Mightier Than the Sword

In this wide-ranging, brilliantly researched work, David S. Reynolds traces the factors that made Uncle Tom s Cabin the most influential novel ever written by an American. Upon its 1852 publication, the novel s vivid depiction of slavery polarized its American readership, ultimately widening the rift that led to the Civil War. Reynolds also charts the novel s afterlife including its adaptation into plays, films, and consumer goods revealing its lasting impact on American entertainment, advertising, and race relations. "