Uncle Tom is a high-minded, devoutly Christian black slave in an "humane" Southern family, the Shelbys. But, when the Shelbys are beset by financial difficulties, Tom is sold to a heartless slave trader. Young George Shelby promises to someday redeem him. This story, set in Kentucky and Louisiana, describes Uncle Tom's trials, suffering, and religious fortitude. Uncle Tom's Cabin is an overwhelmingly powerful novel, hailed by Tolstoy as "one of the greatest productions of the human mind." When Abraham Lincoln met Harriet Beecher Stowe, he said, "So this is the little lady who made this big war." Combining the elements of contemporary humor and sentimental fiction to dramatize the plight of African-Americans, this story's anti-slavery theme was a major contribution to the abolitionist movement.