoyed the information given, but the way it was presented made it more tedious to read in one day than other biographies I've read.

"Go free or die" was what Harriet Tubman told reluctant runaway slaves. Short, strong, and brave "Moses," as she was called led over 300 people out of Maryland into Delaware and then on to Pennsylvania and then on to Canada. James does an excellent job of bringing Harriet's voice and that of other slaves, slaveholders, and abolitionists.

Ann Petry has written a thoughtful narrative of Harriet Tubman's life from birth to death. The text is easy to understand and the flow of the story is there, watching Harriet's life. The details draw you in and make you believe that you are in the same time. I recommend this book to young readers who enjoy biographies and people with strong character.

an accessible portrait of the woman who guided more than 300 slaves to freedom.