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lidia7's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Racial slurs, and Racism
ameliatmoss's review against another edition
5.0
I remember learning about this and other slave narratives in school but never actually reading them and now I'm absolutely perplexed as to why we didn't have to read them. So many of the thoughts, feelings, and problems are relevant to today. Some of the most poignant parts of his experience had to do with his view of the ultra-religious being the cruelest of the slave owners, and how they justified themselves through religion.
The version of this book that I own has a bunch of his speeches as well and the most interesting were for sure the speech about Abraham Lincoln and his speech on how he thinks reconstruction should be handled. In his Lincoln speech he says, "It must be admitted, truth compels me to admit, even here in the presence of the monument we have erected in his memory, Abraham Lincoln was not, in the fullest sense of the word, either our man or our model. In his interests, in his associations, in his habits of thoughts, and in his prejudices, he was a white man." I feel like again, public school, never dug into Lincoln in any meaningful way. Like how former slaves perceived him or why it took him so long to stand up against slavery. I also learned he fully revoked the Emancipation Proclamation at once point???
Honestly great though. Will absolutely be forcing my children to read it when they are learning about all of this in school.
The version of this book that I own has a bunch of his speeches as well and the most interesting were for sure the speech about Abraham Lincoln and his speech on how he thinks reconstruction should be handled. In his Lincoln speech he says, "It must be admitted, truth compels me to admit, even here in the presence of the monument we have erected in his memory, Abraham Lincoln was not, in the fullest sense of the word, either our man or our model. In his interests, in his associations, in his habits of thoughts, and in his prejudices, he was a white man." I feel like again, public school, never dug into Lincoln in any meaningful way. Like how former slaves perceived him or why it took him so long to stand up against slavery. I also learned he fully revoked the Emancipation Proclamation at once point???
Honestly great though. Will absolutely be forcing my children to read it when they are learning about all of this in school.
jovanas_cloud's review against another edition
5.0
it would actually be a crime and racist to give this book anything below 5 stars. his story was an eye opener and very well explained the situation of black slaves during his time and their struggles. frederick also tackles a very important topic under slavery and that is another level of torment when your dad is white - they will never accept you as their own, their white family will always be above their black kids, white wives are going to be extremely jealous of you and your white siblings will have the perfect life you were supposed to have and will whip you as they like. i cant even fathom how soul breaking that must've been for mixed slaves and even knowing that you are a child of rape or that your mom was only used for breeding. absolutely soul and heartbreaking.
if it isn't already, this narrative should be made obligatory in school curriculum.
if it isn't already, this narrative should be made obligatory in school curriculum.
lucazani11's review against another edition
4.0
"The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" is a memoir written by former slave and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. The book chronicles Douglass's life as a slave in Maryland, his escape to freedom, and his journey to becoming a prominent anti-slavery speaker and writer. Douglass's powerful account exposes the brutal realities of slavery, including the physical and psychological abuse inflicted on slaves, and the dehumanizing effects of the system on both slaveholders and slaves. Through his eloquent writing, Douglass challenges the notion that slaves are content with their lot, and argues passionately for the abolition of slavery and equal rights for all people
janwe's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
cinnamonspy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
3.5
For accomplishing its mission of bringing a life of slavery into the public eye, this narrative has accomplished it extraordinarily well. While it does do this, the personal impact on my life as I read it (now for the second time) was not enough to justify a higher rating. Though this is the case, I do believe it is incredibly well-written and poignant.
dsteenbergen's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Both heartbreaking and inspiring. A brutal account of slavery that also serves as a love letter to the power of education and preservation.