Uncle Tom’s Cabin in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

Jan 06, 2010 Lydia Presley rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2010, 2012, classics, social_issues, fiction

There have been so many reviews done about the book it seems a bit ridiculous for me to come so late to the game and offer my own insightful and poignant thoughts (I don't think that much of myself, really!). So instead, I thought I'd write about about my decision to read this book, why it took me so long, and how it affected me personally.

I'd first heard of Uncle Tom's Cabin in college. Being home-schooled in the 80's/early 90's there really wasn't any sort of required reading, and I was consta There have been so many reviews done about the book it seems a bit ridiculous for me to come so late to the game and offer my own insightful and poignant thoughts (I don't think that much of myself, really!). So instead, I thought I'd write about about my decision to read this book, why it took me so long, and how it affected me personally.

I'd first heard of Uncle Tom's Cabin in college. Being home-schooled in the 80's/early 90's there really wasn't any sort of required reading, and I was constantly reading books anyway. But at that time I was reading the biographies of classical composers and other literary works that caught my interest (Austen, Bronte etc).

My youngest sister is now a Junior in high school and was required to read this book just this year. I'd heard of it many times since my early college years and asked her what she thought of it. She told me it was interesting. With the 1001 Book challenge and some of my challenges I chose for 2010 the opportunity presented itself for me to finally read it.

I am not going to lie to you - this was a hard read. The dialect throughout the book makes for slow going until you get used to it, which still takes a while. There are entire portions devoted to the preaching of the Word. I do not doubt at all in Stowe's faith and it's apparent that she believed that slavery was wrong on all levels, both political and spiritual. Of course, there is absolutely no fault in that and I agree.

Of course the book is dated. There are references made that, if put in a book of today, would cause a huge outcry. If anything, the references should be taken as an example of the history of our nation and be learned from today. I'm reminded so many times of stereotypes made (and I'm not talking about politically correct nonsense), but stereotypes not only made based on race, but on sexual orientation, religion and education - to name a few. We'd be wise to remember that 100 years from now our children's children will be reading what we record and wondering at what we say.

And finally I was struck at how some things do not change. More than all, Stowe spoke for education. Today, this is the same. Education can do wonders and it should be our primary focus.

So those are my thoughts as I close this novel. Is it one of my favorite books? I'd have to say no. But I respect and appreciate the effort put forth by Stowe and hope that the spirit of her message will continue to affect the young adults who read it. ...more

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