Narrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassNarrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Score Classic
What it's about
Born into slavery in Maryland, Frederick Douglass taught himself to read and write, against the law, and escaped to freedom. In this account, published in 1845, he describes the brutality of slavery, his growing awareness of injustice, and his journey to becoming one of America's great orators and writers.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time. It's one of the most important American books ever written.
You'll love it if you liked
Up From Slavery
Notes of a Native Son
BelovedGood to know
It's short, about 100 pages. It describes violence plainly.
By the numbers
- Readers68 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics51 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller23 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #143 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #264 of the 762 classics we rank
- #858 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time. It ranks #858 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass about?
Born into slavery in Maryland, Frederick Douglass taught himself to read and write, against the law, and escaped to freedom. In this account, published in 1845, he describes the brutality of slavery, his growing awareness of injustice, and his journey to becoming one of America's great orators and writers.
How long does it take to read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass?
About 9 hours (342 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass?
If you liked it, try Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington, Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin or Beloved by Toni Morrison.