I had little knowledge of Frederick Douglass or his Narrative before I began reading it. The book was one given to me by a friend who hadn't read it herself. My motivation to read of Frederick Douglass was one of diversity having set myself a goal this year to diversify my reads in all senses.

I found a mix of personal memoir and social history within its pages. Frederick Douglass narrates his own life eloquently, vividly but unemotionally. He divides his life by the locations he found himself in rather than by age or stage of life which in itself is telling. Because of this his narrative does jump from place to place without fully exploring the details and experiences of each.

Frederick also speaks on behalf of all the enslaved people he has known in Maryland. He could be telling the tale of any or all enslaved people in many places. He is efficient and effective in describing the social, political and economic landscape of the time.

I enjoyed the book, I learned from it but I wanted a greater emotional connection. Given it was written in 1845 by a man who had been through countless unthinkable things I think I'm probably asking too much.