All of us have at least heard of Uncle Tom’ s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe and probably most of us have actually read it. Well, the novel, Burning Uncle Tom’ s Cabin by Carl Waters is a re-imagined take off from Stowe’ s classic. In Mr. Waters’ book, the lead character is George Harris, a talented and inventive slave who is determined to secure freedom for himself and his wife and young son. This novel is essentially a slave escape adventure full of heart-stopping excitement and page-turning suspense.
George Harris is my kind of man! Under the harsh circumstances of slavery, he is a caring, dedicated family man who is willing to do whatever it takes to protect his family. Of course, given the times in which existed, his determination was tested and challenged by the written and unwritten rules of slavery. At every turn, when George intended to do what was right for his family, his cruel master and the inhumane system of racial subjugation blocked his path.
One thing that stood out about this book is just how insidious and debilitating slavery was to its Black victims. In this modern age, some may argue that while slavery hurt Blacks, Whites were also harmed by this institution, although to a lesser extent. I do not share that opinion! Or perhaps it would be better to say that I don’ t care about how Whites suffered under slavery. Reading about the plight and struggles of an honorable man like George Harris in this novel led me to focus my attention solely on the pain of enslaved Blacks.
For me, this perspective is important as you read Burning Uncle Tom’ s Cabin because it helps you better relate to the precariousness of George’ s life. He wanted to do what any honest loving man wanted to do for his family. Yet, he had to pick his battles carefully. If he blindly claimed his humanity and manhood, he risked being severely punished and even killed. He had to decide if dying for noble principles was worth leaving his family unprotected. Being concerned about how Whites were also adversely impacted by slavery would distract readers from the life and death choices that confronted George with each breath he took.
Would I recommend this book? Most certainly yes! The plight of enslaved Blacks will never be fully understood by people living hundreds of years after slavery was ended. However, books like Burning Uncle Tom’ s Cabin gives us a valuable glimpse into this time period. As dire are the circumstances that George faced, this book also revealed the power of perseverance and love. If George Harris can somehow maintain his humanity in the face of unrelenting cruelty as a slave, what does that say about the types of relationships we can create and maintain as so-called free people, both Black and White?
The book is available on Amazon and you can get it at the following link: https:// www. amazon. com / Burning-Uncle-Toms-Cabin-Waters-ebook / dp / B00KZW2YA2
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