John Brown: His Fight for Freedom

Short Review: This is a complex portrayal of a difficult character in history. It doesn't hold back. It includes the Kansas massacre where five slave supporters were killed in cold blood. The fact that the first death by Brown's forces at Harper's Ferry was of a free black man.

It also includes positives about Brown like his Christian motivation and his understanding that violence on behalf of freeing the slaves was in his mind justified because of the greater injustice of slavery.

Brown is no less a complicated figure after I read this. I have only read about Brown in context of biographies of Fredrick Dougass and Harriet Tubman, and not a longer look at him. So I am sure I am missing some context. But I was impressed that a children's book attempted to deal with Brown and kept him a complex character and did not gloss over the negatives.

My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/john-brown/