[7][8][a] After some time he abandoned the practice of law due to poor health, and engaged in literary pursuits, writing books on historical subjects.
Northup had wanted to include a lot of details that may not be critical to the telling of the story, but made it an important historical account of life on several plantations and the cruelty they endured.
A group of Union soldiers who had earlier read the book met Northrup's enslaver Edwin Epps during the Civil War.
[10] In the book's preface, Wilson states: It is believed that the following account of his experience on Bayou Boeuf presents a correct picture of Slavery in all its lights, and shadows, as it now exists in that locality.
Unbiased, as he conceives, by any prepossessions or prejudices, the only object of the editor has been to give a faithful history of Solomon Northup's life, as he received it from his lips.Wilson wrote other books about historical subjects: In his later years, Wilson was part-owner of a brewery.