連載小說形式的「黑奴籲天錄」 (Uncle Tom』s Cabin) 完成
1851年6月5日

你有沒有看過「黑奴籲天錄」這本書呢？它除了是一本值得一看的書之外，這本深具影響力的書也被認為是導致美國內戰 (1861-65) 發生的原因之一；它已經至少被翻譯為23種語言，同時也被編成舞台劇與拍成電影。哈里耶特‧比徹‧斯托 (Harriet Beecher Stowe) 的這本書最早是以連載小說的方式，於1851年6月5日在一本叫做「國家時代」 (National Era) 的週刊上，以每次一章的形式發表。後來這本書成為美國最早的暢銷書之一。

哈里耶特‧比徹‧斯托十分關心人權的問題。她的家人在「地底鐵道」 (Underground Railroad) 組織中相當活躍，曾幫助許多尋求自由的奴隸逃往北方 (地底鐵道是由一群反對奴隸制度的人所組成，這些人幫助脫逃的奴隸秘密前往美國北方。) 在她居住在辛辛那提的18年之中，目睹了俄亥俄河對岸、肯塔基州蓄奴社會的情況，這是她不樂於看到的情況。

Have you read the book Uncle Tom's Cabin? Besides being a good read, this influential book is often included in lists of "causes of the Civil War" (1861-65). It has been translated into at least 23 languages, and has been presented on stage and in film. Harriet Beecher Stowe's story first appeared on June 5, 1851, in serial form, a chapter at a time, in a weekly publication called the National Era. It went on to become one of the nation's earliest bestsellers.

Harriet Beecher Stowe cared deeply about human rights. Her family was active in the Underground Railroad, helping slaves escape to freedom in the North. (The Underground Railroad was a system formed by a group of people who were against slavery. These people helped escaped slaves secretly reach the North.) For 18 years she observed a slave-holding community in Kentucky just across the Ohio River from where she lived in Cincinnati. She didn't like what she saw.

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