Douglass' Women

Written by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Narrated by Robin Miles and Linda Stephens

The best-selling author of Voodoo Dreams (F0036) focuses on two women who loved the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Anna, a free woman of color, was his rescuer, his loving wife and mother to his children. Ottilie Assing, a white German woman, became his intellectual soul mate and mistress. At times, they all lived under the same roof.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 3, 2009
• ISBN: 9781440760662

Jewell Parker Rhodes

Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes is the author of six adult novels: Voodoo Dreams, Magic City, Douglass’ Women, Season, Moon, and Hurricane, as well as the memoir Porch Stories: A Grandmother’s Guide to Happiness and two writing guides, Free within Ourselves: Fiction Lessons for Black Authors and The African American Guide to Writing and Publishing Nonfiction. Jewell is also the author of seven books for youth, including the New York Times bestsellers Ghost Boys and Black Brother, Black Brother. She has won the American Book Award, the Black Caucus of the American Library Award for Literary Excellence, and the Jane Addams Peace Association Book Award. Jewell is the founding artistic director of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing and narrative studies professor and Virginia G. Piper endowed chair at Arizona State University. She was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Carnegie-Mellon University. She lives in Seattle, Washington.

Reviews for Douglass' Women

[vhartpowers · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

If you enjoy hating characters, this may be the book for you.
The story of Anna Douglass, the wife of Frederick Douglass, the abolitionsit and the story of one of his mistresses, Ottilie Assing.
I liked Anna. I disliked Ottilie, and I despised Douglass. He was portrayed as a self-centered (insert bad word), that was hungry for attention and made speeches to spread the word of what happens to slaves. It became more about him, than the cause.

If this was the goal of the author she did a phenominal job and I need to change the rating.

[countrymouse_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was an amazing book and a fascinating fictional account of the women behind Frederick Douglass. The character development was excellent and it was easy to imagine it was all true. It was also hard to take sides as each of the three main characters, Douglass, his mistress and his wife, were so easy to understand. I loved how she wrote from each persons perspective, changing her voice as it happened.