Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
Narrative of William W. Brown, A Fugitive Slave  By  cover art

Narrative of William W. Brown, A Fugitive Slave

By: William Wells Brown
Narrated by: Peter Jay Fernandez
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $9.95

Buy for $9.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Editorial reviews

William Wells Brown's autobiography provides a clear-eyed and unvarnished account of his experiences as a slave up to his eventual escape to freedom. Narrator Peter Jay Fernandez matches the calm, steady tone Brown uses even as he suffers indignities and physical torment. This intelligent and effective approach serves to highlight Brown's courage and thoughtfulness even in the face of cruelty. Fernandez also infuses warmth and humor in Brown's tongue-in-cheek observations of the hypocrisies of Christian masters and expresses a brooding sincerity when Brown contemplates the terrible effects of slavery on its victims.

Publisher's summary

"Brother, you have often declared that you would not end your days in slavery. I see no possible way in which you can escape with us; and now, brother, you are on a steamboat where there is some chance for you to escape to a land of liberty. I beseech you not to let us hinder you. If we cannot get our liberty, we do not wish to be the means of keeping you from a land of freedom."

Public Domain (P)2010 Audible, Inc.
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about Narrative of William W. Brown, A Fugitive Slave

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    106
  • 4 Stars
    23
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    100
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    89
  • 4 Stars
    16
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Narrative of William Wells Brown, a Fugitive Slave

Captivating and insightful! He told his story with truth and conviction. I loved the book!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Remarkable and Necessary

An amazing story of human torture and triumph. A detailed, moving look at the life of a runaway slave, delivered excellently by Peter Jay Fernandez.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Powerful

This book exposes the lie in the suggestion American slavery had benefits for slaves by teaching them means of self sufficiency. So too those that suggest that blacks are uneducable.

We have the accounts of the slaves themselves. Brown, a self educated former slave, provided scathing accounts of his experiences as a slave and his final escape to Canada.

It’s a heart-wrenching and compelling book. The very well done Audible edition includes a speech and essay follow his primary narrative.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very Enlightening

The story and its narration were compelling and insightful. Thank goodness for William Wells Brown, his determination, experience and philanthropy of education.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

EVERYONE!!!! Should Listen/Read This Story!!!!

Every student of any subject of any age capable of reading should invest the time to read or listen to this story. The ending makes ALL the difference in the subject of this story!!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great read

Very good book and performance. Americans could learn so much from this autobiography. Sad to say that in many ways nothing has changed.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

I had a hard time staying focused

I don’t think I would recommend this book to anyone…pretty flat sounding. You all need some one with a little excitement.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

A former and description of an time of destined

It seem some this narrative so identical unto Fredrick Douglas's Narrative although this particular narrative is earlier in the time possibly original and the former copied

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!