Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas

Author: Frederick Douglass

First line: I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot county, Maryland.

Why you should read this book: In his own words, the self-educated Douglass describes the brutal horrors of American slavery, along with his own burgeoning understanding of freedom and equality as he grows from a young boy in bondage to a young man who has taken possession of his own life. His prose is clear and deep as he relates the blunt injustice of forced servitude: inhumane treatment, stubborn hypocrisy, cruel indifference, and deliberate brutality. An important record of the past written with precision and pathos by a talented and determined man.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You can't stomach detailed descriptions of violence against men, women, and children.