Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Sterling Biographies  By  cover art

Sterling Biographies

By: Frances E. Ruffin
Narrated by: Cornelius Jones Jr.
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $7.95

Buy for $7.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

From slave to freedom fighter: that was the long and hard journey taken by Frederick Douglass. Douglass was America's first great civil-rights leader, and he threw off the physical, mental, and legal chains of slavery to become one of America's greatest champions for human rights. It was said that his life was proof that once black people could read and write about their injustices, they would have the power to end slavery.

Frances E. Ruffin explores this inspiring figure in all his complexity, and captures the hardships, prejudice, and violence Douglass endured as he fought for justice.

©2008 Sterling (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Featured Article: The Best Audiobooks to Help Kids Love History


If you’ve got a young one who is inquisitive about the past, audio biographies for kids are a great way to foster that curiosity. We’ve rounded up 10 kid-friendly biographies of important, diverse, and trailblazing figures in American history, perfect for augmenting and complementing what kids are already learning in school. These biographies are perfect for independent listening, or you can enjoy them together as a family for deeper discussion.

More from the same

What listeners say about Sterling Biographies

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    93
  • 4 Stars
    71
  • 3 Stars
    62
  • 2 Stars
    31
  • 1 Stars
    19
Performance
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    70
  • 4 Stars
    45
  • 3 Stars
    38
  • 2 Stars
    26
  • 1 Stars
    11
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    83
  • 4 Stars
    50
  • 3 Stars
    35
  • 2 Stars
    17
  • 1 Stars
    11

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Worst reading I've ever heard

The actual story of FD's life was great, but the reading done by Jones was by far, hands down, no questions asked, the worst narration I've ever heard by anyone over the age of seven. I love Audible, and have enjoyed dozens of books, but this was an unfortunate first for me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Tell us its a children's book

Its probably a fine book - for children. But tell us it is for children. I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT IT IF I HAD KNOWN IT WAS A CHILDREN'S BOOK!!!!

I am NOT happy about this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

pity about the narrator

A delightful and fascinating story, but could have been better directed and the narration was downright poor. Still, the kids understood it and enjoyed it. An amazing side of American history we were previously ignorant of.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • S.
  • 04-10-11

Don't bother ~

I was excited to hear this story - but the reader is so bad that I simply had to stop after 10 minutes. Don't bother -

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Great if you're 9 years old

Did I miss the part that alerted us to the fact that this is written as a grammar school level primer? The reader stops to say, "Note: at this time in America, slaves were..." Or he verbalizes the quotation marks as in, "Douglass said Quote, we are all brethren, end quote." It's ridiculous.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Not what I was looking for

I was hoping for a book slightly more focused on the life and accomplishments of a man I truly admire, as opposed to an expose on slavery. I doubt that Mr. Douglass ever considered himself a slave nor could he have risen like a Lotus from the mud that were the times he was born into had he allowed his "owners" to convince him that he was. Very disappointing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

It's a kid's book

Was really irritated to find out that this is a children's version, for the under 16 set I'm sure it's fine but felt more than a little ripped off as when I downloaded it there was no indication of the nature of the book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!