Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811—1896) was an American abolitionist and author. She is best known for her novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin", which depicts the harsh conditions for enslaved African Americans. "Sam Lawson's Oldtown Fireside Stories" is a sequel to her novel "Old Town Folks", featuring some of the same characters. It is a collection of fifteen charming short stories told by Sam Lawson to some young boys of Oldtown. The author here masterfully captures many of the colloquial expressions, superstitions, beliefs, customs and habits of that period.