Books like Twelve years a slave

Twelve years a slave by Solomon Northup reads as somber, reflective. These 12 books share its genome — matched by how they actually read, not just their shelf label.

To Be a Slave (Plus)

Julius Lester · 1968

Shares the history thread

84% genome match

Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass · 1845

Both explore slavery & freedom

83% genome match

The bondwoman's narrative

Hannah Crafts · 2002

Both explore slavery & freedom

75% genome match

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Harriet A. Jacobs · 1861

Shares the history thread

83% genome match

Behind the scenes. By Elizabeth Keckley. Or, Thirty years a slave, and four years in the White House.

Elizabeth Keckley · 1868

Shares the history thread

71% genome match

Barracoon

Zora Neale Hurston · 2004

Shares the history thread

69% genome match

Homage to Catalonia

George Orwell

Shares the history thread

69% genome match

Once there was a war

John Steinbeck · 1943

Shares the history thread

69% genome match

The road

Василий Семёнович Гроссман · 2010

Shares the history thread

69% genome match

Up from Slavery

Booker T. Washington · 2002

Same memoir feel

57% genome match

The Photographer

Emmanuel Guibert

Shares the history thread

69% genome match

Safe Area Goražde

Joe Sacco

Shares the history thread

69% genome match