Underground Man

by Milton Meltzer

In this reissue of the classic novel, Josh, a logger on the Ohio River, helps runaway slaves to freedom until he is betrayed, captured, and thrown in prison. “In an afterword the reader learns a bit about the sources Meltzer consulted--histories, autobiographies, first-person accounts, and religious and anti-slavery tracts, among others. All add to the historically accurate depiction of the danger, dedication, and perseverance that Josh shows.”-- VOYA

Genres: Historical, Historical Fiction

261 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Milton Meltzer wrote 110 books, five of which were nominated for the National Book Award. With Langston Hughes, he co-authored A Pictorial History of Black Americans, now in its sixth edition. He received the 2001 Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for his contribution to children's literature, the 1986 Jane Addams Peace Association Children's Book Award, and the 2000 Regina Medal. He died in New York City of esophageal cancer at age 94.

Reviews

[Amy Meyers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Underground Man is an "Odyssey Classic," which I thought might be really good, because I have two other "Odyssey" (minus the word "classic" so I don't know if there's a difference) books that I really enjoyed and thought were well-written for a younger audience: Guns for General Washington (excellent, 5 stars) and Behind Rebel Lines (good, 4 stars). All 3 books have been historical fiction, more history than fiction, but written in an exciting way that makes the history come alive, and all have claimed to be for a younger audience. This book, however, is not appropriate for middle schoolers for two major negatives: bad language (d-word and h- word, and the n-word which is more understandable, but the first two are throughout, even from a Methodist circuit preacher); and several accounts of slaves who were children of their masters, the white masters' "mistresses," beautiful slaves being sold for brothels or houses of prostitution in New Orleans or Louisville, and an account of a slave auction and how they displayed a beautiful women for sale for such things. The book gets three stars for these two major negatives, mainly because it's supposed to be targeted towards youth, and I wouldn't want my middle school boys reading about adult topics like that. Also the account of his suffering in prison was quite sad.

But for adults, I feel it would have a similar effect to that of Uncle Tom's Cabin--how can a person be pro-South at all when reading accounts like this? I hope that if I'd lived in that time, I would have been an abolitionist, and further, would have done something about it, like Calvin Fairbank, on whom Joshua Bowen of the novel is based. I have also been troubled in my spirit since reading this, thinking of the "abolition" issue of our day, which is IMO abortion. What can I do to fight abortion and to save the lives of the innocent? It's not quite as clear as the abolition movement in the US in the 1800s. Then, there were clear geographical lines and laws, and able adults to save physically. I pray that one day abortion can be abolished throughout the whole world and seen as a heinous institution like slavery.

[Emily Carrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pre-Civil War of the U.S.A., slavery was a valuable asset to the South on their plantations. A man by the name of Joshua Bowen is a trying to find his place in the world, when his father sends him off with Jacob Axley to study as his apprentice. Josh is studying to be a preacher, but it just doesn't seem right. He's got all of the skills, but the passion is lacking. Josh feels that God actually wants him to do something else, so he leaves Jacob to go find other work. He comes across the abolition movement and falls in love with it. Josh has always worn his heart on his sleeve towards man and animal, and what better way to improve the world than to save slaves from oppression and slavery itself. Josh becomes an abolitionist and helps to free slaves through the underground railroad.
If you like fast-paced adventure, discovering life's questions and answers, and seeing the good of man-kind, then you need to read this book!
It's a good example of the abolition movement and how slaves were treated before the Civil War from a white man's perspective.
(T.W.= the "n-word" is used a lot in this book simply because of the time period and how the language was used. There is also a slight bit of profanity and nudity because of how slaveholders and auctioneers mistreated the slaves.)

A good book that I would only suggest for mature high school students because of the context and the reading level. I would not read this aloud to my class, and I might not even keep it in my personal library simply because of how much the "n-word" is used.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Undergroundman

Goodreads Review

The main characters in this book are Josh, Josh's dad,Levi, and the gaurds. Joah was a man who helped slave runaway, but after he gets imprisoned he wondered if he should continue freeing slaves. Levi was a mentor to Josh and a good friend. Josh's dad was abusive to josh during his teenage years. But warms up to him after he gets imprisoned. Sadly he dies of cholera.The gaurds were mentioned a few times due to Josh being in prison. They abused Josh, and did awful punishments to him(they threw him in a hole for a day with little food and water.) The story starts off as Josh being abused by his dad for several reasons so he moves out. He then started getting involved in abolitionists even though he was born in kentucky a southern state. After a few months of doing that he meets a woman named Deborah. She was a very nice lady and was very kind to other people. They then get caught freeing slaves and are taken to jail. Deborah ends up turning him down and lies to the judges, saying that she is innocent. They let her go eventually. So Josh is alone in the prison and his parents end up dying. The mother could not take that her own son was in prison and his dad died by Cholera after traveling. after 3 years of hard labor and abuse they let him go. After that he ran to his house where Levi coffin and everyone else greeted him. He was happy to be back, but still a little in shock. He ends up going back to prison because they said he did not pay the price for freeing slaves(even though he stayed in prison for 3 years.) And he goes back to prison for 17 more years. This book was a great book in my opinion because it had action inside, the events of them freeing slaves makes you a little nervous. The book had surprising events when Josh and Deborah get caught it really surprises you!This book is never boring because something always happens to Josh and Deborah.This book is not confusing( the accent is the only thing that gets to you) it wont leave you absent minded. And this book is very addicting to read and leaves you wanting more from it


-Nicholas Rodgers

[Dallas Dickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a facinating book for middle schoolers up to adults because it has a good moral to the story and it shows that you should always stand up for what is right even though others may think it is wrong.

Underground Man is a great book because it shows that there was a great amount of danger freeing slaves and bring them to the North. Jack (the main caracter) could of worked on his father's farm but decided to go and become an abolitionist even though he knows that some of the things that he is going to do are illegle and dangurous. I learned that if you believe in what right you should do it even though it may be wrong.

So this is a great book for anyone that wants to learn more about what was happening in the slavery days through the eyes of a 20 year old man that faces all of it. I enjoyed this book a lot and I hope you do too.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am new to author Milton Meltzer. This is a YA book I purchased while in Springfield, Ill. It is a NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studios. It is fiction while yet based on Calvin Fairbank's life. He was an abolitionist who worked hard and spent 17 years in prison after being caught freeing slaves. The negative for me was using the "n" word. I tried to remember that was language used in those days. My only commentary would be that there is so much we need to learn from our country's past mistakes.

[Caleb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Underground man wasn’t really a choice read for me (assigned by a history teacher) and I honestly didn’t really like it. For a book about abolition and freeing slaves, it was very plain and boring. There weren’t really those “edge of seat” moments, and it was all calm and not really exciting. Although informative of the history on slavery and America during that time, not a book I’d reread.

[Colter · Rating 4 out of 5]

very deppressing...

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was ok. I had 2 read it for that historical fiction thing but it was actually kind of good.

[Addie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story of an abolitionist working on the Underground Railroad. I will be using this with my students this year. I'll be interested to hear what they think about it.

[Sharon Zink · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book. It is a historical novel written for younger readers, but I enjoyed it. It is about a young man helping slaves escape to freedom.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Such an interesting story, but ultimately the book was just not satisfying.

[Kandyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting information on the historical period, but I didn't get a personal feel for the characters.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed this book very much!