The Fires of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion

This book was absolutly amazing. I was assigned this book for a report in HIST I. I have now read it and listened to it probably 10 times. you really can feel the pain that Turner felt, as well as the rightousness in killing these people. I am a person that does not believe in violence, but this book made me understand how a man or woman could be driven to such dire circumstances. This book should as graphic as it is should also be given to all High School students. It really show that when backed into a corner, that people can do things that are truly unthinkable. Maybe bullying could be affected in positive way, by this work!

One cannot understand the history of the South without reading this book. This is the story of the beginning of the end of slavery in America.

I had to buy this book for one of my college History classes. The book is very informative, sad, and eye opening. I highly recommend reading it. The history in the book really gets you thinking.

Nat Turner led the largest slave rebellion in American history. That is an indisputable fact. Unfortunately, not much else is known about the life of this legendary figure. Why did he do what he did? How was he able to do it? What was it about the man that made people follow him into insurrection? In his book, "The Fires Of Jubilee: Nat Turner's Fierce Rebellion", author Stephen B. Oates attempts to answer these questions. Oates clearly did extensive research on his subject. He manages to unearth many new facts about Nat Turner that were previously unknown. Oates presents a vivid picture of what Nat Turner's life must have been like as a slave. He presents enough facts about Nat Turner to give the reader the beginnings of an idea of what motivated the man. He describes in detail the visions that Nat claimed to have had and the formations of the planned rebellion. Then, once the rebellion starts, Oates gives a moment by moment account. As I read it I found myself picturing what it must have looked and sounded like as it was happening. I felt real tension. Unfortunately, many facts about Nat Turner will simply never be known. The historical records just don't exist. Despite this, Stephen B. Oates has crafted an extraordinary biography. His work has brought us closer than ever to understanding who Nat Turner was and what he did.