Solomon Northup left home in 1841 as a free black man. He wanted to go and work in New York City for a few days, see the city, and then return home to his wife and children. But this was the start of a terrible journey for Solomon: a journey into kidnap and slavery, which did not end for twelve years. His kidnappers took him in chains to the cotton and sugar plantations of the southern states, far from his family. Every day brought more cruelty and pain, but Solomon never stopped thinking of ways to escape. This is the true story of his life.


1841年，Solomon Northup離開家鄉，是一名自由的黑人，他渴望到紐約工作幾天，看看城市，再返回家中與老婆孩子們團聚。但殊不知，離開家鄉的Solomon ，卻無法預料這是個可怕的開始──他踏上了被綁架及轉賣成奴隸的旅程，而這趟作為奴隸的艱苦旅程持續了十二年。綁架者把他賣到了美國南部各州的棉花園及糖種植園，與家人相隔遙遠。雖然Solomon每天過著殘忍及痛苦的生活，但他從未停止想辦法逃離奴隸生活。本書將敘述他一生的真實故事。