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mak506's review against another edition
4.0
I've always admired Douglass based off a few quotations and finally read this, which I should have read long ago, of course. Powerful and unflinching look at his life from birth till his escape from slavery. I would have liked more info about his life after, but I suppose that's what his biographies and his other books are for.
hmn's review against another edition
5.0
Potent. Powerful. Heart wrenching. I can't emphasize enough how this narrative is a must read for everyone. In a time when legislation is moving to ban books such as the moving story Douglass elegantly tells, it becomes that much more evident how necessary his voice, and all of those on banned booklists, are. Speaking of, his story regarding the censorship of learning reading and writing (has nothing changed?) are just as relevant today as they were 200 years ago. Censorship is meant to control the narrative to the benefit of the person doing the censoring. As Douglass states, "Once you learn to read, you will be forever free."
ellaroshea's review against another edition
5.0
so compelling. this blurs the lines between fiction and non-fiction very interestingly and as a piece in a social/historical movement it's so interesting. for all we talk about slavery we really don't realise how horrific it is sometimes and this narrative just really hammers that home. I also loved the bit where he talked about christianity of america vs. christianity of christ and that's honestly still so prevalent today. these same issues and fights have just been going on for centuries, which is both disheartening and encouraging.
sowalsky's review against another edition
5.0
A classic of American literature, this was the first of Frederick Douglass's three autobiographies. As such, it is the most concise of the three. Because he wanted to leave the enslavers guessing, he did not provide a detailed account of the method by which he escaped from slavery. However, he wrote this autobiography closest to his escape, imbuing it with an immediacy unique to this volume as it recounts his life under the lash. For those seeking a quick read (I'm re-reading this with an eye toward teaching it to my 8th grade students next year), this book brings the horror of our national history into the sharpest possible focus, as expressed by one of our most eloquent and moving writers.
mattdavenport's review against another edition
5.0
Required reading for my United States History course, I really enjoyed this narrative. It was extremely well written, especially by someone from the 1840s where most of the literature I've read from that time period is like trying to decipher a whole other language with all the unnecessary verbiage and run on sentences.
Overall, this book probably took me 3 hours to read front to back, a fantastic time-trade off for the content learned. Frederick Douglass provides a sad yet enlightening look into how early 19th century American slavery existed, and I think it is a great read for all Americans to get a first-hand look into one of our nation's greatest tragedies.
Overall, this book probably took me 3 hours to read front to back, a fantastic time-trade off for the content learned. Frederick Douglass provides a sad yet enlightening look into how early 19th century American slavery existed, and I think it is a great read for all Americans to get a first-hand look into one of our nation's greatest tragedies.
kiczad94's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a great representation of slavery in the 1800's. I would've given it 5 stars but I found some parts a little drawn out and un-engaging.
hayesall's review against another edition
5.0
Chilling.
The first-hand experience of someone who lived through chattel slavery, who secreted his learning to read and write, and who then escaped from bondage—makes for a book I wish I read much earlier in my U.S. History courses. I thought this would be interesting, I didn't expect to read this in one sitting.
Chapters 6-8
Chapter 10
The first-hand experience of someone who lived through chattel slavery, who secreted his learning to read and write, and who then escaped from bondage—makes for a book I wish I read much earlier in my U.S. History courses. I thought this would be interesting, I didn't expect to read this in one sitting.
Chapters 6-8
Spoiler
kept reminding me of the Epictetus quote about how "only the educated are free." The portion where Douglass paralleled the slaveholders saying that he "should know nothing but to obey his master—to do as he is told to do. Learning will spoil [him]," (Chapter VI, pg. 48 in the Signet Classics Edition) alongside the lengths he had to go to learn to read and write ... was ... awful. The killing, whipping, and beating that happened in all the other chapters stick out as "obvious" horrors; but these chapters (plus later discussion in Chapter X on psychological abuse around holidays, duplicity in southern Christianity, and his molasses story) pointed directly at the pernicious total institution of slavery.Chapter 10
Spoiler
besides being an all-around monster, Mr. Covey kept reminding me of how the "Panopticon" is described: enact terror to make those in chains police themselves. The Panopticon Wikipedia Page currently refers to Simone Brown's Dark Matters: On the Surveillance of Blackness as a source suggesting that Jeremy Bentham was on a ship carrying slaves around the same time he was writing about the Panopticon idea—and likely based the idea on the experience. I might need to schedule this into my next few readings.jladuke's review against another edition
5.0
Every person in this country should read this book to have a better understanding of slavery in the US and it's debilitating effects.
lil_nuke23's review against another edition
4.0
I'm struggling to find words to express how I feel about this book. But let me at least say it was staggering, amazing, and very well written. I think my eyebrows were raised for much of the book - either in anguish, dumbfounded shock, or horror.
I also appreciate his brutally honest views of hypocritical Christianity. A quote: "I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ; I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial, and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels."
Make no mistake - I am a Christian. But I also despise those who wear the cross around their neck and practice hatred, intolerance, and cruelty.
I also appreciate his brutally honest views of hypocritical Christianity. A quote: "I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ; I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial, and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels."
Make no mistake - I am a Christian. But I also despise those who wear the cross around their neck and practice hatred, intolerance, and cruelty.