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Is it the veil of reality that is lifting, or the notion of civility the moment two people lift the wedding veil of marriage in Victorian England? Is it superpowers or is it insanity? Either way, George Eliot spins a fascinating, if short, tale exploring these topics with [b:The Lifted Veil|223222|The Lifted Veil|George Eliot|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320454631l/223222._SX50_.jpg|2366204].
Perhaps an unusual introduction to Eliot’s work, I am still very impressed with her use of prose to convey uncertainty, and this novella is chock full of uncertainty. This story follows Latimer, an individual with the uncanny ability to see into the future, as well as into the thoughts of other people. He becomes fixated with, and perhaps even falls in love with, a woman named Bertha. Having such a firm grasp of other’s psyches and intentions, Bertha’s aloofness and emotional distance becomes an inescapable draw for him. What Latimer can see though, is his doom, and Bertha is somehow involved.
The supernatural elements of clairvoyance are not really presented as the focus, so much as a vehicle for assessing what one may do with the knowledge of their inevitable demise. Destruction of a love, a marriage, and possibly even a life—here it is all presented as an inevitability. Yet the shear pull of desire’s force renders the narrator powerless to his intense and romantic fixation. While he cannot see everything, he can see that it will end horrifically. Yet the magnitude of the feeling overwhelms him.
“You have known the powerlessness of ideas before the might of impulse; and my visions, when once they had passed into memory, were mere ideas—pale shadows that beckoned in vain, while my hand was grasped by the living and the loved.”
Yet one must wonder, does Eliot imply that if the path to destruction is set in stone, you might as well enjoy it? Even if it hurts, even if it ruins, she seems to have a rather carpe diem approach to the allure of a femme fetal. “While the heart beats, bruise it—it is your only opportunity.” It is hard to discern if this is written in empathy for Latimer, or as a declarative statement for why people give into desire when all logic would be screaming otherwise.
What I think is important to keep in mind though, is that our protagonist is at heart an unreliable narrator; his own family believes him to be a bit mad. Does he truly have powers of clairvoyance, or is his condition making him think that his anxieties are in fact manifesting into reality? Could he be hearing voices, or is he just hearing a projection of his fears and insecurities? I guess the answer to these questions lie in whether or not you believe the powers to be real or not. I myself am on the fence with this one.
Though a bit short, this novella features some great prose, an interesting mystery, and for me was a solid introduction into George Eliot’s creativity as an author. I both recommend this book, and look forward to reading more of her stuff.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Perhaps an unusual introduction to Eliot’s work, I am still very impressed with her use of prose to convey uncertainty, and this novella is chock full of uncertainty. This story follows Latimer, an individual with the uncanny ability to see into the future, as well as into the thoughts of other people. He becomes fixated with, and perhaps even falls in love with, a woman named Bertha. Having such a firm grasp of other’s psyches and intentions, Bertha’s aloofness and emotional distance becomes an inescapable draw for him. What Latimer can see though, is his doom, and Bertha is somehow involved.
The supernatural elements of clairvoyance are not really presented as the focus, so much as a vehicle for assessing what one may do with the knowledge of their inevitable demise. Destruction of a love, a marriage, and possibly even a life—here it is all presented as an inevitability. Yet the shear pull of desire’s force renders the narrator powerless to his intense and romantic fixation. While he cannot see everything, he can see that it will end horrifically. Yet the magnitude of the feeling overwhelms him.
“You have known the powerlessness of ideas before the might of impulse; and my visions, when once they had passed into memory, were mere ideas—pale shadows that beckoned in vain, while my hand was grasped by the living and the loved.”
Yet one must wonder, does Eliot imply that if the path to destruction is set in stone, you might as well enjoy it? Even if it hurts, even if it ruins, she seems to have a rather carpe diem approach to the allure of a femme fetal. “While the heart beats, bruise it—it is your only opportunity.” It is hard to discern if this is written in empathy for Latimer, or as a declarative statement for why people give into desire when all logic would be screaming otherwise.
What I think is important to keep in mind though, is that our protagonist is at heart an unreliable narrator; his own family believes him to be a bit mad. Does he truly have powers of clairvoyance, or is his condition making him think that his anxieties are in fact manifesting into reality? Could he be hearing voices, or is he just hearing a projection of his fears and insecurities? I guess the answer to these questions lie in whether or not you believe the powers to be real or not. I myself am on the fence with this one.
Though a bit short, this novella features some great prose, an interesting mystery, and for me was a solid introduction into George Eliot’s creativity as an author. I both recommend this book, and look forward to reading more of her stuff.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Much of early colonial American history follows a fairly standard narrative—the country was established on land stolen from Native Americans and founded with the forced labor/lives stolen from enslaved Africans/African Americans. In [b:The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America|25897734|The Other Slavery The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America|Andrés Reséndez|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1447139137l/25897734._SY75_.jpg|45780692], Andrés Reséndez seeks to better understand the root concept of slavery.
Different from the U.S. chattel slavery of African Americans, “the other slavery” is a term that describes the systems of control used to ensnare Native Americans, as well as the range of coercion used to induce forced captivity. Reséndez’s timeline of events shows how early European “discoverers” were actually burgeoning slavers starting with the first arrival—Christopher Columbus. While African slavery consisted largely of adult males, the Native American slave trade consisted predominantly of women and children.
“Native Americans had enslaved each other for millennia, but with the arrival of Europeans, practices of captivity originally embedded in specific cultural contexts became commodified, expanded in unexpected ways, and came to resemble the kinds of human trafficking that are recognizable to us today.” (3)
One of the crude bullet point notes of history that I can recall from my primary school social studies courses, was that Native Americans did not make for “good slaves,” and that is why Europeans partook in the African slave trade. The major underlying reason for this, that me and my young classmates were given, was that much of the eradication of Native Americans was attributed to Old World diseases that these New World populations lacked immunity to. As we can see in the present with COVID-19, it's the communities that lack resources who are most likely to succumb to the disease and perish at alarming numbers.
Reséndez argues that the nexus of forced labor, overwork, famine, and other forms of coercion imposed by Europeans are ultimately what killed more Native Americans, as these factors set the stage for plague to spread rampant like wildfire. As we see today, the more inhumane and impoverished the living conditions of a population, the more likely they are to be infected and die from a new infectious disease. There are certainly correlations between malnourishment and the body succumbing to the worst symptoms of a given infection. The echo of history is as alarming as it is chilling.
Also, interestingly, are how false accusations used to coerce Native Americans into servitude grew to remain unfortunate stereotypes of groups to this day. For instance, while there were SOME groups that would practice cannibalism in the Caribbean, to justify a Christian cause for civilizing enslavement, there were Spanish settlers who would falsely accuse peaceful Native groups as being man-eating, so that they could have cause to enslave them.
Furthermore, the more I learn, the more obvious it becomes that European slave systems were inherently capitalistic enterprises that commodified the bodies of people considered to be from inferior (non-Christian) racial groups. While not “slavery” outright, the Spanish system of enslavement was nonetheless a nefarious enterprise in that, “From a narrow legal perspective, these Indians would not be slaves, but rather convicts serving out their sentences” (90). These technicalities are what ultimately gave birth to the encomienda system, as well as other forms of debt peonage.
As much of this book focuses on Spanish enforced enslavement, it is not until Chapter 10 that the U.S. enters the stage (by the 1800s). While I was more-so familiar with the treatment of Native Americans in New Mexico and California, I was genuinely surprised by how heavily involved Mormons were with Native American enslavement in Utah. Religious leader Brigham Young even considered it to be a part of the human condition.
Even as the United States legally ended African slavery, it is fairly evident that features of “the other slavery” were adapted, either directly or indirectly, and debt peonage would serve as the basis for Jim Crow era forced labor. “African slavery may have been abolished, but the methods of the other slavery were spreading to the South” (303).
Overall, this is a pretty solid source that is well-researched and well-argued. Whether you are interested in the topics of Native American history, genocide, American slave systems, colonization, etc.—this book is definitely a historical narrative worth reading.
Different from the U.S. chattel slavery of African Americans, “the other slavery” is a term that describes the systems of control used to ensnare Native Americans, as well as the range of coercion used to induce forced captivity. Reséndez’s timeline of events shows how early European “discoverers” were actually burgeoning slavers starting with the first arrival—Christopher Columbus. While African slavery consisted largely of adult males, the Native American slave trade consisted predominantly of women and children.
“Native Americans had enslaved each other for millennia, but with the arrival of Europeans, practices of captivity originally embedded in specific cultural contexts became commodified, expanded in unexpected ways, and came to resemble the kinds of human trafficking that are recognizable to us today.” (3)
One of the crude bullet point notes of history that I can recall from my primary school social studies courses, was that Native Americans did not make for “good slaves,” and that is why Europeans partook in the African slave trade. The major underlying reason for this, that me and my young classmates were given, was that much of the eradication of Native Americans was attributed to Old World diseases that these New World populations lacked immunity to. As we can see in the present with COVID-19, it's the communities that lack resources who are most likely to succumb to the disease and perish at alarming numbers.
Reséndez argues that the nexus of forced labor, overwork, famine, and other forms of coercion imposed by Europeans are ultimately what killed more Native Americans, as these factors set the stage for plague to spread rampant like wildfire. As we see today, the more inhumane and impoverished the living conditions of a population, the more likely they are to be infected and die from a new infectious disease. There are certainly correlations between malnourishment and the body succumbing to the worst symptoms of a given infection. The echo of history is as alarming as it is chilling.
Also, interestingly, are how false accusations used to coerce Native Americans into servitude grew to remain unfortunate stereotypes of groups to this day. For instance, while there were SOME groups that would practice cannibalism in the Caribbean, to justify a Christian cause for civilizing enslavement, there were Spanish settlers who would falsely accuse peaceful Native groups as being man-eating, so that they could have cause to enslave them.
Furthermore, the more I learn, the more obvious it becomes that European slave systems were inherently capitalistic enterprises that commodified the bodies of people considered to be from inferior (non-Christian) racial groups. While not “slavery” outright, the Spanish system of enslavement was nonetheless a nefarious enterprise in that, “From a narrow legal perspective, these Indians would not be slaves, but rather convicts serving out their sentences” (90). These technicalities are what ultimately gave birth to the encomienda system, as well as other forms of debt peonage.
As much of this book focuses on Spanish enforced enslavement, it is not until Chapter 10 that the U.S. enters the stage (by the 1800s). While I was more-so familiar with the treatment of Native Americans in New Mexico and California, I was genuinely surprised by how heavily involved Mormons were with Native American enslavement in Utah. Religious leader Brigham Young even considered it to be a part of the human condition.
Even as the United States legally ended African slavery, it is fairly evident that features of “the other slavery” were adapted, either directly or indirectly, and debt peonage would serve as the basis for Jim Crow era forced labor. “African slavery may have been abolished, but the methods of the other slavery were spreading to the South” (303).
Overall, this is a pretty solid source that is well-researched and well-argued. Whether you are interested in the topics of Native American history, genocide, American slave systems, colonization, etc.—this book is definitely a historical narrative worth reading.
As the title of the book would indicate, [b:Will I Ever Be Good Enough? Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers|2133999|Will I Ever Be Good Enough? Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers|Karyl McBride|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1266571293l/2133999._SY75_.jpg|2139481], offers insight into a rather challenging topic. Mothers are prevalently considered by society to be inherent nurturers and empathetic care-takers; this assumption is so ingrained that one of the worst things you could possibly call a woman is a “bad mother.”
Yet, for many of us, we know that this is not true for everyone. Narcissistic Personality Disorder appears more frequently in men than women, but when it appears in a mother it can leave children with a number of bizarre issues that last into adulthood. That is where this book comes in, and I honestly found it to be both insightful and helpful. It’s hard to discuss the realities and memories from having a narcissistic mother, but having the foundational vocabulary to describe the seemingly indescribable chaos, as well as the tools for self-reflection and analysis, are ultimately what’s necessary for long-term healing.
Overall, this book was super helpful, and if this is a topic you want to learn about (or heal from yourself) then I do recommend giving it a go. For what it’s worth, my therapist specifically recommended it to me, so while I am not a licensed clinical therapist myself, the book does have the stamp of approval from at least one.
Yet, for many of us, we know that this is not true for everyone. Narcissistic Personality Disorder appears more frequently in men than women, but when it appears in a mother it can leave children with a number of bizarre issues that last into adulthood. That is where this book comes in, and I honestly found it to be both insightful and helpful. It’s hard to discuss the realities and memories from having a narcissistic mother, but having the foundational vocabulary to describe the seemingly indescribable chaos, as well as the tools for self-reflection and analysis, are ultimately what’s necessary for long-term healing.
Overall, this book was super helpful, and if this is a topic you want to learn about (or heal from yourself) then I do recommend giving it a go. For what it’s worth, my therapist specifically recommended it to me, so while I am not a licensed clinical therapist myself, the book does have the stamp of approval from at least one.
If you are interested in learning about the role of American women — black and white, rich and poor, northern and southern — during the Civil War, then this is a pretty interesting work. There is very little popular historical literature detailing women’s involved in the war most often described as “Brother against brother,” so this work in particular is a great launch point for further illumination.
I cannot tell you how many people have recommended this series to me — and now I know there is good reason for it. [b:The Last Wish|40603587|The Last Wish (The Witcher, #0.5)|Andrzej Sapkowski|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1529591917l/40603587._SX50_.jpg|2293675] is a collection of short stories that follow the misadventures of Geralt the Witcher. If you want to read a meandering fantasy tale centering on a sarcastic protagonist, then the Witcher is a pretty solid choice. He even has his moments of profundity…
“People…like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves. When they get blind-drunk, cheat, steal, beat their wives, starve an old woman, when they kill a trapped fox with an axe or riddle the last existing unicorn with arrows, they like to think that the Bane entering cottages at daybreak is more monstrous than they are. They feel better then. They find it easier to live.” – Geralt
Overall, I thought the volume was a good introduction, though this collection of shorts left me wanting a full-length novel to better flesh out Geralt’s character. Also, the objective best character – Yennefer – only shows up in small doses; I’m excited to read more about her.
Rating: 3.5 stars
“People…like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves. When they get blind-drunk, cheat, steal, beat their wives, starve an old woman, when they kill a trapped fox with an axe or riddle the last existing unicorn with arrows, they like to think that the Bane entering cottages at daybreak is more monstrous than they are. They feel better then. They find it easier to live.” – Geralt
Overall, I thought the volume was a good introduction, though this collection of shorts left me wanting a full-length novel to better flesh out Geralt’s character. Also, the objective best character – Yennefer – only shows up in small doses; I’m excited to read more about her.
Rating: 3.5 stars
There is absolutely no denying that Phillis Wheatley reaches for transcendence and achieves a type of sublime beauty with this collections of poems. The content is inspired by both the people and events that encompass her lived experience, as well as her explorations of religious spirituality.
Much of Phillis' writing starts with a prompt from her life, which is typically a tragic event, and she then draws from the event's reactionary emotions a greater celestial understanding to make sense of the suffering that she and others are experiencing. As much of her writing does surround making sense of otherwise senseless sorrow, my only criticism lies with her renunciation of her previous life in Africa with the poem, "On being brought from Africa to America":
TWAS mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
Taught my benighted soul to understand
That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too:
Once I redemption neither fought nor knew,
Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
"Their colour is a diabolic die."
Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,
May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.
While it makes sense to appreciate knowledge gained from perseverance as a means of making sense of suffering, it is almost sad to read how a type of Western hegemony that belittles non-Christians and people of color, has come to encompass her understanding of the world around her. Then again, this was written and published while she was enslaved, so she could also have very well just been pandering to the people who could grant her freedom. This we will never know.
That one poem aside, much of her work explores the deaths of individuals in her life, and this is where her artistic intention is very clear. One passage from, "On the Death of a young Lady of Five Years of Age," I found to be especially moving:
FROM dark abodes to fair etherial light
Th' enraptur'd innocent has wing'd her flight;
On the kind bosom of eternal love
She finds unknown beatitude above.
This known, ye parents, nor her loss deplore,
She feels the iron hand of pain no more
For the sake of transparency, my uncle passed away this week after leading a hard life, and I was left trying to make sense of the suffering he endured up until the end. Reading Phillis' work has allowed for me some catharsis on this matter. She herself experienced numerous losses and hardships that I could never begin to fathom, so I appreciate and revere her life and work all the more.
If you want to feel something, I would recommend this collection of poems.
Much of Phillis' writing starts with a prompt from her life, which is typically a tragic event, and she then draws from the event's reactionary emotions a greater celestial understanding to make sense of the suffering that she and others are experiencing. As much of her writing does surround making sense of otherwise senseless sorrow, my only criticism lies with her renunciation of her previous life in Africa with the poem, "On being brought from Africa to America":
TWAS mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
Taught my benighted soul to understand
That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too:
Once I redemption neither fought nor knew,
Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
"Their colour is a diabolic die."
Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,
May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.
While it makes sense to appreciate knowledge gained from perseverance as a means of making sense of suffering, it is almost sad to read how a type of Western hegemony that belittles non-Christians and people of color, has come to encompass her understanding of the world around her. Then again, this was written and published while she was enslaved, so she could also have very well just been pandering to the people who could grant her freedom. This we will never know.
That one poem aside, much of her work explores the deaths of individuals in her life, and this is where her artistic intention is very clear. One passage from, "On the Death of a young Lady of Five Years of Age," I found to be especially moving:
FROM dark abodes to fair etherial light
Th' enraptur'd innocent has wing'd her flight;
On the kind bosom of eternal love
She finds unknown beatitude above.
This known, ye parents, nor her loss deplore,
She feels the iron hand of pain no more
For the sake of transparency, my uncle passed away this week after leading a hard life, and I was left trying to make sense of the suffering he endured up until the end. Reading Phillis' work has allowed for me some catharsis on this matter. She herself experienced numerous losses and hardships that I could never begin to fathom, so I appreciate and revere her life and work all the more.
If you want to feel something, I would recommend this collection of poems.
Given that Margaret Atwood’s [b:The Handmaid's Tale|38447|The Handmaid's Tale|Margaret Atwood|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1546031886l/38447._SY75_.jpg|1119185] is one of the most influential dystopian novels of all time, any sequel would have a tremendous legacy to live up to. While [b:The Testaments|42975172|The Testaments|Margaret Atwood|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549292344l/42975172._SY75_.jpg|66802198] is not exactly groundbreaking, it works as a solid and entertaining novel for fans of the series.
The novel unfolds through the written testaments of three women who have different relationships and experiences with Gilead. While their identities are (admittedly) fairly easy to guess, each offers a unique viewpoint that does a good job of providing exposition assessing how the Gilead regime has shaped up over the years, which is definitely interesting in and of itself. Perhaps the greatest stand out, is the increased levels of agency female characters are able to exert.
One of the most horrifying themes of the The Handmaid’s Tale, is how passive (and at times complicit) Offred could be as events unfolded; she is an inherently reactionary character. Reading The Testaments, it almost feels like reading a sequel that’s more-so inspired by the Hulu series adaptation, in which the female characters have more of an opportunity to show growth and multi-faceted character elements.
That said, even if Margaret Atwood was inspired by an adaptation of her source material, she is still the one most adept to create stories in this universe, and this one is worth reading.
Rating: 3.5 stars
The novel unfolds through the written testaments of three women who have different relationships and experiences with Gilead. While their identities are (admittedly) fairly easy to guess, each offers a unique viewpoint that does a good job of providing exposition assessing how the Gilead regime has shaped up over the years, which is definitely interesting in and of itself. Perhaps the greatest stand out, is the increased levels of agency female characters are able to exert.
One of the most horrifying themes of the The Handmaid’s Tale, is how passive (and at times complicit) Offred could be as events unfolded; she is an inherently reactionary character. Reading The Testaments, it almost feels like reading a sequel that’s more-so inspired by the Hulu series adaptation, in which the female characters have more of an opportunity to show growth and multi-faceted character elements.
That said, even if Margaret Atwood was inspired by an adaptation of her source material, she is still the one most adept to create stories in this universe, and this one is worth reading.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Honestly, I never thought I would genuinely really like a Jane Austen novel; I simply did not think I had it in me. Lo and behold, [b:Emma|6969|Emma|Jane Austen|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1373627931l/6969._SY75_.jpg|3360164] is truly funny, entertaining, and I am definitely a fan.
First off, Emma as a character really stands out among Austen’s protagonists. While she is a typical spoiled rich girl, she is one who actually authentically reconciles with her privilege and hubris, when all is said and done. For all her confidence (and arrogance), Emma makes mistakes, and when she sees that these missteps have hurt people, she sets out to make amends. She ultimately cares more for the people in her life and their feelings, rather than just being “right.” Through this, we get to see a legitimate character arc and growth.
This growth is in large part due to the narrative focus on Emma’s friendship with Harriet. Mr. Knightly is certainly a capable male lead, and the romantic tension between him and Emma is interesting, but his esteem of Emma is in large part influenced by her treatment of Harriet. Coming from lower social circumstance, Harriet is notably impressionable and naïve. Emma feels compelled to guide her, though eventually leads her astray, but it is with this dynamic that we see the most interesting moments in the novel. For all of Mr. Knightley’s lectures about how Emma should treat Harriet, they only resonate because Harriet acts as the true emotional heart of the novel.
This is also a script that has made at least two great film adaptations. The last film I saw before COVID-19 closures was Autumn de Wilde’s Emma (2020), and it was a hoot, just so funny and well-cast. The objective best adaptation though, is still Clueless (1995). I think it speaks to the source material's inherent timelessness, that this coming-of-age story can work so well in such different contexts — be it centered in 19th century England or on 90’s valley girls.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a fun read.
First off, Emma as a character really stands out among Austen’s protagonists. While she is a typical spoiled rich girl, she is one who actually authentically reconciles with her privilege and hubris, when all is said and done. For all her confidence (and arrogance), Emma makes mistakes, and when she sees that these missteps have hurt people, she sets out to make amends. She ultimately cares more for the people in her life and their feelings, rather than just being “right.” Through this, we get to see a legitimate character arc and growth.
This growth is in large part due to the narrative focus on Emma’s friendship with Harriet. Mr. Knightly is certainly a capable male lead, and the romantic tension between him and Emma is interesting, but his esteem of Emma is in large part influenced by her treatment of Harriet. Coming from lower social circumstance, Harriet is notably impressionable and naïve. Emma feels compelled to guide her, though eventually leads her astray, but it is with this dynamic that we see the most interesting moments in the novel. For all of Mr. Knightley’s lectures about how Emma should treat Harriet, they only resonate because Harriet acts as the true emotional heart of the novel.
This is also a script that has made at least two great film adaptations. The last film I saw before COVID-19 closures was Autumn de Wilde’s Emma (2020), and it was a hoot, just so funny and well-cast. The objective best adaptation though, is still Clueless (1995). I think it speaks to the source material's inherent timelessness, that this coming-of-age story can work so well in such different contexts — be it centered in 19th century England or on 90’s valley girls.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a fun read.
This year on the Fourth of July, I watched a video produced by NPR, "Frederick Douglass' Descendants Deliver His 'Fourth Of July' Speech.” In summary, it is amazing and so moving that it left me wanting to read more of Douglass’ work. This is how I ended up spending the holiday reading his autobiography, [b:Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass|36529|Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass|Frederick Douglass|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388234247l/36529._SY75_.jpg|1990110]. This book is also truly amazing, and so incredibly moving.
First of all, I think it’s fair to say that this is one of the most important American autobiographies ever written. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery, learned how to read despite the world trying to prevent him, escaped slavery, and grew to become one of the most eloquent human rights writers and orators in American history. To begin to describe how truly tenacious and hardworking this man was, would not even begin to do his extraordinary intelligence justice.
Douglass’ account of his lived experience in slavery is definitely a tough read for the faint of heart. I think some of the strongest moments of this work include his quick work in myth-busting prevalent stereotypes that helped to perpetuate the institution of slavery. For instance, the enslaved did not sing because they were happy at work, they sang because it was the only relief they had. Douglass also explained how the enslaved rarely complained or spoke truthfully of their feelings to slave owners, as a simple piece of criticism could lead to their children being sold states away. Most notably, he makes clear that the most gruesome slave owners tended to be the most religious — especially as they felt their cruel behavior was blessed by God.
“I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes,—a justifier of the most appalling barbarity,—a sanctifier of the most hateful frauds,—and a dark shelter under which the darkest, foulest, grossest, and most infernal deeds of the slaveholders find the strongest protection. Were I to be again reduced to the chains of slavery, next to enslavement, I should regard being the slave of a religious master the greatest calamity that could befall me. For of all slaveholders with whom I have ever met, religious slaveholders are the worst. I have ever found them the meanest and basest, the most cruel and cowardly, of all others.”
While I think it’s safe to say religion in and of itself is not necessarily inherently “good” or “bad,” it is certainly something that can be (and has been) manipulated to fit into the narratives of the dominating culture in just about any given time period. It’s clear that for Douglass, Christianity was hegemony incarnate. I think a modern day lesson that can be gleaned from this work, is that even if a prevalent sentiment is considered benevolent or popular, if it results in hurting people, it is still something that should be assessed and critiqued.
Overall, I really enjoyed this work. As far as I’m concerned, it is one of the most patriotic things an American could possibly read, especially given the current state of affairs in 2020. I couldn't recommend this book more.
First of all, I think it’s fair to say that this is one of the most important American autobiographies ever written. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery, learned how to read despite the world trying to prevent him, escaped slavery, and grew to become one of the most eloquent human rights writers and orators in American history. To begin to describe how truly tenacious and hardworking this man was, would not even begin to do his extraordinary intelligence justice.
Douglass’ account of his lived experience in slavery is definitely a tough read for the faint of heart. I think some of the strongest moments of this work include his quick work in myth-busting prevalent stereotypes that helped to perpetuate the institution of slavery. For instance, the enslaved did not sing because they were happy at work, they sang because it was the only relief they had. Douglass also explained how the enslaved rarely complained or spoke truthfully of their feelings to slave owners, as a simple piece of criticism could lead to their children being sold states away. Most notably, he makes clear that the most gruesome slave owners tended to be the most religious — especially as they felt their cruel behavior was blessed by God.
“I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes,—a justifier of the most appalling barbarity,—a sanctifier of the most hateful frauds,—and a dark shelter under which the darkest, foulest, grossest, and most infernal deeds of the slaveholders find the strongest protection. Were I to be again reduced to the chains of slavery, next to enslavement, I should regard being the slave of a religious master the greatest calamity that could befall me. For of all slaveholders with whom I have ever met, religious slaveholders are the worst. I have ever found them the meanest and basest, the most cruel and cowardly, of all others.”
While I think it’s safe to say religion in and of itself is not necessarily inherently “good” or “bad,” it is certainly something that can be (and has been) manipulated to fit into the narratives of the dominating culture in just about any given time period. It’s clear that for Douglass, Christianity was hegemony incarnate. I think a modern day lesson that can be gleaned from this work, is that even if a prevalent sentiment is considered benevolent or popular, if it results in hurting people, it is still something that should be assessed and critiqued.
Overall, I really enjoyed this work. As far as I’m concerned, it is one of the most patriotic things an American could possibly read, especially given the current state of affairs in 2020. I couldn't recommend this book more.