A memoir is a work written about the life of a real person by that person.
Behind the Scenes Or, Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House is an autobiographical narrative by Elizabeth Keckley. In it she tells the story of her life as a slave and her time as a seamstress for Mrs. Lincoln in the White House.
The Colored Cadet at West Point is an autobiographical novel detailing the events leading up to Henry O. Flipper's groundbreaking appointment to the West Point Military Academy, and his active service in the U.S. Army that followed graduation.
My Bondage and My Freedom is an autobiographical slave narrative written by Frederick Douglass and published in 1855. It is the second of three autobiographies written by Douglass, and is mainly an expansion of his first (Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass), discussing in greater detail his transition from bondage to liberty. Douglass, a former slave, following his liberation went on to become a prominent abolitionist, speaker, author, and publisher.
Up from Slavery is the 1901 autobiography of Booker T. Washington detailing his slow and steady rise from a slave child during the Civil War, to the difficulties and obstacles he overcame to get an education at the new Hampton University, to his work establishing vocational schools (most notably the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama), to helping black people and other disadvantaged minorities learn useful, marketable skills and work to pull themselves, as a race, up by the bootstraps. He reflects on the generosity of both teachers and philanthropists who helped in educating blacks and native Americans.
Walden (also known as Walden; or, Life in the Woods) by Henry David Thoreau is one of the best-known non-fiction books written by an American. Published in 1854, it details Thoreau’s life for two years, two months, and two days in second-growth forest around the shores of Walden Pond, on land owned by Ralph Waldo Emerson, not far from his friends and family in Concord, Massachusetts. Walden was written so that the stay appears to be a year, with expressed seasonal divisions. Thoreau called it an experiment in simple living. Thoreau lived in close geographical proximity to the town Concord: “living a mile from any neighbor,” should be taken literally; he lived about a mile from his neighbors. He did not go into the woods to become a hermit, but to isolate himself from civil society in order to gain a more objective understanding of it. Walden is neither a novel nor a true autobiography, but a social critique of much of the contemporary Western World, with its consumerist attitudes and its distance from and destruction of nature.
The narrator describes life as a young horse.
The narrator is taken on his first hunt.
The narrator is taught to wear a saddle.
Black Beauty describes his life and surroundings in Birtwick Park.
Still in pleasant surroundings, Black Beauty learns a few things about his lineage, and meets some of the other horses in the stables.
Black Beauty finds that his new duties are somewhat restricting.
Ginger tells the story of her life to Black Beauty.
Ginger tells more of her life's story to Black Beauty.
Merrylegs finds the vicar and his family's visits exhausting, and decides to take it upon himself to teach the young lads a lesson in courtesy.
Merrylegs, Ginger, and Black Beauty discuss the limitations of being trained with blinders.
As time passes at Birtwick, Black Beauty comes to respect and appreciate his master more and more.
Black Beauty's intuition proves beneficial to his master while traveling in foul weather.
Having come across a cruel young man mistreating a horse, John ensures that he is taught a proper lesson about kindness towards animals.
The master and John discuss the service of James Howard, a young assistant, who is now being offered a new opportunity for advancement.
En route to visit friends, the master stops at a local hotel where Black Beauty meets the Old Hostler, a longtime caretaker of horses.
A potential tragedy is averted by the lifesaving heroism of James Howard.
A James prepares to depart, a new stable boy is chosen as his replacement.
Abstract: With Mrs. Gordon's health in decline, John and Black Beauty depart on an urgent mission.
Having taken ill, Black Beauty receives questionable medical treatment from the local horse doctor.
Joe Green continues to gain the confidence and respect of John and the master, and is eventually allowed to take charge of Black Beauty. Joe attempts to intervene on the behalf of two mistreated horses.
With the departure of the master's wife, Black Beauty's easy life in Birkshire begins to change dramatically.
Merrylegs and Black Beauty are taken to their new home in Earlshall Park, where they are introduced to Mr. York. John Manley says his final farewell to the pair. Gradually, Black Beauty and Merrylegs are reintroduced to the check rein.
The use of the check rein has unintended consequences for Ginger and Black Beauty.
With the Earl and Mr. York away, Lady Anne and Blantyre decide to take a fateful trip on horseback.
Black Beauty describes his experiences with Reuben Smith, Mr. Yorks temporary replacement. Mr. Smith's irresponsibility causes great pain for Black Beauty.
Mr. Smith's actions and death cause a great stir, resulting in a full investigation of the incident. Black Beauty's recovery is slow and painful.
Having sufficiently healed from his injuries, Black Beauty bids farewell to an old friend and finds himself in a tolerable new surrounding.
Now placed in the position of job horse, Black Beauty gives his account of the various driving styles his subjected to on a regular basis.
Black Beauty tells of another type of driver, the steam-engine style, who's irresponsible handling of a carriage can have grave consequences for a horse. Black Beauty spends some time with the good-natured mare, Peggy, before meeting his new master.
A sudden decline in Black Beauty's health leads to the arrest of the stable groom.
Poor care by an irresponsible stable groom, results in an end to Black Beauty's service in Bath.
Black Beauty describes his time at the horse fair and introduction to a new master.
After becoming acquainted with the rest of the Barker family, Black Beauty begins his duties as a cab.
Captain tells Black Beauty the story of his life, and his time at war.
Black Beauty shares some of his experiences with his new master, stable boy and driver.
A fortuitous run-in with Mr. Briggs, brings a positive change to Black Beauty's cab duties.
A special request is made of Jerry and his cab horses. Black Beauty takes advantage of a rare opportunity.
In the course of his duties, Jerry encounters a true gentleman.
Black Beauty describes the conditions some less fortunate cab horses endure, and the hardships of the working class cab driver as well.
Black Beauty is deeply troubled by an encounter with an old friend.
A visit to the butcher's shop provides Black Beauty with further insight as to the conditions that drivers and horses face in the course of their duties.
With an election approaching, a special request is made of Jerry by one of the candidates. Jerry discusses the meaning of liberty with Harry.
With election day upon them, Jerry and Black Beauty prepare for a very busy day. Jerry's paternal instincts take over when a rider in need arrives.
An incident with a brewer's cart badly injures Captain. Black Beauty is introduced to Hotspur.
Having been sold once again, Black Beauty meets his new master, but finds his time there short lived.
Now in the employment of a large cab company, Black Beauty is subjected to harsh treatment by his new master and drivers.
Black Beauty is sold once more, this time to a much kinder master.
After a long and fruitful life, Black Beauty meets his final masters, and proceeds to spend the rest of his days in comfort.
Preface to the work.
This is a narrative of William Wells Brown's life and how he came out of slavery.
Clotel, her sister Althesa, and her mother Currer are sold at a slave auction.
Currer and Althesa head south with their new owner.
Fear is overwhelming Currer after a runaway slave is hunted.
Clotel and Horatio's relationship builds and changes.
Althesa goes to another slave market and is purchased by a new owner.
Hontz Synder gives a sermon to the people of the plantation.
Synder talks about the poor whites in the South.
Clotel's relationship with Horatio ends.
Althesa goes home with her new master.
Georgiana speaks to her father, Mr. Peck, about her views on slavery.
Carlton is surprised by an ad placed in the local newspaper. Mr. Peck writes a poem.
A dinner-party is held at Mr. Peck's house. Sam shares stories from his past.
Carlton visits with Mr. Jones' slaves.
Althesa helps her servant find freedom.
Clotel is sold once Horatio's wife finds out about her.
Mr. Peck passes away.
Horatio's wife mistreats Mary, Clotel's daughter.
Georgiana and Carlton get married.
Clotel has some assistance escaping her current home.
Henry Morton gives his take on slavery.
Georgiana's death leads to an early release of the slaves.
Clotel takes an interesting stage coach ride to Richmond, Virginia.
Ellen and Jane Morton, Althesa's children, are sold after Henry Morton dies from Yellow Fever.
Nat Turner interferes with Clotel's mission as a fugitive.
Clotel escapes from the slave prison.
George Green, and his unfortunate situation, are introduced.
George Green encounters a mysterious woman in a graveyard in France.
The mysterious woman of the graveyard is revealed.
William Wells Brown wraps up the story.
The author shares some of his Christmas experiences and memories regarding the meaning of the Christmas tree.
Abraham Lincoln enjoyed telling stories of his youth and early manhood, but he wrote very little about himself. The following is the longest statement he has set down anywhere about his own life. And he did this only at the earnest request of a fellow citizen in Illinois, Mr. Fell.