Lincoln

This book is only 75 pages long, but is full of valuable information about Frederick Douglass (1818-1895). It is an unabridged republication of his 1845 autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. In it, Douglass describes, in unflinching honesty, the horrors of slavery. He tells of how he watched a slave mother kill her baby with a piece of wood and saw a slave get shot to death for trespassing. His heartbreaking and disturbing tales make his own escape even more extraordinary and his calls for abolition even more passionate.

Featuring only a few black and white photos (Frederick Douglass, a statue of Frederick Douglass, his first wife, and his second wife), this book is a masterpiece of prose. Professor Benjamin Arthur Quarles, celebrated Frederick Douglass expert, adds value to Douglass’ own three autobiographies by delving deeper into the type of man Frederick Douglass became over the years. From showing immense courage when overcoming obstacles to demonstrating poise in the face of controversy, Frederick Douglass became a hallmark to the U.S. abolitionist movement.

This book covers the final 18 years of Frederick Douglass’ life when he lived in a mansion on top of Cedar Hill in Anacostia, a neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The author is a graduate of George Washington University, a prominent university in Washington, D.C. The book is filled with black and white pencil sketches, images, and photographs, many depicting the interior of Douglass’ home, as well as his family life.

This book is a treasure trove of color portraits and photographs depicting the life of Frederick Douglass. It is an inspiring work of art divided into ten chapters tracing the highlights of his life from slavery to full citizenship. Because it was published recently, the back of the book offers useful websites after the bibliography. Especially poignant is the image on the title page verso of a ball and chain being broken at the shackles, a very fitting image for this great man's life.