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The Souls of Black Folk (AmazonClassics Edition)
- Narrated by: Prentice Onayemi
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Categories: History, Americas
Non-member price: $27.79
Publisher's Summary
First published in 1903, this groundbreaking work is a cornerstone of African American literary history and a foundational text in the field of sociology. In these fourteen essays, W. E. B. Du Bois introduces and explores the concept of “double-consciousness” - a term he uses to describe the experience of living as an African American and having a “sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others.”
Though an examination of Black life in post-Civil War America, The Souls of Black Folk has had a lasting impact on civil rights and the discussion of race in the United States.
Revised edition: Previously published as The Souls of Black Folk, this edition of The Souls of Black Folk (AmazonClassics Edition) includes editorial revisions.
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What listeners say about The Souls of Black Folk (AmazonClassics Edition)
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Cushenberryd
- 09-01-2020
A book for every American
Although written in the early 1900s this book timely This book belongs in every classroom in America!
3 people found this helpful
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- Lloyd K.
- 02-09-2019
Perfection. Genius. Stunning
This book deserves a place in the canon of the greatest writings in American history and by that measure world history. A staggering combination of poetic prose, historical facts, cultural insights and emotional humanity. I cannot and will never be able to recommend a book more highly than this one. I will listen to it many many more times.
3 people found this helpful
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- Peter Joel Marcantel
- 20-09-2018
Informative and Personal Collection of Essays
Well written, soulfully performed. I can almost imagine the author himself read it to me.
3 people found this helpful
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- Tatiana
- 29-01-2020
Beautifully written and narrated
I have long wanted to read this book, buy never found the time. I was absolutely delighted to find this gorgeous narration through Audible. Listening to this book, albeit in short 20 min stints, became the highlight of my day. Highly recommend.
1 person found this helpful
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- KSTrini
- 16-09-2018
Enjoyed it. Very captivating.
The entire presentation was great. The story is very well told and with much passion.
1 person found this helpful
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- Sarah McCormick
- 08-11-2020
EVERYONE Should Listen!
The prose is magnificent and this audiobook makes learning history easy, though the subject of slavery and the subjugation of an entire group of people based on skin color is definitely shameful. A better narrator could not have been found!His voice is truly mellifluous, even with such a terrible subject. The author wrote the words, and the narrator’s voice painted the pictures superbly. I will listen again and again for the sake of educating myself more. So glad Audible included this title in its offerings.
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- X. Zu
- 02-10-2020
All the racial oppressions back then still live on to this day
Sadly, when I read this classic I frequently recognize familiar events that happens today. So much for the progress of the great American democracy. A living lie.
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- Nicholas
- 25-08-2020
Unmissable
This look into the condition of the black race at the turn of the 20th century is revelatory, and its echoes into our modern society are clear as day. Please read.
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- Reader
- 12-07-2020
As relevant as ever.
Du Bois was a powerful social critic. It is particularly moving and impressive to read this collection of essays now, in July 2020, as the murder of George Floyd has once again pushed the Black Lives Matter movement to the forefront of American consciousness. This book brings a powerful historical context to our present concerns. At the same time, it is somewhat dispiriting to see the very close resemblance between Du Bois' concerns and our concerns now. One might have expected or hoped that the USA would have seen more progress in the 117 years since this collection of essays was published. Du Bois is a much more powerful critic than his contemporary, Booker T. Washington. My experience was also enhanced by my own simultaneous reading of essays by James Baldwin and Ralph Ellison. Very high praise also for the narrator. He makes excellent use of a range of voices, and was a pleasure to listen to.
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- Jim L. West
- 12-07-2020
Deeply moving
Beautifully written and delivered account of some of the disturbing truths and suffering in our nation's history, some of which continue.
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- Christian Okoye
- 28-09-2020
On the fence with this one.
Quite hard to follow and fell flat in several chapters. Struggled to stay glued to the book. I was hoping for this to play out similar to Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Still informative in content and quite deep in certain points of the book.
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- james Thurlby-Brooks
- 19-09-2020
Exceptionally moving
My ears are tingling and my soul aching. Tales and words that speak so loudly as to nearly deafen this reader.
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- O. ADIGUN-HARRIS
- 11-12-2018
Interesting view
Interesting in many parts, but I struggle to follow all of it and really glad it was on audible otherwise, I may not have found the urge to finish it. There is probably an assumption that all readers will be American and have known the history of the struggle. However I learnt quite a lot about the conditions and constraints of the people. I will try to listen again as it was probably about my inexperience that made it hard to follow. I enjoyed and liked the richness of Prentice's voice.
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