Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom
by David W. Blight
For a number of years now, I've been reading my way through American history by reading the biography of United States presidents. I suspected that there were a lot of other worthy people, American and otherwise, to read about, but by sticking to the presidents, I'd have a nice ordered list that would give me a pretty good insight into the workings of this nation over the decades. It might not be the most politically correct choice, but it has worked pretty well. And I figured I could get to those other folks once I'm done with my current project.
But...
...every now and then I sneak a peak off the list. Back in January, a blog post alerted me to a new biography of Frederick Douglass, the famous escaped slave and abolitionist. My interest was piqued, I put a hold on the book, and about four months later I finally got to read it. I knew that I had been missing bits of American history here and there, but this book really showed me that I am missing a lot.
Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom revealed the 19th century United States from the views of abolitionists and African Americans--views barely grazed by the biographies of the dead white guys. Back in school, the textbooks mentioned slavery, mentioned the abolitionists, and then pretty much jumped to the Civil War. In the telling of Douglass' life, you get a better feel for the struggle against slavery--the advances and setbacks the movement leading up to the war. The reader is also treated to the roller coaster ride of slavery, emancipation, and then persecution of African Americans in the 19th Century.
Of course, the story of Frederick Douglass himself also makes for a fascinating read. He was a complex and amazing individual. Professor Blight presents a favorable picture of Douglass, without ignoring his faults. The story of his life made me want to keep turning pages even while the depth of the material made me want to take breaks.
I really need to put this on my shelf.
LibraryThing link
For a number of years now, I've been reading my way through American history by reading the biography of United States presidents. I suspected that there were a lot of other worthy people, American and otherwise, to read about, but by sticking to the presidents, I'd have a nice ordered list that would give me a pretty good insight into the workings of this nation over the decades. It might not be the most politically correct choice, but it has worked pretty well. And I figured I could get to those other folks once I'm done with my current project.
But...
...every now and then I sneak a peak off the list. Back in January, a blog post alerted me to a new biography of Frederick Douglass, the famous escaped slave and abolitionist. My interest was piqued, I put a hold on the book, and about four months later I finally got to read it. I knew that I had been missing bits of American history here and there, but this book really showed me that I am missing a lot.
Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom revealed the 19th century United States from the views of abolitionists and African Americans--views barely grazed by the biographies of the dead white guys. Back in school, the textbooks mentioned slavery, mentioned the abolitionists, and then pretty much jumped to the Civil War. In the telling of Douglass' life, you get a better feel for the struggle against slavery--the advances and setbacks the movement leading up to the war. The reader is also treated to the roller coaster ride of slavery, emancipation, and then persecution of African Americans in the 19th Century.
Of course, the story of Frederick Douglass himself also makes for a fascinating read. He was a complex and amazing individual. Professor Blight presents a favorable picture of Douglass, without ignoring his faults. The story of his life made me want to keep turning pages even while the depth of the material made me want to take breaks.
I really need to put this on my shelf.
LibraryThing link
Labels: OnMyShelf
Friday, June 07, 2019
Agasi Kidnaps Weensy
by Kauman Sama Online
Ah, I wish my kids were still small so I could read this to them. Agasi Kidnaps Weensy is an English retelling of a folktale from the Sama people of The Philippines. It's a simple tale of community. When Weensy is kidnapped, her husband sets out to rescue her. His friends--various creatures who live in his neighborhood--offer to help. Each one freely offers their unique talents to the cause. The illustrations are simple, yet effective. I'm hoping the publisher can make more Sama stories available to the world.
Check it out
Amazon.com link
(It's an e-book so no LibraryThing link.)
Ah, I wish my kids were still small so I could read this to them. Agasi Kidnaps Weensy is an English retelling of a folktale from the Sama people of The Philippines. It's a simple tale of community. When Weensy is kidnapped, her husband sets out to rescue her. His friends--various creatures who live in his neighborhood--offer to help. Each one freely offers their unique talents to the cause. The illustrations are simple, yet effective. I'm hoping the publisher can make more Sama stories available to the world.
Check it out
Amazon.com link
(It's an e-book so no LibraryThing link.)
Labels: CheckItOut, KaumanSamaOnline, SamaStories
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