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Gently used with light wear on the cover and corners. May have some writing or highlighting. Dust jacket or extras might be missing. May be ex-library copy. Ships direct from Amazon! Gently used with light wear on the cover and corners. May have some writing or highlighting. Dust jacket or extras might be missing. May be ex-library copy. Ships direct from Amazon! See less

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Frederick Douglass: Self-Made Man Paperback – March 6, 2018

by Timothy Sandefur Goldwater Institute (Author)

233 ratings

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Born into slavery in 1818, Frederick Douglass rose to become one of the nation's foremost intellectuals―a statesman, author, lecturer, and scholar who helped lead the fight against slavery and racial oppression. Unlike other leading abolitionists, however, Douglass embraced the U.S. Constitution, insisting that it was an essentially anti-slavery document and that its guarantees for individual rights belonged to all Americans, of whatever race.

Douglass spoke in his most popular lecture, "Self-Made Men," of people who rise through their own effort and devotion rather than circumstances of privilege. "If they have traveled far, they have made the road on which they have travelled. If they have ascended high, they have built their own ladder." In this fast-paced biography, lawyer and author Timothy Sandefur examines the life and ideas of the nation's foremost "self-made man"―from his horrific experiences in slavery and his heroic escape to his eloquent demands for equal treatment by the federal government and his later career as statesman and intellectual. Throughout it all Douglass was guided by his belief in the sanctity of the individual.

"There is no Negro problem," Douglass insisted. "The problem is whether the American people have honesty enough, loyalty enough, honor enough, patriotism enough, to live up to their own Constitution." Led by his dream of an America where all people would be free to make the most of themselves without hindrance, Douglass ultimately transformed the United States.

As the nation pauses to remember Douglass on his bicentennial, Frederick Douglass: Self-Made Man gives us an insightful glimpse into the mind of one of America's greatest thinkers.

Editorial Reviews

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"[Timothy Sandefur is] an inspired choice to write a short biography of this fierce defender of individualism." - George F. Will
"From Timothy Sandefur's elegantly written new biography, the reader gains a profound education in the life and thought of Frederick Douglass, one of the most heroic and insightful champions of liberty in this or any nation's history. For a concise introduction to the greatness of Douglass, one could do no better than to read this book." - Peter C. Myers, author of Frederick Douglass: Race and the Rebirth of American Liberalism
"A lively and compelling overview of Douglass's life and legacy." - Diana Schaub, professor of political science, Loyola University Maryland.
"A compelling, short biography of one of the greatest of Americans.... Well-researched, accessible, and soon, hopefully, to be widely read." -G. Tracy Mehan, The American Spectator
"An excellent biography of a truly great American hero...a pleasure to read." -George H. Smith, Libertarianism.org

About the Author

Timothy Sandefur is Vice President for Litigation at the Goldwater Institute's Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation. He also holds the Institute's Duncan Chair in Constitutional Government. His books include The Right to Earn a Living: Economic Freedom and the Law (Cato Institute, 2010), The Conscience of the Constitution (Cato Institute, 2014), and The Permission Society (Encounter Books, 2016).

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cato Institute
Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 6, 2018
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 140 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1944424857
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1944424855
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.49 x 7.97 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,107,463 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,547 in Political Philosophy (Books)
- #2,375 in Black & African American Biographies
- #5,909 in United States Biographies

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233 ratings

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Timothy Sandefur

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Timothy Sandefur is Vice President for Legal Affairs at the Goldwater Institute, where he also holds the Duncan Chair for Constitutional Government. He has won important legal victories for free enterprise and property rights in Arizona, California, Kentucky, Missouri, Oregon, and other states. He is the author of several books, including Cornerstone of Liberty: Property Rights in 21st Century America (coauthored with Christina Sandefur, 2016), The Conscience of The Constitution (2014), The Permission Society (2016), The Right to Earn A Living (2010), Frederick Douglass: Self-Made Man (2018), The Ascent of Jacob Bronowski (2019), and Some Notes on the Silence (2022), as well as dozens of scholarly articles on subjects ranging from eminent domain and economic liberty to copyright, evolution and creationism, slavery and the Civil War, and the political philosophy of Shakespeare, ancient Greek drama, and Star Trek. He is an Adjunct Scholar with the Cato Institute, and his articles have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, National Review, The Weekly Standard, Reason, The Objective Standard, and elsewhere. He is a frequent guest on radio and television programs, including John Stossel, Kennedy, The Armstrong and Getty Show, and CPSAN's Book TV.

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Customers find this biography of Frederick Douglass well-researched and informative, with one customer noting it's not a 1000-page slog. Moreover, the book receives praise for its writing style, being easy to read, and customers consider it one of the best biographies ever written about Douglass. Additionally, they appreciate its visual presentation, describing it as vibrant.

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28 customers mention "Information quality"28 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and well-researched, providing good insights and deep inspiration, with one customer describing it as a very interesting read about a historic figure.

"...I have a newfound appreciation for an incredibly fascinating and historically pivotal man. It's not a 1000 page slog...." Read more

"...He highlights the nuance, depth, and breadth of Douglass’ intellectual achievements: not just on the abolition movement but also on constitutional..." Read more

"...What I liked about the book is that he provides a bit of context into the backstory of Douglass’s life...." Read more

"...into Douglass's way of thinking and his vibrant and thrilling ideas about the well-lived life. This makes the book unique. Bravo, Mr. Sandefur." Read more

24 customers mention "Readability"24 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one customer noting it's not a 1000-page slog and another mentioning it's short enough to read quickly.

"...It's not a 1000 page slog. It's a quick and enthralling read. I'm about ready to buy more copies!" Read more

"Good book I enjoyed it but if you’re going to read one book about Douglass you should actually read the words of Frederick Douglass...." Read more

"...The author does a wonderful job of condensing into 140 pages, where others, perhaps "academics," would waste an additional 400 pages...." Read more

"...Short enough to read quickly but full of great bits of truths." Read more

13 customers mention "Writing style"13 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it well written and easy to read, with one customer noting it is pleasantly concise.

"...In this tightly and clearly written account of Douglass’ life and legacy, Sandefur persuasively makes the case that Douglass is an important and..." Read more

"...Douglass is a better writer than Sandefur, and I am sure that Sandefur would agree...." Read more

"...This is absolutely confirmed by the crisp, clear prose of Fredrick Douglas himself...." Read more

"Simple and elegant look at a great American hero that loved liberty. Short enough to read quickly but full of great bits of truths." Read more

6 customers mention "Visual quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the visual presentation of the book, describing it as vibrant and crisp, with one customer noting its elegant look.

"...book not only gave me a lesson on a truly monumental man, but also a vivid and accurate perspective on our constitution, slavery, the abolishonist..." Read more

"...He highlights the nuance, depth, and breadth of Douglass’ intellectual achievements: not just on the abolition movement but also on constitutional..." Read more

"...This is absolutely confirmed by the crisp, clear prose of Fredrick Douglas himself...." Read more

"...the author ushers us into Douglass's way of thinking and his vibrant and thrilling ideas about the well-lived life. This makes the book unique...." Read more

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DD
Illuminating
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2019
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I happen to be a huge fan of the author, Mr. Sandefur, having heard him interviewed on many subjects. I find him to be a brilliant libertarian mind. I ordered this book as soon as it came out and have since purchased it for nearly everyone I know (mostly for their children). This book not only gave me a lesson on a truly monumental man, but also a vivid and accurate perspective on our constitution, slavery, the abolishonist movement, the civil war, the reconstruction, and the civil rights movement. I have a newfound appreciation for an incredibly fascinating and historically pivotal man. It's not a 1000 page slog. It's a quick and enthralling read. I'm about ready to buy more copies!

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5 people found this helpful

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Shawn Klein
Frederick Douglass is cool!
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2018
Verified Purchase
In the words of my eight-year-old son: “Frederick Douglass is cool!” Timothy Sandefur’s new book on Douglass is a pithy account of why he is so cool. In this tightly and clearly written account of Douglass’ life and legacy, Sandefur persuasively makes the case that Douglass is an important and central figure of 19th century American politics and should be for the 20th and 21st centuries as well. He highlights the nuance, depth, and breadth of Douglass’ intellectual achievements: not just on the abolition movement but also on constitutional and political theory more broadly.

Sandefur shows how Douglass’s ideas, style, and methods influenced in various ways thinkers and activists such as Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, and Martin Luther King, Jr. He details Douglass’ self-made rise from bondage to dining with and influencing U.S. Presidents.

The one “problem” with the book is that it will inspire you to go out and read more about Douglass and by Douglass.

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8 people found this helpful

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Davidmesaaz
The Black Founding Father.
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2018
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Good book I enjoyed it but if you’re going to read one book about Douglass you should actually read the words of Frederick Douglass. Douglass is a better writer than Sandefur, and I am sure that Sandefur would agree. What I liked about the book is that he provides a bit of context into the backstory of Douglass’s life. The ideological battles between William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass. Garrison’s idea of no Union with Slaveholders was a northern secessionist idea. That New England should break away from the Union and should not compromise with South. This was nearly identical ideology of Southern Secessionists during the War. The last chapter is nice where he compares the views of Booker T Washington vs. W.E.B. Dubois and Frederick Douglass. In the authors view Douglass would have adopted the strategy of Dubois and ideology of Washington.

Douglass’s views of the Constitution identity politics and the nations founding civil rights are out of favor with many in the black community. Ta-Nehisi Coates said that this nation was founded on the idea of white supremacy. While Douglass said that the Constitution and the founding documents of this country “was a glorious document of liberty”. He consistently held the ideas of John Locke and the founding fathers that the role of government to protect the property of its citizens and leave them alone. But Douglass also criticized the hypocrisy of the American system and criticized Americans for failing to live up to those high ideals. His goals was not to destroy the American system and the American constitution his goal was to be included in it. With Douglass’s constant cries of equality under the law and they should be best left alone.
The Essential Douglass: Selected Writings and Speeches

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35 people found this helpful

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bob
Wonderfully written and pleasantly concise.
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2019
Verified Purchase
At age 69, for whatever reasons, I don't want minute details that I will never remember. The author does a wonderful job of condensing into 140 pages, where others, perhaps "academics," would waste an additional 400 pages. Bravo!!

The rub of the 1 star reviews that the author is engaging in historical revisionism should be laid to rest. The huge elephant in the room is Douglas' turn away from Garrison when he started his own publication in Rochester. Douglas saw the U.S. Constitution as a friend to liberty, not a slave document. This is absolutely confirmed by the crisp, clear prose of Fredrick Douglas himself.

I reject another 1 star that speaks to historical revisionism because the author relies on Douglas' autobiographies and not his speeches. Well, I haven't read his speeches, but "Self-Made Man" is the title of his most famous speech. The title alone provides insight that Douglas didn't think like a modern "Progressive."

For myself, the best story is not about Covey, but receiving two pieces of silver for voluntarily shoveling a woman's coal into her coal storage area. That story displays the essence of humanity, and the idea presented by George Gilder that capitalism is the presentation of gifts to the world and the joy of knowing your gift was worthy by having received a gift of value in return.

Read the book and learn how other Americans have thought. And, for heaven sakes, don't listen to the 1 star scolds who wish for you to shut down your own ability to think.

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10 people found this helpful

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Pink Cat ^-^
Wonderful and Inspiring
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2018
Verified Purchase
I have found deep inspiration in this book. There's so much that you can apply to your own life. Timothy Sandefur paints a fascinating portrait of Frederick Douglass, the man who would do anything to throw slavery off and "make a life" for himself. What does "making a life" mean? Sandefur enables Douglass to speak anew, to a new generation of freedom seekers. Most importantly, and unlike many other books on Douglass, the author ushers us into Douglass's way of thinking and his vibrant and thrilling ideas about the well-lived life. This makes the book unique. Bravo, Mr. Sandefur.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Illuminating

5.0 out of 5 stars Frederick Douglass is cool!

4.0 out of 5 stars The Black Founding Father.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully written and pleasantly concise.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful and Inspiring

Illuminating

Frederick Douglass is cool!

The Black Founding Father.

Wonderfully written and pleasantly concise.

Wonderful and Inspiring