Frederick Douglass: Prophet of FreedomFrederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom
Score Modern
What it's about
Frederick Douglass escaped slavery in Maryland in 1838 and became the most famous Black American of the nineteenth century: an orator, writer, newspaper editor and statesman who argued with Abraham Lincoln and spent the rest of his life fighting for equality. David Blight draws on new material, including papers in a private collection, to tell the full story, including the complicated private life behind the public figure and the decades after the Civil War that are often forgotten.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Pulitzer Prize for history and is on the New York Times list of the century's best books. It's the definitive biography of a great American.
You'll love it if you liked
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Grant
Malcolm X: A Life of ReinventionGood to know
It's long and detailed. Reading Douglass's own short Narrative first adds a lot.
By the numbers
- Readers78 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics85 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller12 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz10 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
- #41 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #110 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #219 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom worth reading?
Yes. It won the Pulitzer Prize for history and is on the New York Times list of the century's best books. It ranks #219 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 83.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom about?
Frederick Douglass escaped slavery in Maryland in 1838 and became the most famous Black American of the nineteenth century: an orator, writer, newspaper editor and statesman who argued with Abraham Lincoln and spent the rest of his life fighting for equality. David Blight draws on new material, including papers in a private collection, to tell the full story, including the complicated private life behind the public figure and the decades after the Civil War that are often forgotten.
How long does it take to read Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom?
About 24 hours (974 pages), or about 7 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom won?
Pulitzer Prize (History) winner (2019).
What should I read after Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom?
If you liked it, try Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin, Grant by Ron Chernow or Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable.