Douglass' Women : A Novel (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "I was born near Tuck's Creek in Carolina County, Maryland..." (more)
Key Phrases: black log, night rail, Miz Assing, Miss Assing, Parker Rhodes (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Frederick Douglass's love life was nearly as tumultuous as his political career or so Rhodes (Voodoo Dreams; Magic City) posits in this vividly imagined recreation of the romantic triangle formed by the great abolitionist, his black wife and his white mistress. Anna Murray is Douglass's first love, a free Maryland woman of color who falls in love with the young slave and helps him escape the South. Douglass follows through by marrying Murray and moving her to New Bedford, Conn. Marital life begins blissfully enough, but soon Anna finds herself alone raising Douglass's children while he travels to promote the abolitionist cause. Douglass, meanwhile, meets his intellectual match in German beauty Ottilie Assing, and their relationship turns physical when they journey together to England. Anna learns of the affair shortly after their return, but once her temper cools she tolerates Assing's presence, even allowing Douglass to include her in the living arrangements when the family moves to Rochester. The narrative clips along as Rhodes introduces the various romantic angles, but as a character study the book has some noticeable flaws. The uneducated but feisty Anna emerges as a well-drawn, multifaceted character, and Assing is effectively portrayed as she tries to balance her love for Douglass with her desire to be known as something more than the obscure mistress of a powerful, charismatic figure. Douglass, however, remains a shadow figure, mostly because Rhodes never gets beneath the surface of his romantic personality and leaves out elements of his controversial political contributions that would have fleshed out the narrative. This is a solid, well-conceived novel, but by isolating Douglass's passion from his politics, Rhodes creates a book that is as incomplete in its own way as the historical treatments that ignore the personal life of the great orator. 6-city author tour.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This historical novel from the author of Voodoo Dreams focuses on abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the two women who shared his life: a free woman of color to whom he was married for 44 years and a German heiress.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Atria; First Printing edition (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743410092
• ISBN-13: 978-0743410090
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #494,257 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Douglass portrayed as Selfish and Loveless, January 21, 2003

By	Smootchez "smootchez" (Michigan) - See all my reviews

Frederick Douglass, known to many as an escaped slave that spoke on the injustice of slavery and worked with abolitionists to stop slavery, is PORTRAYED as a self-centered man - remember this is fiction. For Douglass, the women in his life are good for sex, bearing children to proudly carry the Douglass name, working on his cause, and taking care of the house. His egocentricity grows as he becomes more popular around the world; building a man who loves nothing more than the cause for which he's fighting.

Douglass' Women is a novel about the love between Frederick Douglass and his free, uneducated Black wife, Anna and the love between him and his educated, well-to-do, German mistress, Ottilie Assing. Though the novel is fiction, it uses actual letters from Douglass, Ottilie, and Rosetta (Douglass' daughter) as preludes to each section in the book.

The author, Jewell Parker Rhodes, makes great use of the letters that serve as a foundation for the book. The reader's journey begins with the slave, Frederick Bailey, meeting Anna Murray then moves on to the escaped slave activist renamed as, Frederick Douglass, meeting Ottilie Assing and ends with the death of each woman. The book alternates between Anna and Ottilie giving her perception of Douglass' interaction with her, the other woman, and his work.

Throughout the book each woman states their belief of love, for Anna "love be true", for Ottilie "love be free". Ironic for both women Frederick Douglass denied true love to Anna by committing adultery with Ottilie and denied free love to Ottilie by sharing himself with her only when appropriate for him.

Douglass' Women is an intriguing work of fiction, based on real people that shaped African American history. The key word is fiction, so of course there are drawbacks that I found in the story that I was able to overcome as I read more. First, I was a bit annoyed by Anna's grammar and her understanding about the world, but I quickly realize that Anna just enjoyed the simple things in life. For her to meet and become Mrs. Frederick Douglass was far larger than she anticipated when she first met the slave. Also, I thought Ottilie's forwardness and seduction of Douglass, along with their sexual escapades, was a bit stereotypical. Despite that, Rhodes did a remarkable job at showing how two distinct women in love can have the same outcome.

Along with Douglass, the main characters include:
Anna Murray Douglass - Douglass' wife who he refers to as "a black log"; though born free, she's illiterate with no desire to learn to read; she's easily fulfilled by a life where she can care for her man, bear healthy children, and maintain a clean and happy home; understanding of love = love be true
Ottilie Assing - Douglass' mistress with European features (blond hair and blue eyes) which she uses to her advantage as necessary; determined and knows what she wants; well-educated artist and editor, but naïve to think education and intelligence makes everyone equal and the world will accept it; understanding of love = love is free

Other important characters:
Mam - Anna's mother; teaches Anna that love is shown in the "little things" that people do, say, and give
Oluwand - slave girl that "escapes" as Ottilie watches on; despite the women being opposites during this era, they choose the same means of escape to leave a man that will never show love in return
Rosetta Douglass - Anna and Freddy's oldest daughter; taught by her father that "she is Frederick Douglass' daughter and she should not embarrass him"; represents the balance between her parents, she has her mother's features (which she considers ugly) and is well-educated as her father desired
Annie - Anna's youngest daughter; like her sister, she represents a balance between her parents, she has her father's features and her mother's domestic skills

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Freddy and the Women Who Loved Him, January 14, 2003

By	Dera R Williams (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In her latest novel, Jewell Parker Rhodes gives a voice to the woman who was Frederick Douglass' first wife, Anna--- the wife he referred to as "an old black log." She wanted to know who was this woman and what role she played in his life. Anna is enamored of Freddy as she calls him. He is a slave working on the Baltimore docks when she meets him. A captured man in the body of a proud, fiery man struggling to break the restraints society and life has placed on him. Self-taught, intelligent, well read, he and Anna, an illiterate domestic servant conspire for his freedom.

Freddy is everything to Anna and she risks all to be with this handsome man. She comes to the marriage giving everything she possesses both financially and emotionally, older than he, and a little overweight. She realizes that his abolitionist friends and others think she is not fitting as his wife and then there is Otillie. Otillie is a German Jewess from Europe who is well traveled and educated, blonde, beautiful, slim, and white and she wants Anna's husband. She too risks everything, including her reputation to be with the man she loves------ despite the fact he is married.

I had the pleasure of hearing Parker Rhodes read from her book as she put me in the heads of both Anna and Otillie. I felt Anna's pain as she grappled with being married to a man larger than life, adored by many, both black and white, hunted by slave catchers, and knowing she could never make him completely happy. Though Otillie was an unlikable character--- she scoffed as Anna's plain looks and unsophisticated ways--- it was difficult to place her in the role of villain at times because she was also a pawn in Douglass game as Anna was. In this fictionalized account of the women who loved him, Douglass is seen as no more or no less than a man. Yes, he was a great orator, gifted writer, statesmen, and abolitionist but still, just a man, albeit a black man with all the foibles and warts of any other man. An entertaining story this book was one of my top ten favorite books of 2002 and will go on my list of all-time favorites. This was a book club pick for Marcus Book Club.

Dera Williams
APOOO BookClub
Marcus Book Club (Oakland)

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Touching!, December 8, 2002

By	Phyllis Rhodes (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In her latest novel, Douglass' Women, Jewel Parker Rhodes travels back in history to the antebellum and Civil War era to examine the loves of Frederick Douglass. She stretches the imagination by exploring the psyche of Anna, a free woman of color, who loves Douglass almost to a fault and Ottilie Assing, a European, free-spirit who is attracted to the polished and principled Douglass.

The novel, told in chronological alternating chapter format, provides the reader a glimpse into the character and upbringing of each woman. Anna is a quiet, hardworking homemaker, devoted wife and mother who clings to the belief that love conquers all. She has a strong sense of family and has witnessed unconditional love between her parents and siblings. Her one wish is to have the same love returned to her from Douglass. Unfortunately, Douglass, a self-taught ex-slave, has been elevated to a level of celebrity and lifestyle that pushes Anna to the background where she reluctantly finds comfort. While her husband is recognized as a skilled orator and accomplished author, Anna is regarded as a recluse and intentionally remains illiterate (despite Douglass' urging otherwise) which creates an erudite chasm between them that widens as the years progress. Ottilie Assing, a genteel woman of German-Jewish ancestry, works as Douglass' interpreter. She fills the intellectual void and accompanies Douglass on many engagements. They grow fond of each other and a lifetime love affair begins.

Rhodes writes very vividly so the reader clearly understands the similarities, differences, jealousy, envy, and anger each woman feels toward each other and Douglass. Rhodes also parallels the societal prejudices of Jews in Europe to Africans in America which justifies Ottilie's attraction to Abolitionist views. She also subtly touches the issues surrounding interracial relationships through her character's dialogue and thoughts. Although this is a work of historical fiction, she carefully follows the actual timeframe of events to effortlessly blend in factual people, places, and excerpts from speeches, which lends credibility to the novel. From a literary standpoint, her use of the "water-death-freedom" symbolism was handled expertly and was used as the unifying thread for both women's tales. This reader believes that fans of Rhodes will not be disappointed; this is a good story from an accomplished author!

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO Bookclub, The Nubian Circle Book Club