Frederick Douglass

Prophet of Freedom

De: David W. Blight

Narrado por: Prentice Onayemi

Pulitzer Prize, History, 2019

The definitive, dramatic biography of the most important African American of the 19th century: Frederick Douglass, the escaped slave who became the greatest orator of his day and one of the leading abolitionists and writers of the era.

As a young man, Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) escaped from slavery in Baltimore, Maryland. He was fortunate to have been taught to read by his slave owner mistress, and he would go on to become one of the major literary figures of his time. He wrote three versions of his autobiography over the course of his lifetime and published his own newspaper. His very existence gave the lie to slave owners: with dignity and great intelligence, he bore witness to the brutality of slavery.

Initially mentored by William Lloyd Garrison, Douglass spoke widely, often to large crowds, using his own story to condemn slavery. He broke with Garrison to become a political abolitionist, a Republican, and eventually a Lincoln supporter. By the Civil War and during Reconstruction, Douglass became the most famed and widely traveled orator in the nation. He denounced the premature end of Reconstruction and the emerging Jim Crow era. In his unique and eloquent voice, written and spoken, Douglass was a fierce critic of the US as well as a radical patriot. He sometimes argued politically with younger African Americans, but he never forsook either the Republican party or the cause of Black civil and political rights.

In this remarkable biography, David Blight has drawn on new information held in a private collection that few other historian have consulted, as well as recently discovered issues of Douglass’ newspapers. Blight tells the fascinating story of Douglass’ two marriages and his complex extended family. Douglass was not only an astonishing man of words, but a thinker steeped in Biblical story and theology. There has not been a major biography of Douglass in a quarter century. David Blight’s Frederick Douglass affords this important American the distinguished biography he deserves.

©2018 David W. Blight (P)2018 Simon & Schuster

Why Not Hire a Narrator Who's AWAKE??!

This is an important book that needs to be read (or listened to) by every American. It's deeply researched and compelling. Douglass is a personal hero of mine, and I'm sure he's a hero to millions more across the globe. This book does him justice.

But seriously guys....

Was it really THAT hard to find a narrator that doesn't put people to sleep? I mean, seriously. It's literally impossible to listen to this man's voice and not want to go immediately to sleep. He has the voice of warm caramel and crackling fireplaces. Don't get me wrong, it's a great voice for reading bedtime stories.

However, it is, quite possibly, THE WORST VOICE EVER for reading a book on history.

They could not have hired a worse narrator than this. It's honestly baffling to me why they made this choice - especially considering all the AMAZING narrators out there, and the fact that any one of them would give their left arm to narrate such an important book. Needless to say, the narrator ruins the book. This could've been so, so, SO much more enjoyable than it was. I couldn't even get through it all, because after about ten minutes of listening to the guy read, I had to put on rock music just to wake myself up again!

A True American Hero

Where were the historians' minds, who wrote our history books? Clearly their white only (bordering on white supremacist) view point leaves us with a biased view of history of race in America. This book gives an unvarnished view of pre and post Civil War America exposing our deep white supremacy roots. This helps explain the current struggles with racism today. My high school and college history courses did not do justice to Frederick Douglass and his unbelievable legacy as defender of our democracy. Great read about perhaps our nation's greatest hero!

Blight is Brialliant

A thoroughly researched narrative of Douglass through slavery, freedom, politics and late years.

His contributions, contradictions and personal struggles are all offered equal attention and offer a detailed perspective on these elements of his life.

Well done.

Worth the time!

This is a big, long read. It is so worth the time! It’s also a rhetorician’s dream book.

Lovely voice but a little slow

Superb biography & I loved the narrator's voice, but found it a little slow. Enjoyed it more at 1.25x normal speed.

Must Read Learn History & Story Of A Great Man

Loved the very poetic narration of this book. I t made it much easier to get through a long but important book. Every American needs to read this story...put so much of what is going on now in perspectives. Mr. Douglass I appreciate and salute you!

An Amazing Man and Important History

I learned so much from this book. Douglas continues to be an inspiring person. He had such integrity, against all odds too.
I am inspired to continue to educate myself about the terrible toll that slavery has taken, still takes, on this country. Douglas was not without his blemishes, but who isn't. I liked the narrator a lot. The writing was excellent, though I have my common complaint about many fat books of history - they need better editing, less repetition. But I loved it.

Frederick Douglass in full

This book has more of his life than ever told in one place.
Linear in execution so it isflows las


As a life would
I wish all students had to read this as it is a life not a series of dates to memorize.

one of the best books I've ever listened

I don't have the words at the ready about this book, let me just say it was absolutely fabulous as a book, as an academic and a popular biography, as a narrative, and as a narrated audiobook. I would tell prospective readers not to be intimidated by its length, almost 37 hours, because it has no slow parts, no boring parts. The narrator is a slow'ish narrator, so I found it OK (something I rarely find OK) to speed up the audio on my iPod to 1.25 and even 1.5, without losing anything.

The book has great power in terms of coming to an understanding of the antebellum period, the Civil War, Reconstruction & the collapse of Reconstruction, all told through the eventful life of Frederick Douglass. It succeeds as history, especially if you have a good context yourself about these periods. It also succeeds as biography, of both the man & his family, and of his friends/acquaintances in the abolition & black rights movements.

May be the best biography I have ever read...

This is is an outstanding biography. I consider it on a par with Chernow's Hamilton. Blight and others have obviously benefited from the three narratives penned by Douglass, but there is no part of this long book that is less than engaging or that leaves you wondering who (other than a Ph.D. candidate) would care about the granular details puffing up most 900 page plus efforts. You will also learn a lot of interesting new things about Lincoln and the initial abolitionist movement (like the desire of many abolitionists to solve the slavery problem by shipping blacks back to Africa or some other place of their own). Blight deserves a Pulitzer for this timely and important contribution to our understanding of our collective past.