Uncle Tom's Cabin

George Bornstein: Harriet Beecher Stowe: Uncle Tom's Cabin

Described by Abraham Lincoln as the book that started the Civil War, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe was the best-selling novel in America during the 19th century, and the second-best selling book of any kind (after the Bible). Despite some later distortions of Tom himself, in its own time the book was a fiery call against slavery and still has important lessons for our time.