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Summary: A classic "narrative"
Review: This is one of the most lucid, absorbing autobiographies I've read; that it has much to say about American history, specifically the institution of slavery, only adds to its luster. It is remarkable that someone born into slavery could learn to write as well as virtually any "man of letters" in his era. Despite Douglass' unhappy lot (or maybe because of it), he managed to acquire a great deal of insight into the people, white and black, around him. Douglass convincingly depicts how the institution of slavery damages both oppressed and oppressor--it dehumanizes the former and brings out the cruelest qualities of the latter. (A hundred years later, Martin Luther King would say much the same about the practice of segregration.) There is much anger in the Narrative--but also a wise and noble spirit. Compulsively readable, this book is still very much "relevant" today, and I can hardly imagine a time in which people will no longer wish to read it.
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Summary: great insight
Review: I expected this book to be rather historical in nature and probably pretty boring- but I was pleasantly suprised to find it to be a definite page-turner! This book offers valuable insight into what slavery was truly like for Douglass and many others of his time. His account is heart-wrenching. I definitely suggest this book.
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Summary: An insightful and powerful portrail of humanity's many sides
Review: What at first glance appears to be a gripping story of the evils of slavery and the excitement and thrill of the battle against and escape from those evils, on second glance reveals itself to be a deeply insightful look into the nature (and in some ways the meaning) of humanity. We see the cruelty, the evil, the jealousy, and the brutality and we see the dignity, the honor, the kindness, and the compassion of humanity. We see nearly all that we as humans are capable of and through reading this short narrative we may become aware of the fact that humanity is what we make of it and that inhumanity is not so different from humanity as we had wished.This book presents a great story that is interesting in and of itself, but it also presents lessons to be learned. Lessons made clear by experiences among the most horrifying in all of human history. Hopefully these lessons will be learned from the experiences of the past and not from new horrific experiences in our own time.
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Summary: A must read for all americans
Review: Everyone in America who has at least a high school diploma has a vague sense of who Frederick Douglass was, and maybe something about his connection to the Underground Railroad. But few have probably read this book. It is truly a classic, and like many classics, gets ignored. This is a powerful book which no brief summary can do justice. Anyone interested in the antebellum South will find this book fascinating. Douglass's narrative is gripping, and his moral struggles are equally arresting. It is difficult for us at the end of the 20th century to believe that such attitudes and practices were once prevelant in an entire culture. It is for this reason, if for no other, that this book should remain relevant.
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Summary: This moving story creates an empathy for negro slaves.
Review: This book was moving and a good summer reading book for students like myself in high school.
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Summary: 1sthand account of the evils of this "peculiar institution"
Review: This is a great book, and I feel everyone should read it. Iwasn't forced to read, but I chose to read it on my own in order tobetter understand the nation's injustices. Douglass' first hand account of slavery is one of the best sources. His writing isn't wordy or difficult to understand, either. Great man, great book.
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Summary: compare with Dr. King
Review: Compare this book with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail"--the parallels are ineresting and informative.
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Summary: Outstanding read
Review: I Read Douglass for an assignment in my college U.S. History class, and was almost dreading opening this book afraid that Douglass would blame every white person for his torment. Instead I found that Douglass knew the difference between the slave owners and the people who were trying to stop the practice. I finished this book in a matter of days, and respect Douglass as the extreamly brave man that he was. The paper I wrote reflected my outrage that such an occurance could have happened in this beautiful country.
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Summary: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Review: This narrative book of Frederick Douglass was very interesting. It talked about the slaves in the 1800's. Mostly it was about him and how he lived during the years. I like this book because it gave me a picture what he was doing. It makes me Frederick Douglass instead of himself. When I read this book, it makes me feel like a slave. The sad part of this story is how the slaves were treated during that time. They were whipped, slashed, burned, and even killed by their masters. Comparing this book with "Huckleberry Finn", I like this book more. It is more exciting and very educational. It brings me to the life of the slaves in the past. The more I read it, the more I liked it. All the educational books I read in the past, I like this book the best. Plus it will help you understand history better. Out of ten, I give this book an eight. Hope you will enjoy this book like me.
Rating: 
Summary: A wonderfull inspiring book
Review: This is a wonderfull inspiring book that shows the true nature of the human spirit, yet is completely ruined if you are forced to read it as part of a class assighnment. A class structure is completely nonconducive to enjoying this wonderful narative. Although I believe everyone should read this book; forcing a student to read it in a structured time frame is as much an example of savagery and inhumanity as slavery itself.
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