Frederick Douglass - by Sidney Morrison (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Born into slavery, Frederick Douglass did what seemed impossible: he escaped, reinvented himself, and rose to become one of the most powerful voices in American history--a fierce abolitionist, gifted orator, founder of The North Star, and collaborator with Abraham Lincoln, William Lloyd Garrison, John Brown, and Susan B. Anthony in ending slavery and shaping U.S. democracy itself.

But in this singular work of historical fiction, Sidney Morrison is able to move beyond the legend to explore the full complexity of Douglass's interior life: the loves he protected, the choices he made, the costs paid for his greatness. Anna Murray Douglass, the wife instrumental to his escape. Julia Griffith, the British abolitionist whose closeness sparked scandal. Ottilie Assing, the German journalist who died by suicide after Douglass married another woman. Here is Douglass as history has never quite shown him: a towering public figure and a deeply complex private man, whose life was rich in conflict, consequence, and humanity.

Review Quotes

"Sidney's perseverance as a Black man in America gives him the right to give additional details of the life of this historical figure. When one mentions the name Frederick Douglass, most will think of him as one of our leaders of The Freedom Movement, but after reading Frederick Douglass: A Novel, you will know more than you could have ever imagined." --Stephanie Woods-McKinney, Harlem World Magazine

"Morrison's understated prose conveys . . . the major events of Douglass's life, and the transcendent final chapter, which is rife with symbolism, emphasizes the justness of his mission and his visionary spirit, which saw him through to the end of his long, productive life. Frederick Douglass is a sprawling biographical novel about a complex man with a singular objective: to achieve full racial equality for all Americans." --Eileen Gonzalez, Foreword Reviews

"In his impressive novel, Morrison refocuses Douglass' story on the personal and emotional, imagining his complicated and often torturous relationships with his enslavers, mentors, and lovers. A wrenching and insightful examination of a triumphant yet tragic man." --Lesley Williams, Booklist (starred review)

"Morrison grapples with Douglass in all his complexities, extolling his greatness while also grappling with his human fallibility in this detailed and well-researched book that will both educate and spark discussions. Readers of Marie Benedict will be entertained." --Library Journal

"Morrison debuts with a well-rounded portrait of abolitionist Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) [and] is especially good at giving a voice to Anna, who was illiterate and left no journals or letters to draw on . . . but is depicted here as inquisitive and quick-witted. Readers will also see another side of the venerated abolitionist . . . Historical fiction fans will be gratified." --Publishers Wekely

"Morrison masterfully weaves together history and fiction to create a powerful and compelling portrait of Frederick Douglass. America's great abolitionist and agitator for social justice, Douglass dedicated his life to the fight against America's original sin--slavery--demanding that the country live up to its founding ideals and become a more perfect union. This novel encompasses the turbulent Civil War era and details the lesser-known aspects of Douglass's personal life--from childhood to his passing in 1895. Morrison gives us a completely captivating novel that should be read by all Americans." --The Honorable Diane E. Watson, former Congresswoman and U.S. Ambassador

"A magisterial work about the life of an extraordinary and passionate hero of American history. Should be required reading" --Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author of Elizabeth I, Helen of Troy, and The Memoirs of Cleopatra

"Sidney Morrison's novel about Frederick Douglass is an important novel of epic sweep that I urge everyone to read. it is a great story about a great American." --Jay Neugeboren, author of Imagining Robert, The Stolen Jew, and After Camus

"Frederick Douglass: A Novel, by Sidney Morrison is a remarkable work of vivid imagination and historical research. Morrison looked into Douglass' soul and found the human within the legend. Douglass was no saint, but his life's journey from about 1817 to verge of the 20th century in 1895, from enslavement to freedom to author and publisher to oft-quoted radical to statesman and ambassador, ought to be studied in every school in the United States. Here in this extensive fictionalized biography is a compelling well-told story that keeps you reading. It is a place to start." --Deirdre Sinnott, author of The Third Mrs. Galway

"This is an important book about an important man and America, meticulously researched, deeply imagined, engagingly told." --Karen Joy Fowler, author of Booth and The Jane Austen Club

"An engrossing and moving look at the complex figure of Frederick Douglass, the men--and women--who shaped his life, and his fight against injustice and search for self amid a nation's struggle to achieve its ideals." --Susan Higginbotham, author of John Brown's Women

"We owe a debt of gratitude to Sidney Morrison for providing a fresh perspective on an iconic American figure. Morrison sheds new light on dimensions of Douglass' life rarely explored. In his riveting narrative Frederick Douglass emerges as a complex character, all the more worthy of our admiration and exceedingly relevant to our times." --Ben Z. Rose, author of Mother of Freedom: Mumbet and the Roots of Abolition

"Frederick Douglass is an extraordinarily well-researched novel whose historical characters come alive as they tell their own stories. With the artistry of a novelist and authenticity of a scholar, Morrison breathes life into well-known historical figures (Abraham Lincoln, William Lloyd Garrison, John Brown) and speaks for many who have been, heretofore, voiceless, especially women (Anna Douglass, Julia Griffiths, Helen Pitts Douglass). Morrison makes real and personal a period in U.S. history that is foundational to American gender and racial identities. An enthralling read, Frederick Douglass also will be an exceptional supplemental text for courses in the Civil War, Women"s Studies, and Black Studies." --Kikanza Nuri-Robins, educator and author of Fish Out of Water and Cultural Proficiency

"In language that is both lyrical and exquisitely rendered, Sidney Morrison constructs a sweeping historical narrative about the life of the greatest orator of the 19th century and the most photographed man in America, Frederick Douglass. In this brilliantly constructed work, Morrison manages to achieve something remarkable--gift the reader with a gripping and absorbing story that manages to offer new insights into the complex life of an extraordinary human being who has been the subject of scholarly research for generations. Morrison's vivid imagination coupled with his thorough research and mastery of language works in seamless harmony to craft a stunning portrait of this prophet of freedom. It is a towering achievement." --Masud Olufani, multidisciplinary artist, writer, and actor, No Cowards in Our Band, based on the Life and Work of Abolitionist Fredrick Douglass (PBS TV)

About the Author