Frederick Douglass: A Noble Life by David Adler

When we think back upon the past, we often times think of the period where slaves were a common form of labor for every white individual to own. White men were deemed superior over any African American, but Frederick Douglass, who was born into slavery in 1818, knew that slavery was wrong, and that he could and would prove he was destined for something greater than just being another pair of working hands.

Nonfiction read, Frederick Douglass: A Noble Life, is an excellent overview of one of the most celebrated runaway slaves that fought against all odds and won his freedom, Frederick Douglass. After facing so many adversities, such as whipping, starvation, witnesses to killings, this once uneducated and deprived man rose to become a "world-renowned orator, journalist, best-selling author, and [even an] adviser t to U.S. presidents." The history of Frederick Douglass is not a new one; everyone has heard some sort of history of this great man, nevertheless, the story never gets old.

Although David Adler's novel just surfaces the incredible journey that Frederick Douglass endured, it is still powerful in the sense that it allows its readers to see that if anyone puts their mind to it, they can prevail; that anything is possible. Frederick Douglass: A Noble Life, took place in 1818 until the Frederick's death in 1895, however, this novel is an exemplary story for anyone who needs encouragement to continue on in their aspirations of their goals. Alder includes several saddening, yet inspirational quotes at the start of each chapter to allow even greater insight to these experiences that Douglass had to go through. Yes, this story begins during the times of slavery, nonetheless, it ends with the abolition of slavery and of course, the death of Frederick Douglass, but not without the recognition of his accomplishments from important figures, such as Theodore Tilton (an American newspaper editor, poet, and abolitionist).

I recommend David Alder's novel to be assigned, but only at a jr. high level because its 118 paged, large print book only briefly scans the history of Frederick Douglass. Students will learn about his journey, will not get the overwhelming details, and of course, the students will not get bored reading the history of Frederick Douglass because its not long. Students in High School, however, should be taught from a more detailed story, one that I read back in high school myself,  The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Fredrick Douglass himself. Not only is this autobiography detailed, empowering in every sense, but it also teaches the students about slavery and is by the man who experienced it all. What I did not like about Adler's novel was that he barely touched on very key thoughts and experiences that Douglass explored in the autobiography I previously read, and I also noticed that he changed a few details in the story itself. For instance, Douglass's grandma was cast aside and basically left to die on her own in the woods by herself in the autobiography, but in this novel, Alder kind of sugarcoats the story of Douglass's grandmother by barely talking about her and ending her part in the novel by saying that Douglass remembered her though her love of the garden. Not once did Alder mention anything about the maltreatment of Douglass's grandmother. I felt that this was done on purpose because, I believe, this novel is meant to be read by students at a Jr. High level and not at the high school level where students learn more in depth about the horrors of our history in America.  

Nevertheless, Alder's novel is an appropriate history lesson of the great Frederick Douglass and a view into what life was like in the years that America was divided among slavery. Great overview for students in Jr. High.