Reviews
This much-anticipated biography of the foremost black leader and one of the greatest Americans of the nineteenth century fully lives up to and even exceeds high expectations. It is a work not only of stunning scholarship but also of literary artistry. Davis Blight's--and Frederick Douglass's--achievements have immeasurably enriched our understanding of slavery, abolitionism, the Civil War, and Reconstruction., Blight's opus manages to be both a celebration of a remarkable life and a sober reminder of the many ways in which our terrible times are shaped by those Douglass lived through. In so many ways, the central questions then are the central questions now., A stunning achievement. Blight captures an icon in full humanity. From riveting drama in slavery and Civil War, his Douglass rises into clairvoyant genius on the blinkered centrality of race in our struggle for freedom., Absorbing and even moving . . . Mr. Blight displays his lifelong interest in Douglass on almost every page, and his own voice is active and eloquent throughout the narrative. It is a book that speaks to our own time as well as Douglass's. . . . A brilliant book., A consistently engrossing book that is likely to remain the definitive account of Douglass's life for many years to come., This magnum opus surpasses previous singular biographies . . . an essential text for students and educators seeking to understand Douglass's complex and expansive narrative., A monumental book, a definitive biography, rich with the biblical cadences that filled Douglass' life and imagination., With the lucid prose and in-depth research that have been a hallmark of his long and distinguished career, Blight has written the definitive biography of one of the great reformers in American history. Blight beautifully treats Douglass' public career and complex private life, creating a detailed tapestry that allows readers to see the inner Douglass., This much-anticipated biography of the foremost black leader and one of the greatest Americans of the nineteenth century fully lives up to and even exceeds high expectations. It is a work not only of stunning scholarship but also of literary artistry. David Blight's--and Frederick Douglass's--achievements have immeasurably enriched our understanding of slavery, abolitionism, the Civil War, and Reconstruction., No American of his generation did more than Douglass, both in word and deed, to propel his people, and the nation, toward a reckoning with its original sin. Now he is brought vividly and delightfully to life once more in the flesh and bones of this masterful biography by one of our greatest historians. Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom is a monumental achievement, a must-read for anyone charting the history of a democracy when it is most severely under attack., David Blight's incandescent Frederick Douglass is a monumental achievement of biographical empathy, historical context, and grim comprehensiveness, a much-awaited masterpiece of a life that emblematized slavery as the problem of the 19th century, as was race that of Du Bois's 20th, the legacy of both the problem of our 21st century., David Blight brilliantly illustrates both the perils and possibilities of our national history through a rich and humane portrait of a man and his times. This is a remarkable book about a remarkable American and his enduring impact., Extraordinary. . . . Blight has certainly written, in the book's texture and density and narrative flow--one violent and provocative incident arriving right after another--a great American biography., Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom is a triumph--elegantly written, with much new material about one of the most famous and important men in modern history. David Blight has created a vibrant and convincing portrait of a towering figure who was also, Blight says, 'thoroughly and beautifully human.' A great American gets the stellar biography he deserves from one our country's greatest historians., David Blight has written the definitive biography of Frederick Douglass. With extraordinary detail he illuminates the complexities of Douglass's life and career and paints a powerful portrait of one of the most important American voices of the 19th century. . . . The resulting chronicle enriches our understanding of Douglass and the challenges he faced and offers a lesson for our own troubled times. . . . Magisterial., Superbly written. . . . Blight viscerally captures the vitality, strength, and determination of his subject. . . . [He] delivers what is sure to be considered the standard-bearer for years to come. A masterful, comprehensive biography., Extraordinary. . . . In Blight's pages, [Douglass's] voice again rings out loud and clear, melancholy and triumphant -- still prophesying, still agitating, still calling us to action., A masterful, comprehensive biography such as Mr. Blight's is particularly welcome in times such as these, when politicians such as the president are gleefully stoking the same racial divisions that Mr. Douglass spent his life trying to extinguish., Brilliant and compassionate. . . . Blight's Douglass is an unapologetic prophet and radical, and the eloquent voice of this 'sacred extremist' has never been more relevant. A must-read., David W. Blight brilliantly captures this legendary figure and his times in the magnificent Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, one of the best biographies of recent years. Blight's portrait of Douglass is engrossing, moving, nuanced, frightening--and certainly thought-provoking., Meticulously detailed. . . . . The Douglass who emerges from this massive work is not always heroic, or even likable, but Blight illuminates his personal struggles and achievements to emphasize what an extraordinary person he was., The first major biography of Douglass in nearly three decades. . . . Blight isn't looking to overturn our understanding of Douglass, whose courage and achievements were unequivocal, but to complicate it -- a measure by which this ambitious and empathetic biography resoundingly succeeds.
![Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom [Roughcut]](https://ir.ebaystatic.com/rs/c/prpweb-src-images-space-98af7172.gif)