Home › Books Made into Movies › 12 Years a Slave
12 Years a Slave (2013) Movie vs Book
Film · 2013 · Directed by Steve McQueen · Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o
12 Years a Slave (2013) Movie: Cast and Details
A free Black man in 1841 is kidnapped and sold into slavery.
Book vs Movie: How Close Is It?
Very close to the bookIt follows the memoir's events closely.
Read or watch first?
Read the book for Northup's own words. The film is powerful but hard to watch.
What the book gives you
Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup
It was adapted into the 2013 film that won Best Picture.
Who will like it: Readers who want a primary source on slavery.