Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass

28 reviews

kerisreads's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

 The moving eloquence and lasting impact of Frederick Douglass's autobiographical narrative leaves me thinking no study of early American history could possibly be complete without it.

Told in alternating matter-of-fact prose and passionately emotional poetry, it's no wonder Douglass played such an instrumental role in the abolition of American slavery.

As I read, I imagined reading this as a 19th century white American previously unacquainted with specifics of the manifold evils of southern slavery.... Phew.

A must-read indeed. You'll weep, but be the better for it.
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Content warnings: As expected of any work on American slavery, many heavy topics are covered, though none graphically, including rape, cruelty and physical abuse, violence, death of and separation from parents and grandparents, etc. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Child death, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Alcohol, Racism, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault

irrigger's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

This is one of the most impactful books I've ever read. The experiences are viceral and cut to the core. It's a hard but hopeful read, and I think everyone should experience it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Grief, Child abuse, Rape, Racism, Slavery, Death, Physical abuse, Genocide, Emotional abuse, and Classism

lizzye33's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Grief, Torture, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Racism, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Body horror, Classism, Gore, and Physical abuse

Minor: Death of parent, Deadnaming, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Alcohol, Self harm, Confinement, and Toxic relationship

ifweweresorrows's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

An Important and essential read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Trafficking, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Cursing, Gore, Grief, Blood, Body horror, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexual violence

mscalls's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Classism, Violence, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Blood, Death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Torture, Gore, Racism, Medical content, Slavery, and Trafficking

rapunzelholly's review against another edition

dark informative sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Physical abuse, Slavery, and Rape

ly6's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Physical abuse, Violence, War, Torture, Death, and Slavery

jlautry's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring sad slow-paced

5.0

This book was written nearly 180 years ago, but the appendix could have been written last week. Everyone should read this. This should be required reading in high school. It’s a short book of only 96 pages and Douglass’ writing is beautiful and heartbreaking. His story is like so many hundreds of thousands of enslaved people that is often never told from the perspective of those who actually experienced it. Douglass’ criticism of Christianity (not unlike the “Christians” of our current time) was spot on, and in reading this, it’s unbelievable that “Christians” continue to use the same “biblical principles” to continue to persecute and condemn. He goes into detail in the appendix and it’s as applicable today as it was then. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse and Xenophobia

Moderate: Racial slurs and Racism

csmed101's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

One of the best pieces of literature I've ever consumed in my life. At times I was close to tears and at others I was filled with hope and a sense of thankfullness for what I have. There's an audiobook version of it on Spotify that I will recommend to everyone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Slavery and Physical abuse

r__a's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Violence