She Came to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman
Written by Erica Armstrong Dunbar
Narrated by Erica Armstrong Dunbar and Robin Miles
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Harriet Tubman is best known as one of the most famous conductors on the Underground Railroad. As a leading abolitionist, her bravery and selflessness has inspired generations in the continuing struggle for civil rights. Now, National Book Award nominee Erica Armstrong Dunbar presents a fresh take on this American icon blending traditional biography, illustrations, photos, and engaging sidebars that illuminate the life of Tubman as never before.
Not only did Tubman help liberate hundreds of slaves, she was the first woman to lead an armed expedition during the Civil War, worked as a spy for the Union Army, was a fierce suffragist, and was an advocate for the aged. She Came to Slay reveals the many complexities and varied accomplishments of one of our nation’s true heroes and offers an accessible and modern interpretation of Tubman’s life that is both informative and engaging.
Filled with rare outtakes of commentary, an expansive timeline of Tubman’s life, photos (both new and those in public domain), commissioned illustrations, and sections including “Harriet By the Numbers” (number of times she went back down south, approximately how many people she rescued, the bounty on her head) and “Harriet’s Homies” (those who supported her over the years), She Came to Slay is a stunning and powerful mix of pop culture and scholarship and proves that Harriet Tubman is well deserving of her permanent place in our nation’s history.
Editor's Note
Editor’s pick…
This book paints a detailed portrait of the abolitionist icon in a way that humanizes Harriet Tubman, but also reminds the reader that she was miraculous to have accomplished what she did given her circumstances. For instance, did you know that Tubman spent most of her life suffering from the effects of a traumatic head injury? I didn’t.
Erica Armstrong Dunbar
Erica Armstrong Dunbar is the Charles and Mary Beard Professor of History at Rutgers University. Her first book, A Fragile Freedom: African American Women and Emancipation in the Antebellum City, was published by Yale University Press in 2008. Her second book, Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge was a 2017 finalist for the National Book Award in nonfiction and a winner of the 2018 Frederick Douglass Book Award. She is also the author of She Came to Slay, an illustrated tribute to Harriet Tubman, and Susie King Taylor and is the co-executive producer of the HBO series The Gilded Age.
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Reviews for She Came to Slay
222 ratings12 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazing book. I enjoyed reading it more than I thought I would
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book narrates Harriet's life in an easily digestible way. Great book
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It was very inspiring hearing her story and seeing her use of grit and how she used her emotional connections to her family and friends situation to keep her pushing forward instead of running back
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Moving story! didnt love the writing but well worth the listen!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5ALWAYS SO MUCH MORE TO LEARN ABOUT THIS AMAZING WOMEN
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Overview of Harriet Tubman's life. Narrator was great, and it went more in-depth than history classes from school. Similar to the style of Missed in History Class, but obviously more detailed.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great book so much I didn't know. What a big part of our history.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5An amazing woman but I felt this book didn’t teach me anything that I didn’t already know.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5One of the best books I’ve listened to.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Her story remains so inspiring. Her faith in God, her sense of purpose and resilience coming from it are the type to be emulated. This telling of her story enables the listener -even if only in a limited measure - to be immersed in her life and circumstances. It captivated me.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5As I listened to this reading, I cannot help but think that her determination has definitely inspired so many others.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great story. Author dips back and forth between known facts and details to fill im gaps with a lot of "she might have thought/felt this", Tubman certainly lived a full, heroic, yet humble life. I enjoyed reading more about her beyond a simple rendition of her work with the underground railroad. I was unaware of a lot of details that happened after that time.