DOC Giants: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln by John Stauffer in History

Review

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Lincoln and Douglass; two captains of "the fearful trip" from slavery to abolitionBy M. Feldman"Giants;" John Stauffer's account of the lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln is an excellent introduction to these self-made men who had much in common. Both came of age in milieus in which brutality was commonplace; Douglass as a slave on a Maryland plantation and on the streets and wharves of Baltimore; Lincoln as a poor young man in backwoods Indiana and Illinois. Both were largely self-taught; sharing even a common source of reading material; "The Columbian Orator." Douglass did not know his father; a white man; and Lincoln had little regard for his. Both were tall; imposing men who could and did win battles not only of words but of physical strength. The parallels are numerous and striking. Abolition; of course; brought them together (although not always in agreement); but so did a mutual respect for each other's intellectual and oratorical abilities. Stauffer's account is most compelling in its description of the forces that shaped both men. Look again at Twain's description of Pap in "Huckleberry Finn" and you'll understand exactly the kind of men that attacked Douglass when he attempted to speak on abolition in Indiana. "Giants;" is; I think; less strong in its account of the meetings between the two during the years just prior to and during the Civil War. The material itself is interesting; but many of the events are also familiar. Here; the reading feels a bit like a college course; with Stauffer filling in the details of events that the reader might have forgotten about; like the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This need to provide historical context slows things down a bit. Still; the book is absorbing to the end and offers a great deal of interesting detail about Douglass; in particular; that will not be well known to readers who are familiar only with his "Narrative." The elegiac conclusion of "Giants" is particularly graceful in its incorporation of the advice the elderly Douglass gives to a younger admirer; whom he urges to "Agitate! Agitate! Agitate!"1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. I thought that this book was well written and certainly ...By DuchessI thought that this book was well written and certainly well researched. I do feel that since we didn't know President Lincoln; that conjecture about his sexuality is out of place; to the degree that it was examined. There should be more respect; whether he was gay or not. We have loss respect for the office of the President. No matter what we think of an occupant of that office politically or personally; the position should be revered; unless an impeachable act occurs. After all; the "President of the United States"; is still the most powerful position in the world.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Great read with well documented sources.By Rich HaagWhat a great book to start your journey on understanding these two great men. What I really loved was the pace at which you can read this book. I took me two flights to enjoy it. Granted they were coast to coast; so I had the time; but it is unusual for me to read a book in that short a time. That is why I had to write this review. I enjoyed the facts and the foot notes as well as the author pointing to the parallels in time. One of my favorite parts about history is seeing it from different perspectives at the exact same time. What a way to see both sides of the argument in the tumultuous times leading up to and including the Civil War.Seeing Lincoln in his own words opens your eyes to not only the self made man; but the racism and politics of the times. Reading Douglass in his own words and thoughts was just as enlightening. Many times as I read I thought of how much of this applies today in our society. The politics; the debating; the discourse; the press and how they were locked into one political party or the other.Well played Mr. Staufer. I look forward to reading more about these two great men; the times; and other parallels in time. Thank you for making history readable. This book should be a must read on any history professors course on the Civil War; or Race in America.