• The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass

  • Written by Himself
  • By: Frederick Douglass
  • Narrated by: Richard Allen
  • Length: 21 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (572 ratings)

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The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass  By  cover art

The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass

By: Frederick Douglass
Narrated by: Richard Allen
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Publisher's summary

The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass was Douglass' third autobiography. In it, he was able to go into greater detail about his life as a slave and his escape from slavery, as he and his family were no longer in any danger from the reception of his work.

In this engrossing narrative, he recounts early years of abuse; his dramatic escape to the North and eventual freedom, abolitionist campaigns, and his crusade for full civil rights for former slaves. It is also the only of Douglass' autobiographies to discuss his life during and after the Civil War, including his encounters with American Presidents such as Lincoln, Grant, and Garfield.

Public Domain (P)2012 Dreamscape Media, LLC

What listeners say about The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass

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Excellent in so many ways...

... not the least of which was that a few times I caught myself wondering "how did they get such a good recording of Douglass?" Many, many pats on the back to Mr. Allen.

I've held Douglass as a hero for many years even without knowing the fullest details of his story. Knowing them now, I'd say first that it was WELL worth the 21 hours of listening to find them out, and second that it only builds my respect for one of our country's great heroes. Any student of American history should invest themselves in this audiobook.

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22 people found this helpful

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  • JA
  • 04-05-17

An Inspired Reading of a Fantastic Story

Where does The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I have listened to several excellent audio books. This one ranks among the best.

Which character – as performed by Richard Allen – was your favorite?

Richard Allen does an exemplary job of portraying every character in the book. His reading of the words of Frederick Douglass himself do justice to the articulate, insightful, and forceful gentleman that was Frederick Douglass.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

The book is far too long to listen to in one sitting, and I must admit that there are a few sections, particularly in the several speeches Douglas chose to insert towards the end of the book, where the author gets somewhat wordy, but I found the vast majority of the story wonderfully engaging.

Any additional comments?

This is almost as much a history book as it is an autobiography. In addition to the insight into Douglass' life and character, I also found fascinating Douglass' encounters with many other important historical figures, including several Presidents of the United States, Senators, foreign dignitaries, and abolitionist leaders.

We also experience the stories of slavery, that lead to its downfall, and gain a unique perspective on reconstruction and beyond, as seen through the eyes of an eminent, African American leader.

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13 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it

This is the most extensive version of his bio. Narration is spot on. For a greater understanding of the problematic aspects of Lincoln from a sympathetic perspective - the Honorable Douglas provides some valuable narrative of his relationship and understanding of Lincoln and John Brown that we can learn a lot from.

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7 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Life and Times of Slavery

Fredrick Douglass was an amazing man. This story is really a series of political essays about slavery with his life as the thread which holds them together. I would have liked to hear about his wife and family. He barely mentions them. The later part of the book seems to be Douglass defending himself regards John Brown, Freeman Bank and other issues. The narrator was excellent. Very easy to understand.

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The history of a self-made man against all odds

What did you like best about this story?

The point of view of Frederic Douglass, a slave, a hated man, is without a doubt one of the most detailed and hart fell narrative of a system that not only destroyed the life of countless families, but almost destroyed america. And gave way to the segregation system. More then anything else The life of Fredrick is a story of hard work, determination, and the courage to fight for that that is rightfully your, your own life, and liberty.

Have you listened to any of Richard Allen’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Richard Allen's voice is just fantastic.

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Richard Allen’s voice is superb at bringing to life the story of Fredrick Douglas

Ive listened to several other audibles on Frederick Douglass and this is easily one of my favorites. Richard Allen’s reading of the text was perfect. In my opinion, Allen’s narration made its appear as if it were Frederick himself reading aloud while he jotted down the story of his life.

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic book, good reader (with qualifications)

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass?

For me the most memorable moments were two: his betrayal at the time of his first plan to escape from slavery, and description of John Brown and their connection to one another.

What three words best describe Richard Allen’s performance?

Voice, deep and resonant, as one imagines Douglass would have sounded. The performance by the narrator, however, was somewhat too theatrical, round, and sing-songy for my taste. It was as if the book was being performed for a theater audience instead of being more modestly inflected as Douglass would have spoken it himself.

Any additional comments?

The story of Frederick Douglass's rise from slavery to world renown -- the 19th Century MLK -- is amazing.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Incredible life

The story and performance was excellent. I knew the Wikipedia version of Frederick Douglas, but nothing compared to hearing this story from his perspective with amazing recollection and detail.

Many of his predictions and values are still present in today’s society. Amazing to see the progress we have made and how much is still the same 170 years after this story.

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2 people found this helpful

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Outstanding Book

Glad I purchased this audiobook covering Frederick Douglass. Much of his life story and dedication to the emancipation of slaves isn’t covered in the school system.

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A Much Needed View of American History

I have read few books on American History. Of everything I have read or been taught I found this to be one of the best illustrations of the history of slavery the Civil War and the rebuilding afterwards. worth listening to for any work interest in that period of America.

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