The Secrets of Mary Bowser
A Novel
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The Secrets of Mary Bowser
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Narrated by:
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Robin Miles
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By:
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Lois Leveen
About this listen
Based on a remarkable true story, The Secrets of Mary Bowser is an inspiring tale of one daring woman's willingness to sacrifice her own freedom to change the course of history.
All her life, Mary has been a slave to the wealthy Van Lew family of Richmond, Virginia. But when Bet, the willful Van Lew daughter, decides to send Mary to Philadelphia to be educated, she must leave her family to seize her freedom.
Life in the North brings new friendships, a courtship, and a far different education than Mary ever expected, one that leads her into the heart of the abolition movement. With the nation edging toward war, she defies Virginia law by returning to Richmond to care for her ailing father - and to fight for emancipation. Posing as a slave in the Confederate White House in order to spy on President Jefferson Davis, Mary deceives even those who are closest to her to aid the Union command.
Just when it seems that all her courageous gambles to end slavery will pay off, Mary discovers that everything comes at a cost - even freedom.
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Any additional comments?
An amazing combination of fact and fiction in this historical novel. I commend the Lois Leveen and Robin Miles for the creation of this excellent novel!Impressive
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This is history that creates our present.
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Informative
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Wonderful performance of a great story.
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Great narration of a great story!
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Riveting!
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Loved this story and narration.
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Loved to hear this amazing story!
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Where does The Secrets of Mary Bowser rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
This historical novel opened my eyes in an unexpected way and is one of the best books I've listened to on audible. Set in my home state and even in a city where I lived, I was really surprised to learn about the statutes that state legislators put on the books, particularly regarding emancipation and education of slaves. These laws now seem impossible to believe and drove the necessity of keeping deep secrets to protect and bind families of freed slaves. Since Daniel Day Lewis portrayed Abraham Lincoln in the recent Spielberg film, I had a refreshed perspective that truly benefited from viewing the issues from other vantage points. Seeing the events through the eyes of a young emancipated girl made this story extraordinary. Lois Leveen has a storytelling gift and the performance by Robin Miles was wonderful.Still a man's world, but women have come so far!
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