Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass

Rating:
Summary: A Good Primary History Text
Review: As a chemistry person, I sort of dread having to read boring and old autobiographies of men who thought they were God's gift to mankind (eg. Benjamin Franklin's autobiography). However, in having to read this for an Amercian Civilization class, I found it refreshing as a whole. Granted, this is my own opinion about a man writing his autobiography, but considering how impossible it was to read Ben Franklin's for the same class, this book was wonderful in comparison (if for no other reason than Douglass having not nearly so complex syntax in his writing)!

Douglass, an ex-slave gives the details of his life from the very beginning to right after his escape into New York state. For those who don't believe that slavery was an barbaric institution, this book should change your mind, as Douglass has no qualms giving vivid, and at times, graphic details of what slave-holders used to do to their "property." For any person looking for a good primary source book for a research topic relating to Pre-Civil War society, more specifically in dealing with the topic of slavery, this is an invaluable referrence book!

Rating:
Summary: Question the Abolitionist; Listen to the Slave
Review: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass gives a vivid first-hand account of what nineteenth century slave life was like for one man. Unfortunately, abolitionist ideas and money steered that one man in the writing of his stories.
Douglass, a slave born in Maryland in 1818, wrote the novel with publishing and publicizing support by white abolitionists in the years following his escape to freedom. First published in 1845, the novel was clearly produced with the hopes of gaining abolitionist support in a nation being torn apart by the issue of slavery.
Knowing that these motives were behind Douglass' book, I'm led to mistrust the severity of some of Douglass' stories. Douglass tells many heart-wrenching tales about his days in slavery. His motherless childhood starts the narrative and is followed by numerous beatings and very long days of hard field work. He does counter these stories though, with stories highlighting a good side of slavery that abolitionists would not have wanted people in 1845 picturing. This allows Douglass' to regain some of his creditability.
Douglass' motives for telling his story are obviously questionable, making his content questionable, yet his narrative stands with few others as a personally written account from a slave. Douglass shines light on many aspects of slavery that blacks hid from whites and the feelings that slaves felt it necessary to keep to themselves. This inside view makes Douglass' narrative even more valuable as a historical tool.
The book is easy to read and understand, as well as being an interesting account. Taking into consideration Douglass' Abolitionist aims, his narrative still surfaces as a very valuable piece of history.