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challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
This is an incredible work by an incredible man. In my eyes slavery has always been a nebulous crime of the past. I understood the concept of the institution of slavery, but I did not understand the condition of slavehood. Douglass spares no details.
The book was a window into the past. It brought more nuance to my blurred vision of the racism of the 1800's. Douglass passed through the hands of many masters who spanned the spectrum of using slavery as a tool to build wealth, to relishing in their reputation of being a "negro breaker". I was previously inclined to say that people are a product of their times, but given the wide variance of people Douglass encountered, from sympathizing abolitionists to cruel slavemasters, I now see that the times still yield wildly different people.
Aside from shining light on the condition of slavery, Douglass has a resilience and fighting spirit that is incredible. You will quickly join him in his detestment of his condition and find yourself invested in his story. I was quite disappointed when he was unable to share the details of his successful escape! Understandably so given that it would endanger those involved, but after hearing so many of his failed attempts you want to know how it finally worked out!
A must read.
The book was a window into the past. It brought more nuance to my blurred vision of the racism of the 1800's. Douglass passed through the hands of many masters who spanned the spectrum of using slavery as a tool to build wealth, to relishing in their reputation of being a "negro breaker". I was previously inclined to say that people are a product of their times, but given the wide variance of people Douglass encountered, from sympathizing abolitionists to cruel slavemasters, I now see that the times still yield wildly different people.
Aside from shining light on the condition of slavery, Douglass has a resilience and fighting spirit that is incredible. You will quickly join him in his detestment of his condition and find yourself invested in his story. I was quite disappointed when he was unable to share the details of his successful escape! Understandably so given that it would endanger those involved, but after hearing so many of his failed attempts you want to know how it finally worked out!
A must read.
How did I get to be this age and have never read a single American slave narrative before? It hardly seems American to be ignorant of how it was for the people who suffered so greatly in the institution that split our nation. Yes, I can read about slavery, but it is an entirely different thing to read it directly from one who experienced it. How great our country would be if we would but consider our policies from the minority view once in awhile!
I became particularly interested in reading his story because of his gentlemanly insistence in support of Elizabeth Cady Stanton's declaration at a public meeting that women deserved the vote. It's said that Frederick Douglass' support for her oratory helped move the proposal forward.
To begin this slave narrative, is to have one's jaw drop on page one and stay dropped until the end of the book. So dastardly was slavery, and so evil, that reading this book makes it hard to imagine it was even necessary to fight a war over the practice!
Every American young person should be required to read this book in high school. I think Frederick Douglass' commentary and observations about individual character in the people he interacts with daily are instructive. It makes the reader admire his character all the more, especially given his lack of formal education.
There can be no finer description of the importance of literacy, both reading and writing, than Frederick Douglass' description of how he taught himself to read and write and what it meant to his self concept as a free man.
I wish all of the book seemed dated, but the paragraphs about no one being held accountable for killing a black person could have been written last week - so closely do they seem to match and foretell the Black Lives Matter movement.
I also think this book would be a terrific book club pick because there's so much to discuss in this book that impacts America to this day!
To any American who says we do not owe the descendants of those held in slavery an apology, I say read this book. To any who say we do not owe the descendants of those held in slavery reparations, I say read this book.
It is THE LEAST we could do.
If we suffer multiple deaths, the first being when we physically die, the second being when the last who knew us is dead, and the third being when our name is uttered by anyone for the last time, it is justice that Frederick Douglass shall never die! Frederick Douglass made America great and his name will live forever!
I became particularly interested in reading his story because of his gentlemanly insistence in support of Elizabeth Cady Stanton's declaration at a public meeting that women deserved the vote. It's said that Frederick Douglass' support for her oratory helped move the proposal forward.
To begin this slave narrative, is to have one's jaw drop on page one and stay dropped until the end of the book. So dastardly was slavery, and so evil, that reading this book makes it hard to imagine it was even necessary to fight a war over the practice!
Every American young person should be required to read this book in high school. I think Frederick Douglass' commentary and observations about individual character in the people he interacts with daily are instructive. It makes the reader admire his character all the more, especially given his lack of formal education.
There can be no finer description of the importance of literacy, both reading and writing, than Frederick Douglass' description of how he taught himself to read and write and what it meant to his self concept as a free man.
I wish all of the book seemed dated, but the paragraphs about no one being held accountable for killing a black person could have been written last week - so closely do they seem to match and foretell the Black Lives Matter movement.
I also think this book would be a terrific book club pick because there's so much to discuss in this book that impacts America to this day!
To any American who says we do not owe the descendants of those held in slavery an apology, I say read this book. To any who say we do not owe the descendants of those held in slavery reparations, I say read this book.
It is THE LEAST we could do.
If we suffer multiple deaths, the first being when we physically die, the second being when the last who knew us is dead, and the third being when our name is uttered by anyone for the last time, it is justice that Frederick Douglass shall never die! Frederick Douglass made America great and his name will live forever!
I found it interesting to listen to Douglass’ critique on the Underground Railroad.
Extremely thought-provoking. I listened to this on audio and it really does make me look at what I learned about slavery differently. He brings up extremely valuable quotes about religion and slavery. I do think that the transitions were weird and I had a hard time following where he was in the story. I also really wish he went into detail about how he escaped but I do understand why he didn’t. An essential read. Really upset I didn’t read this sooner.
This is Frederick Douglass' first-person narrative of his time as a slave from his earliest recollections through his escape to freedom and a new life with a new name. It is a haunting look at slave life, where the people are treated like animals and property. They were simply tools to get work done and nothing more. Douglass uses his experiences to speak out against slavery, the importance of literacy, becoming your own person, and a warning to guard against unjust people. Douglass worked to earn his freedom on his own terms and became a strong leader for early civil rights.
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
An essential read for everyone. Excellent tool for teaching rhetorical devices & the power of persuasion. A glimpse into the dark history many of us fail to really dig into. Though I have read this at least a handful of times, I finally had the chance to incorporate this into my AP Language & Composition curriculum this year and believe it will become part of MY personal canon.
I don't know why I never read this before. Everyone ought to. It's an essential part of American history, and the insight in it is irreplaceable. It makes me want to read other slave narratives. The personal story has a greater impact on me than just reading a history textbook.
I’d been wanting to read this ever since I’d heard that Douglass wrote that the religious Christians were the worst slave owners. Even then, I was not expecting the ferocity of his tirade in the Appendix.