Sam Lawson's Oldtown Fireside Stories With Illustrations

"Sam Lawson's Oldtown Fireside Stories" by Harriet Beecher Stowe is a collection of charming tales written in the late 19th century. The book unfolds through the storytelling of Sam Lawson, a beloved character in the Oldtown community, who captivates his audience with tales filled with adventure, local lore, and the supernatural. The stories, reflecting the rich traditions of New England and the art of chimney-corner storytelling, evoke a sense of nostalgia and warmth. The opening of the book introduces us to a cozy evening by the fire, where two children, eager for stories, gather around Sam Lawson who is depicted as the quintessential storyteller. They coax him into sharing strange and captivating narratives, setting the stage for spellbinding tales that intertwine elements of local history and folklore. On a stormy night filled with the howls of the wind and the crackling of the fire, Sam begins with a story about Captain Eb Sawin and the mysterious arrival of a man named Jehiel Lommedieu, weaving a blend of humor and suspense as he recounts eerie encounters and the consequences of past deeds. Through this introduction, readers are invited into a world of captivating stories that not only entertain but also carry deeper meanings related to morality, community, and the unexplained. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Harriet Elisabeth Beecher Stowe was an American author and abolitionist. She came from the religious Beecher family and wrote the popular novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852), which depicts the harsh conditions experienced by enslaved African Americans. The book reached an audience of millions as a novel and play, and became influential in the United States and in Great Britain, energizing anti-slavery forces in the American North, while provoking widespread anger in the South. Stowe wrote 30 books, including novels, three travel memoirs, and collections of articles and letters. She was influential both for her writings as well as for her public stances and debates on social issues of the day.