Equiano's Travels

The most famous slave memoir of the 18th century. Equiano's Travel's recounts the extraordinary life and times of Olaudah Equiano, from his early life in Africa to his long struggle for freedom in the West Indies. 'I who had been a slave in the morning, trembling at the will of another, was become my own master, and completely free.' Olaudah Equiano was only eleven when he and his sister were kidnapped from the Kingdom of Benin and forced into slavery. His description of the inconceivable horrors he endured on slave ships and in the West Indies offer a rare and significant insight into the realities of the transatlantic slave trade. Published in London in 1789, Equiano's memoirs became an instant success and paved the way for the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. Introduction by Professor S. E. Ogude. Edited by Paul Edwards. 'A powerful and terrifying read.' Guardian 'Central to our understanding of Atlantic slavery.' The Times 'A gripping account from 1789 of life as a slave.' New York Times