Monday, July 08, 2013

Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass (2012)

Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The Story Behind An American Friendship. Russell Freedman. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 128 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

I do enjoy Russell Freedman's nonfiction works for children and teens. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass includes a brief biography or introduction to two well-known men; each man, of course, deserving fuller treatment than this one book allows. The book begins with Frederick Douglass waiting to meet the President, Mr. Lincoln. The president has visiting hours every day, and Mr. Douglass is hopeful that he will get the chance to speak with him. Though Douglass hasn't always supported Lincoln's politics completely, or his policies completely. It is because of certain grievances that he is visiting there. He wants the president to be aware of certain conditions facing black soldiers. He wants the president to do something, to act. After that first brief glimpse of a meeting, readers then get the opportunity to learn about both men. There are chapters devoted to Frederick Douglass and chapters devoted to Abraham Lincoln. Through the biographies of both men--well partial biographies bringing the reader up to date, up to the Civil War--readers get a glimpse of the problems facing the nation. There is a definite focus on the war years 1861-1865.


© 2013 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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