Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (Dover Thrift Editions)

This fiery autobiography, written as anti-slavery propaganda, told of his struggle to gain freedom, identified his "owner", and became a 19th century national bestseller. Long before Uncle Tom's Cabin opened the eyes of sentimental Northerners to the evils of slavery, Douglass' chronicle inspired the small abolitionist movement and challenged the conscience of the United States to live up to the heroic ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence... "all men are created equal."
The publication of this masterpiece also forced Douglass into exile in England for two years to avoid capture by slave traders. British supporters eventually "purchased" Douglass allowing this great American to return to the United States and live in freedom.
While the battle against slavery was won almost 150 years ago, this autobiography's remains a very powerful tool against racism, ignorance, and historical amnesia. Douglass links his quest for literacy with his need to be treated as a man - and become a free man. This book should be required reading, for all American schoolchildren, in the middle school and excerpts should be constantly used in high school and college courses. Adult literacy centers should find this story a powerful inspiration too.

I often believe it is easy to criticize nineteenth century Americans for not stepping up to the plate regarding the issue of slavery and race in America. Jefferson may well have agonized over the issue he called the "death knell of the nation" and which he labeled a "neccessary evil." Certainly he benefitted by the ownership of nearly 300 slaves, but he grew up in a world in which slavery was the norm. It takes a revoutionary and remarkable man to truly stand against the only world he knows and move to create a different world, so I usually defend Jefferson and his political vision which clearly transcended that world.

Reading Frederick Douglass, however, makes me wonder how anyone with firsthand knowledge of the institution could not see the obvious pain and cruelty which existed right in front of his or her eyes. Douglass's narrative, and particularly his descriptions of the slave trade in Baltimore and the obvious place of the whip (whether used or not) as the principal vehicle of social control argues most eloquently that though the slave system may have been a social norm, the blinders had to be unbelievably thick not to see the horrors that the institution wrought. The relationship of slave and master perpetuated a most un-American (at least in terms of our professed values--cf. Douglass's later antislavery orations) tyranny and oppression. Douglass's narrative testifies that our ancestors could have seen much more and done much more and that 600,000 lives and a subsequent 120 years of racial schism and pain was too much a price to bear for the peculiar institution.

I must confess I first picked up this biography last year as part of an assignment for my AP United States History class because of its relatively short length. What I found was a profound, thought-provoking narrative about Douglass' life as a slave. The language is not verbose but rather clear and cogent. I find that the phrase "a must-read" has become somewhat of a cliché when used today but this book is truly that in every sense. It is "a must-read" because it gives an idea of the horror it was to be a slave from someone with first-hand experience. Yet Douglass writes to educate, not to shock. It isn't necessary to have a special interest in slavery to appreciate this book; rather one must have an interest in identity. Before you do anything else, read this book. It will change your perception of America's past and America's present.

Frederick Douglass's auto biography is about him as a kid and partially as an adult. I think it is a good book because it describes the harshness of slavery. I also think it is an interesting way to be informed.

It is an excellent source of information. It has a vivid description of the work fields and how it feels to see a family member being ruthlessly whipped. It also gives you a feeling you are talking to Frederick himself. It suddenly makes you aware of the relationship between you and him. Everybody probably has a relation with him ranging from skin tones to hardship. We all have at least one if not 2or3 similarities.

I think that this book is not for children younger than 9 because it has intense parts about naughty haywire masters. It is for the type of person who likes history . When you are reading this book, you may understand why people started the civil war. I think it made people start the civil war because they read this book and got very angry at slavery. Also I think it made the masters mad. That may have also started the civil war

Nathaniel age 9

As soon as I began reading this book, I knew it would have an effect on me. I found it captivating and disturbing from the beginning, allowing me a direct insight on slavery. By the second chapter, I became emotionally engulfed in the novel, feeling pain, frustration and anger as I read on. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass really fills in the gaps in African American education. Where statistics were once offered, this first hand account is much more believable, personalized, and very heartfelt.

There are many valuable lessons to be learned from this book. The power of education and Douglass's determination to rise from being a slave made me very appreciative of what today's world offers, education wise and otherwise. After reading it, I felt a real need to grasp life and take every oppurtunity that comes along, really utilizing everything that I have been given. It also serves as a reminder of the horrific effects of discrimination, and the hideous nature of racism.

It is also written very eloquently, so much so that if it were not for the subject matter, it would be easy to forget that this book was written by a man who had spent much of his life as a slave, deprived of an education.

Overall an excellent book that provokes a very powerful emotional response. I reccomend it for anyone to read.