Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave (Original 1854 Edition with Annotation)

Excellent preface and excellent book

Wow! I grew up as a teenager in the Deep South in the 60’s, saw the murders of civil rights leaders, the segregation, the constant dismissive racial slurs of blacks being parroted by youngsters my age and thought I knew something of the plight of southern blacks and by extension something about slavery as well. This book by Douglass was threw a bucket of cold water on that.Douglass provides an extremely powerful and absolutely damning condemnation of slavery, slave owners, slave trading, and southern “Christianity” that someone who has never experienced such hatred and prejudice could never fully understand. It is also a story of the remarkable courage, indomitable spirit and perseverance of many slaves and those who sought to help them. An absolutely wonderful read.

This is the story of how a great man became great. You get a sense of this great man's dignity, intelligence, wisdom and strength from reading the words of his childhood ang young adulthood in his own hand. I'm amazed Mr. Douglas' life hasn't been made into a movie. It was interesting to note how slavery turned people who had previously been kind into monsters; it is a caution as to the impact of power, money or fame (or infamy). That same story highlights that knowledge truly does liberate - then & now. Lessons reverberate throughout this book; I am better for reading this and for that reason, I intend to read it again and again.

I was blown away by this book. The history we learned in school (at least what I learned) really only skimmed the surface when it came to slavery and I wanted to understand it more deeply. I chose this version of the book because it has an introduction that explains the historical context, and that really helped me put the author's experience into perspective for me. Reading Frederick Douglass' autobiography shed light on what slavery was really like. While it was incredibly sad, I also was in awe of Douglass' strength, resilience and intelligence and that left me feeling inspired. I am left thinking about why I don't know more about Douglass. While his story is not untold, it is certainly not told enough. I highly recommend this to all American citizens. Historical biographies can be tough to get through, but this one is a page turner and not too long. It's definitely worth the investment of your time.

Frederick Douglass' story about slavery and escaping slavery was profound. I'm surprised that I don't know more about him. He provides his story in a very straightforward, descriptive way and shares insight I think all Americans should know. It's incredible that a self-educated man and slave wrote this book. I was both disgraced by slaves' circumstances and truly inspired by Frederick Douglass. This book also had an introduction that I found informative, easy to read and not too long. I appreciated that since I'm not a history buff. It gave me the right level of information about the historical, social, economic and political context that helped me further understand Douglass' message.

The "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave: (Original Manuscript with Annotation)" is a classic autobiography that remains relevant today. Frederick Douglass's journey from slavery to freedom, along with his subsequent role as a prominent black leader, offers a profound testament to resilience and the transformative power of education. I found this book to be a must-read for those curious about America's complex history and its ongoing quest for justice and equality. 5/5

This autobiography not only sheds light on the brutality of slavery but also serves as a timeless reminder of the importance of education, freedom, and the enduring struggle for equality. Douglass's story is a testament to the human spirit's capacity to triumph over adversity, making it a profoundly thought-provoking and enlightening read that continues to resonate with contemporary readers.

This is a great book and I don't want to diminish the works of a great man.But the work is in the public domain now and can be gotten for free generally. I am troubled by a cover that claims this is annotated. There is some, but not enough to make the book transformative. I question what value this has except for the republished to make a quick buck.