From the Bookshelf of Bound Together…

Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom

Catherine Clinton

Start date: May 1, 2023

Finish date: June 30, 2023

Discussion: If the Truth be Known...

Why we're reading this: May/June 2023 Nonfiction
May 1 thru June 30
Thanks Phyllis
[close] May/June 2023 Nonfiction
May 1 thru June 30
Thanks Phyllis

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of -6 topics — 64 comments total

If the Truth be Known...

This topic has been closed to new comments.

* Non-fiction Selections
By ♥ Sandi ❣ , Me! ~~ on a good day · 1 post · 70 views

last updated Dec 27, 2019 06:56PM

2025 Sept/Oct Nonfiction ~~ Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown
By ♥ Sandi ❣ , Me! ~~ on a good day · 6 posts · 10 views

last updated Sep 10, 2025 05:30AM

showing 8 of 8 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Jan 18, 2020 Chrissie rated it really liked it

Shelves: bio, race, 2020-read, usa, audible-us, history, civil-war

Harriet Tubman is famed for her work with the Underground Railroad, as a scout, spy and nurse during the Civil War and after the war her engagement in the suffragette movement and the establishment of homes for the disadvantaged, ill, aged and poor people of color. At birth, born into slavery and before emancipation, she went by the name of Araminta Ross. Her moniker? She came to be called the “Moses of her people”. She brought at least three hundred people out of slavery. To her credit must als Harriet Tubman is famed for her work with the Underground Railroad, as a scout, spy and nurse during the Civil War and after the war her engagement in the suffragette movement and the establishment of homes for the disadvantaged, ill, aged and poor people of color. At birth, born into slavery and before emancipation, she went by the name of Araminta Ross. Her moniker? She came to be called the “Moses of her people”. She brought at least three hundred people out of slavery. To her credit must also be added the lives saved of 750 slaves in the 1863 Combahee River Raid, in South Carolina during the Civil War; she played an instrumental role as adviser and scout.

Although illiterate, her oratory had the ability to move people to get them to fight for the emancipation cause. These are Harriet Tubman’s words:

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars, to change the world."

"If you are tired, keep going; if you are scared, keep going; if you are hungry, keep going; if you want to taste freedom, keep going."

I am sure you have heard them before, but did you know these were her words?! Pretty marvelous stuff!

The book is comprehensive; it covers her entire life as well as relevant information concerning the Underground Railroad, its organization and leaders, Tubman’s involvement in the Civil War, and furthermore, the laws passed to bring about the end of slavery.

There is one problem. It is very difficult to separate truth from myth, in regard to this woman and her deeds. Born a slave the year of her birth is not recorded. Illiterate, she could not write of her actions and experiences herself. Working with the Underground Railroad and as a spy during the Civil War, much is clouded in secrecy. I wish the author had more often stated her source material. I can only hope that what has been stated is correct, and that myth has now finally been separated from fact.

Shayna Small narrates the audiobook. The speed at which she reads varies. Not all, but a large portion is read way too fast. This is a book of non-fiction and it is difficult to absorb a large quantity of information at the rapid speed at which it is relayed here. The words are clearly spoken. Some people are fine with fast talk, but I am not. For this reason, I have rated the narration one star.

*********************''

*American Legends: The Life of Harriet Tubman 3 stars
*Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom 4 stars ...more

37 likes · Like · see review

May 23, 2023 Phyllis Runyan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a facinating account of the life of Harriet Tubman who grew up as a slave, escaped to the north and kept going back to Maryland to bring other slaves to New York and Canada. She was relentless. She was also a great asset to the north in the Civil war, going in to the south to take care of the black soldiers. It didn't end there. She continued to raise awareness to other causes such as womens rights and took many destitute, sick and homeless people in to her home and cared for them.
The au ...more

11 likes · Like · see review

May 24, 2023 ♥ Sandi ❣ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: southern-lit, true-crime-or-based-on, non-fiction, nature-environment, bio-auto-memior, didn-t-care-for, z-2023-3500-books, social-issues, war-military-related, based-on-truth

2.5 stars

What was included about Tubman was good, but I felt this book just did not have enough information on her. Actual information about Harriet Tubman did not start until the middle of the book and even then was watered down with information about a number of other people. I know those people crossed paths with Tubman, and had there been information about Tubman all the way through the book, I might have been more accepting. Personally I was not a fan of this book.

10 likes · Like · see review

Jun 11, 2023 Anne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: american, non-fiction, biography, african-american, women, american-history, slavery, 19th-century

This was an interesting biography of a person whose name is well known, but the details of her life may not be. Catherine Clinton is an accomplished historian and author who makes the dry facts of Tubman’s life easy to read. Obviously there are gaps in the story that have to filled with some speculation - Tubman herself was illiterate so she could not provide any written documents, and her work demanded secrecy, so it was safer not to write down details that could fall into the wrong hands - but ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jun 11, 2023 Irene rated it really liked it

No surprise that an illiterate former slave who did much of her work clandestinely would not have left much of a written record. This forces the biographer to rely on conjecture and speculation drawn from what is known of the period. This biography of a truly remarkable woman is filled out with much historical detail: the implementation of fugitive slave laws, information about freed slaves living in Canada, biographical sketches on most of those who crossed paths with Tubman. My admiration for ...more

3 likes · Like · see review