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Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom Hardcover – January 17, 2023

by Ilyon Woo (Author)

4.4 2,378 ratings

Editors' pick Best Biographies & Memoirs

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Pulitzer PrizeWinner, 2024

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Winner of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in Biography

“A rich narrative of the Crafts, an enslaved couple who escaped from Georgia in 1848, with light-skinned Ellen disguised as a disabled white gentleman and William as her manservant, exploiting assumptions about race, class, and disability to hide in public on their journey to the North, where they became famous abolitionists while evading bounty hunters.” —The Pulitzer Prizes

Named one of the best books of the year by The New York Times, The New Yorker, Time, NPR, Smithsonian Magazine, and Oprah Daily

In 1848, a year of international democratic revolt, a young, enslaved couple, Ellen and William Craft, achieved one of the boldest feats of self-emancipation in American history. Posing as master and slave, while sustained by their love as husband and wife, they made their escape together across more than 1,000 miles, riding out in the open on steamboats, carriages, and trains that took them from bondage in Georgia to the free states of the North.

Along the way, they dodged slave traders, military officers, and even friends of their enslavers, who might have revealed their true identities. The tale of their adventure soon made them celebrities, and generated headlines around the country. Americans could not get enough of this charismatic young couple, who traveled another 1,000 miles criss-crossing New England, drawing thunderous applause as they spoke alongside some of the greatest abolitionist luminaries of the day—among them Frederick Douglass and William Wells Brown.

But even then, they were not out of danger. With the passage of an infamous new Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, all Americans became accountable for returning refugees like the Crafts to slavery. Then yet another adventure began, as slave hunters came up from Georgia, forcing the Crafts to flee once again—this time from the United States, their lives and thousands more on the line and the stakes never higher.

With three epic journeys compressed into one monumental bid for freedom, Master Slave Husband Wife is an American love story—one that would challenge the nation’s core precepts of life, liberty, and justice for all—one that challenges us even now.

From the Publisher

WARNING: California’s Proposition 65

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It’s an edge-of-your-seat drama that will leave many wondering why the duo’s remarkable story has been so overlooked by history." ― Time, "100 Must-Read Books of 2023"

"A narrative of such courage and resourcefulness it seems too dashing to be true. But it is. . . . The story is so richly dramatic, and Ms. Woo so skilled at spinning it out, that at times it’s a genuine nail-biter." -- Priscilla M. Jensen ― The Wall Street Journal

“Master Slave Husband Wife is a suspenseful, sensitively rendered account of [Ellen and William Craft’s] four-day journey to the North. . . . Woo tells the story [with] a cinematic eye. She excels at setting scenes, conjuring the sensations experienced by the Crafts at each harrowing point. . . . The vivid details help Woo to convey the Crafts’ attention to every element of their plot." -- W. Caleb McDaniel ― The New York Times Book Review

“Master Slave Husband Wife tells one of the most important stories of American slavery and freedom. With prose that is suspenseful, brilliantly detailed, historically precise, and simply gorgeous, Woo depicts the Crafts and their historic role in antebellum America stunningly. This is a story that will stay with you for a lifetime.” -- Imani Perry, author of South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation

“Marked by careful research and breathtaking prose, Master Slave Husband Wife complicates and compliments the incredible story of Ellen and William Craft. Woo reminds us that the pursuit of freedom is always worth the risk.” -- Erica Armstrong Dunbar, author of Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge

“A gripping adventure. . . . suspenseful and wonderfully told. A captivating tale that ably captures the determination and courage of a remarkable couple.” ― Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Master Slave Husband Wife, like all of the truly great American stories, spent over a century lying in wait, desperate to be told. Enter Ilyon Woo. Ellen and WIlliam Craft loved each other, but also loved freedom, and knew one was impossible without the other. And so they embarked on one of the most daring feats ever attempted in American history, a breathless story captured with breathless prose, and we readers gasp in amazement and wonder at the tragedy and triumph." -- Marlon James, winner of the 2015 Booker Prize

“For those of us who already were familiar with Ellen and William Craft, we’re so grateful for this reconsideration of this courageous couple’s story. Ilyon Woo has accomplished a phenomenal feat, presenting previously unpublished archival excavations. Certainly, this is an essential addition to early African American studies—but more than research, Woo offers the Crafts’ travels with such grace, such tenderness. Here is a necessary rendering of Black love, Black resilience, and Black humanity during one of our nation's most fraught times.” -- Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois

"In this beautifully written and deeply researched book, Ilyon Woo has brought to life one of the most remarkable instances of a fugitive slave escape. In narrating the fantastic story of William and Ellen Craft's revolt against slavery, she has given us an entre into the exciting yet dangerous world of transatlantic abolitionism and its daring assault on slavery's regime of terror." -- Manisha Sinha, author of The Slave's Cause: A History of Abolition

“Ilyon Woo’s skillfully crafted storytelling brings new insights to what it means to steal oneself from slavery. Her harrowing tale of Ellen and William Craft's flight to freedom is a page turner that immerses the reader in the couple’s thoughtfully planned world of secrets, disguises, and misdirection and the culture of 19th century slave owners, their human property and the abolition movement. It is a beautifully written, thoroughly researched, and compelling story of courage, love, and yearning to be free.” -- Gretchen Sullivan Sorin, author of Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights

About the Author

Ilyon Woo is the New York Times bestselling author of Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom and The Great Divorce: A Nineteenth-Century Mother’s Extraordinary Fight Against Her Husband, the Shakers, and Her Times. Her writing has appeared in The Boston Globe, The Wall Street Journal,Time, and The New York Times, and she has received support for her research from the Whiting Foundation, and National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Antiquarian Society, among other institutions. She holds a BA in the Humanities from Yale College and a PhD in English from Columbia University.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ 37 Ink (January 17, 2023)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1501191055
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1501191053
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.3 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #36,711 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #66 in Black & African American History (Books)
- #82 in Women in History
- #148 in Black & African American Biographies

Customer Reviews:
4.4 2,378 ratings

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Ilyon Woo is the author of The Great Divorce: A Nineteenth-Century Mother’s Extraordinary Fight Against Her Husband, the Shakers, and Her Times. She received a Whiting Creative Nonfiction Writing Grant for MASTER SLAVE HUSBAND WIFE. Her writing has appeared in The Boston Globe and The Wall Street Journal, and she has received support for her research from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Antiquarian Society, among other institutions. She holds a BA in the Humanities from Yale College and a PhD in English from Columbia University.

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Customers say

Customers find the story compelling and interesting. They appreciate the thorough research and documentation. The book enlightens them about the struggles of slaves and their bravery in escaping slavery. Readers praise the historical accuracy and great historical characters. However, opinions differ on the writing style - some find it well-written and readable, while others feel it becomes cumbersome towards the end.

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Story quality Research quality Enlightenedness Historical accuracy Writing style

79 customers mention "Story quality"76 positive3 negative

Customers find the story engaging and well-researched. They appreciate the author's storytelling style, character descriptions, and journey details. The book is described as an amazing read that combines thorough storytelling with tension-filled historical events.

"...and to learn about individuals, such as the Crafts. This is not a dull history lesson, and it shows, in my opinion, how history keeps repeating..." Read more

"...The Crafts’ story is compelling, and the hazards they faced, especially in Boston, keep you turning the pages in these sections...." Read more

"This was an exciting book to read...." Read more

"An amazing book, which told a thorough story while also weaving the story through the context of the times, including prevailing conventions,..." Read more

31 customers mention "Research quality"31 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's thorough research and documentation. They find it informative, well-written, and full of details. The author does an excellent job presenting factual information that illustrates profound philosophical beliefs in the US prior to the Civil War.

"...I acquired so much new information from this very well written and researched novel and see why we as Americans still today struggle with the notion..." Read more

"...This book is an excellent resource to flesh out what one wants to accept (believe?) about American history during this time period...." Read more

"...But most compelling was the thoroughly researched and documented travel of William and Ellen Kraft...." Read more

"...But I’m glad I did. The Crafts were amazing people, as this account makes abundantly clear. Kudos to Woo!" Read more

24 customers mention "Enlightenedness"24 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful. They appreciate the raw power it has in describing slavery and the bravery of escaping slaves. The planning to escape slavery was genius, and the escaped slaves used their intellect to find freedom. The book opens their eyes to the struggles of those who were enslaved and the life after slavery.

"...Its raw power to describe the treatment of slaves puts the lie to any attempt to portray slavery in any positive light whatsoever...." Read more

"...This book certainly opened my eyes about their struggles (to put it mildly). When I think about the bravery of Ellen and William...." Read more

"...It thoroughly documents, the slave fugitive act and its affect on the United States." Read more

"...The story highlights their daring, creativity, and ingenuity...." Read more

3 customers mention "Historical accuracy"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the historical accuracy of the book. They find the author to be a talented historical detective who writes factual pages. The book provides great historical characters and interplay with Ellen and William, the master and slave. It also fills in some information about important politicians at the time, like Daniel Webster.

"...Woo is obviously a talented historic detective who can write a thoroughly factual page-turner...." Read more

"...It also fills in some information about important politicians at the time: Daniel Webster and many others." Read more

"Great historical characters support and interplay with Ellen and William: the master, slave, husband, wife...." Read more

30 customers mention "Writing style"20 positive10 negative

Customers have different views on the writing style. Some find it well-written and readable, providing a vivid account of British and US slavery. Others mention it gets cumbersome to read towards the end, reading like a textbook or history book.

"...I acquired so much new information from this very well written and researched novel and see why we as Americans still today struggle with the notion..." Read more

"...The story would have benefited from a simpler, more direct telling." Read more

"...The narrative, however, can be leaden and the prose sometimes pretentious, which is why I can give it only four stars...." Read more

"...And the writer both is very thoughtful and has great interest in these lives—both the Crafts’ and others’." Read more

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MGC
So Much Great American History
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2023
Verified Purchase

There is so much rhetoric today about the need (or lack there of) to focus on African American History. This book is a great example of why we, as Americans need to learn about the history surrounding slavery, about the people (Black & White) who fought to abolish it, about the reasons sought to maintain it, about why individuals make compromises when creating and passing legislation, and about the negative impact discrimination of any kind has on the world. I acquired so much new information from this very well written and researched novel and see why we as Americans still today struggle with the notion that “all men (and women and LGBTQs) are created equal.” I wish this novel had been in existence when I as in high school in the 1960’s to supplement our discussions of individuals such as Daniel Webster, Frederick Douglass, Henry David Thoreau, etc. and to learn about individuals, such as the Crafts. This is not a dull history lesson, and it shows, in my opinion, how history keeps repeating itself over and over on issues surrounding race and gender. It does not provide solutions; I’m not sure there are any. However, I encourage everyone to buy, read and have open and honest discussions about this book in an effort to gain an understanding of why issues of race and gender still cause so much division. Thank you to PBS for making me aware of “Master, Slave, Husband, Wife,” and thank you Ilyon Woo for taking on the project of exposing us to the Crafts and the many people who they encountered on their journey to “freedom.”

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38 people found this helpful

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Catherine
Enlightening
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2023
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This book is enlightening in several respects:

Its raw power to describe the treatment of slaves puts the lie to any attempt to portray slavery in any positive light whatsoever.

It exposes, sadly, attitudes that persist into today - the disregard for the humanity of others, as well as the greed for money and power at the expense of others that continues to debilitate us as a society.

It emphasizes the belief among many that the survival of the union eclipsed whatever suffering might be inflicted upon those enslaved.

It fleshes out the abolitionist effort in all its nobility and the weaknesses it shares with any other human organizations.

It also taught me a lot about the Fugitive Slave Act, its evils and its reach.

The narrative, however, can be leaden and the prose sometimes pretentious, which is why I can give it only four stars. The Crafts’ story is compelling, and the hazards they faced, especially in Boston, keep you turning the pages in these sections. When the Crafts settle for any time at all, so does the narrative. The lessons are worth it, but finishing the book was an effort.

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31 people found this helpful

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Chideziri
Accept the story as it si written...
Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2024
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This was an exciting book to read. It started out at an exciting pace because you naturally want to know how the escape turns out overall and where they settle down finally. The Craft’s love story(I think it is) is a complex one and my conclusion is they had to ‘do what they had to do’ with the directions their lives took. Taking into consideration the fact that that they were blessed with many who supported them throughout, they were learning about life and each other as they were building their lives. There are a lot of unexpected outcomes throughout. I dont agree with the critical review about the need for further editing. Ive read books with much less content with worse editing. It got cumbersome to read towards the end but I attribute that to Ms. Woo wanting to get the story right based on her extensive research and sources. I for one appreciate this approach.

Having said that, may I suggest that you accept the story as Ms. Woo tells it. Most have preconceived notions and/or a historical knowledge of this time period and some may be introduced to this time period for the first time. This book is an excellent resource to flesh out what one wants to accept (believe?) about American history during this time period. Highly recommended.

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27 people found this helpful

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Harold DeRienzo
Great read; a real page turner.
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2024
Verified Purchase
An amazing book, which told a thorough story while also weaving the story through the context of the times, including prevailing conventions, pervasive biases, government legislation and policy. It was fascinating to learn that some of the advocacy that occurred during this period was motivated by the revolts in Europe in 1848, thus serving as an encouragement for the Free Soil, Free Labor movement. Then came the numerous attempts to mollify Southern slave states that were threatened by the Western expansion of the United States where free states would alter the balance of power in Congress. Of course, that ended with secession in 1861, providing Congress with the votes to certify the vote of the Kansas settlers to make it a free state. But most compelling was the thoroughly researched and documented travel of William and Ellen Kraft. Reading their story brought the dynamics of the Underground Railroad to full view and was also reminiscent of stories told about Harriet Tubman and how she used her wits, in concert with blind, White prejudice, to evade capture on several occasions. But we also learned about freed slaves who returned to the States to free others.
A great book, a real page turner. I recommend it highly.

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22 people found this helpful

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Jan S
moving story
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2025
Verified Purchase
The story of the Crafts is compelling and certainly deserves to be heard. Unfortunately, I did not appreciate the author’s style. The details were often overwhelming, many seeming unnecessary, and sentence structure made work of comprehending the story line and keeping track of characters. The story would have benefited from a simpler, more direct telling.

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8 people found this helpful

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Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom Hardcover – January 17, 2023

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5.0 out of 5 stars So Much Great American History

4.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening

5.0 out of 5 stars Accept the story as it si written...

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read; a real page turner.

3.0 out of 5 stars moving story

So Much Great American History

Enlightening

Accept the story as it si written...

Great read; a real page turner.

moving story