Questions About Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

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Thought I'd read about this up-and-comer...I hear he's done a tremendous job and people are recognizing him more and more... ?

AFMasten Are you referring to Vincent DiGirolamo's Crying the News?…moreAre you referring to Vincent DiGirolamo's Crying the News?(less)

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I hope this book will be really good for me and teach me a lot. Can you give me advice?

Rosa Castro This is a great book. You will learn a few things about what occurred during the life of slavery & it also teaches you about the life of a true Americ…moreThis is a great book. You will learn a few things about what occurred during the life of slavery & it also teaches you about the life of a true American hero. Just analyze the book as you read.(less)

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I have read excerpts but finding it hard to read the really brutal parts to get to the more uplifting parts of his life. The treatment of enslaved African Americans is worse than anything you could ever imagine. I feel like I am short changing the reading to skip over worst parts, so how to read this book?

Stephen I think to read this book you can't skip parts. It's not an entertainment book, it's a true book. To only read the uplifting parts is to continue in o…moreI think to read this book you can't skip parts. It's not an entertainment book, it's a true book. To only read the uplifting parts is to continue in our white superiority by opting out of what we don't want to know. Frederick Douglass didn't get to opt out of those parts, so if you really want to understand his life, or at the very least know his story, you really must read through all the worst parts. If you're reading it for entertainment, then this is not a good book for you. But if you're reading it to expand your understanding and hear the voice of the oppressed, read it all, and you will be a better person for it.

As for more practical advice, take it in small chunks if you find yourself overwhelmed. Acknowledge the horror of it, and take a break to consider that this really happened to him. He didn't write the book to gross you out, it's just what happened. Then, as you're able, come back to it and continue reading. Just don't give up completely, and don't skip over anything (especially if it's because it's too uncomfortable or painful). By sharing in his pain even this little bit, you will become a person better able to understand those oppressed in our nation (Assuming you're American).(less)

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This book was very eye-opening. I knew it was bad but really didn't know the extent to which the horror was in those days. The one thing I still don't get it what was meant by the "cowhide", was that a whip or what?

Luke Smith Yes. Whips in those days were made of leather, hence "cowhide". It would have been thin and stung viciously. Slaves were sometimes caned on the soles …moreYes. Whips in those days were made of leather, hence "cowhide". It would have been thin and stung viciously. Slaves were sometimes caned on the soles of their feet as well. I'd recommend "A short history of slavery" by James Walvin for even more exposition on how horrible this was.(less)

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Is there any sexual content?

Matias No. Despite many books of slavery times refer to the sexual treatment given to slave women by their owners, Frederick Douglass does not explicitly men…moreNo. Despite many books of slavery times refer to the sexual treatment given to slave women by their owners, Frederick Douglass does not explicitly mention it in his narrative. He does, however, make a very brief statement about how women are treated by their masters, but it does not involve sexual content. Some of the remembrances he writes about, such as the whippings, are quite hard though.(less)

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