Frederick Douglass wrote three autobiographies which are given in this volume. The first, shortest, and best was written in 1845, seven years after Douglass had escaped from slavery. It tells in graphic and unforgettable terms the story of Douglass' life as a slave, the growth of the spirit of freedom in himself. and the early part of his life as a free man in New Bedford.

The second autobiography was written in 1855. It repeats much of the earlier story and describes Douglass's visit to Great Britain. A higlight of this volume is the Appendix in which Douglass gives the reader excerpts from several of his speeches, including his perhaps most famous speech "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July."

Douglass wrote his third autobiography in 1888 and edited it substantially in 1893. It describes Douglass's relationship with Abraham Lincoln and John Brown. I also enjoyed the section of the book in which Douglass describes his trip to England, Italy, and Egypt near the end of his life. It is highly intelligent, perceptive and reflective travel writing. There are also excerpts in this final autobiography from Douglass's speeches and letters.

The most striking incident in all three volumes is Douglass's story of how he stood up for himself and became in his own eyes a man of dignity and courage. Douglass had been sent for a year to live with a small farmer named Covey who had a reputation for breaking the sprit of strong-willed slaves. Covey whipped Douglass unmercifully for the first six months. Then, after a whipping which left Douglass scared and weak for several days (he ran back to his old master who ordered him back to Covey) Douglass fought back. Covey attempted to whip Douglass and Douglass resisted. The two men fought hand-to-hand for hours. Douglass could not assume the offensive in the fight (it was enough to resist at all) but more than held his ground and had the better of it. Covey at last walked off and never whipped Douglass again. This incident is strikingly told in each autobiography and marks the moment when Douglass showed he could stand up for himself and not have the spirit of a slave. It is inspiring and it grounded his actions for the rest of his life.

There is much in these books that transcends the resistance against American slavery, utterly important as that is. We have, as I have tried to explain, in this book the voice of personal freedom and self-determination which is something every person must learn and undestand for him or herself in deciding how to live. In addition,I get the impression that as Douglass aged he became increasingly committed to the life of the mind and the spirit. This is apparent from his writing and from his interest in travel, in European high culture, art, literature, and music. Douglass learned the meaning for freedom. He tried to devote himself to matters of the spirit in addition to his lifelong quest to improve the lot of the former slave. I think there is still a great deal to be learned here.

Douglass had much to say about the nature of American freedom and democracy. He loved and had faith in them, in spite of the horrible stain of slavery. Here is a wonderful observation from the third autobiography in which Douglass' describes his activities during the Presidential campaign of 1888.

"I left the discussion of the tariff to my young friend Morris, while I spoke for justice and humanity....I took it to be the vital and animating principle of the Republican party. I found the people more courageous than their party leaders. What the leaders were afraid to teach, the people were brave enough and glad enough to learn. I held that the soul of the nation was in this question, and that the gain of all the gold in the world would not compensate for the loss of the nation's soul. National honor is the soul of the nation, and when this is lost all is lost. ... As with an individual, so too with a nation, there is a time when it may properly be asked "What doth it profit to gain the whole world and therby lose one's soul?"

There is a spirit and a wisdom in Douglass that still has much to teach.

As a man of the Nineteenth Century, Douglass tells us little in his autobiographies of his personal life. Upon his escape from slavery, Douglass married a free, uneducated black woman. Upon her death, Douglass married a white woman, which (as we see briefly in the book) caused shock among American whites and blacks alike. We also see little of Douglass' relationship to his children. The reader who would like to learn more about Douglass' personal life needs to read a biography, such as William McFeeley's "Frederick Douglass" (1891)

Douglass' autobiographies are are precious work of American literature and a testimony to the free human spirit.

I believe that Mr. Gates captures this strength, this conviction and the essence of Mr. Douglass' spirit and his commitment to make a better life for himself and others like him. His dynamic use of the language allows you to feel conviction and essence of Mr. Douglass' concern. It was like listening to Mr. Douglass speak to me through those pages.

I found this book very intriguing and educational. It has something for the world to learn from.

Thanks to Mr. Gates and others for bringing this great American (World) hero to the forefront. We need to know and share in the histor and spiriti of this great man. By the way I was named after Frederick Douglass. I strive to be like him as much as I can. I am still working on my oratory!

Even today his memory is still strong for those of us who knew him and his name is a talisman which opens doors which otherwise would be sealed.

Many people claim to have access to special or unknown collections. Proctor was the real deal.

This book was a labor of love for Proctor. He set out to publish pictures that had not been seen in other books...he spent an unbelievable amount of money, time and effort tracking down unpublished art and securing the right to publish it in this book.

He then published this book himself because no publisher would print it at the level of quality he wanted. He was particular about the paper, the binding and the detail of the reproductions...

Proctor then was able to get Jean Tulard to do the preface...virtually impossible for an American author...and even launched the French version of the book at a reception at Malmaison (I was there).

Proctor never intended to make money on the book...It was his intention to bring these works to an audience who would otherwise find them inaccessable. I know for a fact that at the print run he authorized he lost tens of thousands of dollars just on the royalties and fees he paid for the permission to reproduce these paintings.

This book is in a limited print run in English and in French and when they are gone they will be gone. Just like Proctor.

Proctor I will miss you and I thank you for producing this book.

Michael Waller

Many books for inventors are oriented towards the novelty/toy markets. I have found my own experience of licensing manufacturers quite different (actually easier) than most of the toy inventors' books describe. Docie's first invention was one born out of near mishap and had true safety value. He considered his first patent weak due to an overcrowded field of competitors, which makes it an even better illustration of how to proceed with an invention. But he knew it was a good idea from the start, because it was conceived from a real-life situation. His battle was differentiating his design from the many similar products already on the market. I believe that this is the #1 issue with most new inventions - closing in on 7 million patents, it's a very crowded field. Nevertheless, for an inventor that's part of the game.

My feeling is that if you have something that you KNOW has value, and you've done a thorough patent search and have a good understanding of the prior art, you should be able to justify the expense of a patent application. Then you can approach your potential manufacturers from a position of confidence. All this dancing around with non-disclosure agreements, trying to decide whether your idea is worth anything or not, seems to be putting the cart before the horse.

It might take a little patient educating on your part, but if you have something useful, someone will eventually recognize the fact and be anxious to work with you. Select and research the companies you'd like to work with, then carefully court them. Be persistent without being a nuisance. Just remember it's a lot of work for a company to add a new product to their line. You have to appreciate how big a decision it is for them to work with you - but they will!

Docie also runs a bona fide invention promotion company, as opposed to all the bogus invention submission companies out there. Remember they're like stockbrokers - they get paid regardless of results, which are usually negligible. Docie's background, interest and reputation ensure an honest and knowledgeable effort, and preclude any of the funny business that is inherent in the other outfits. The essential idea of an invention promotion company is quite valid, which unfortunately gives the bogus outfits their impetus.

Good luck with your idea!

Book review by Bill Bazik, Inventors Connection of Greater Cleveland

If you have developed your invention to the stage where it is "proven to be functional and is sound from an engineering standpoint", how do you license a company to manufacture and market it? This book may provide you with the information needed for you to license your invention.

The author points out that while every case is unique, generally speaking, licensing an invention is an easier route to go than outright sale or attempting to manufacture your product yourself.

He explains how your "know how" may be an important ingredient in your licensing deal. In fact, you may make more money from consulting fees than from the patent itself.

Docie stresses the importance of using common sense and that communicating effectively is vital to your success. He points out there is a vast amount of information out there that can be had -- and often at very low cost.

Emphasis is placed on the value of locating the key people in the industry that would use your invention and of finding "champions" within the companies who will support your efforts to license your invention. Each industry has its own system of distribution. You can and must determine how your invention fits into the scheme of distribution. Understanding how distributors, buyers and manufacturer agents function in your invention's industry is critical to your progress. Also, understanding how the needs of catalog or mail-order markets differ from retail channels can be a key bit of knowledge.

Attending trade shows can yield important information as to who the key decision makers are at various companies. Docie gives tips as to how attending these trade shows can be done on a surprisingly low budget.

Once your have determined possible licensees, which are the ones to contact? He gives an 8-point check list for selecting potential licensees and a list of 7 cautions to guide you in your first conversations with the key decision makers. This is followed by a list of 26 questions regarding market information (such as how a company has worked with outside inventors), what their manufacturing capabilities are and company background questions. He cautions you must clearly explain your invention but at the same time not give away any trade secrets or confidential information.

The subject of confidentiality agreements is discussed from various standpoints including the author's view after over 20 years' of experience. A disclosure agreement form that has served him well is reproduced.

The book suggests ways to realistically calculate manufacturing costs and why "approaching the engineering department may be the kiss of death". The pros and cons of the new patent office system of provisional patent applications are given. An example of an actual submission letter used by Docie Marketing is reproduced. A sample of a non-exclusive license contract is also reproduced. Various licensing strategies, factors and how to negotiate licensing agreements are discussed. These include how to maintain licensees' quality standards and how to monitor their sales.

His chapter 7, Industry Survey of Invention Evaluation and Marketing Firms, is a must read for every inventor. The author does not pull any punches. He includes in the "rip-off" category some patent attorneys who fail to point out to their clients that their patent claims may be so weak as to make their patent commercially worthless. He lists 13 factors inventors should consider in selecting an evaluation service firm.

Three case histories give, in detail, examples of the chills, fevers and glories that can take place when you go down the road negotiating a license to your invention. For example, how should you deal with the shock of a patent office rejection of your application for a patent? How would you deal with 18 companies copying your item? The author found himself in exactly that situation and came up with a solution. How do you decide when or if your patience and persistence are stretched to the point of violating common sense?

The author suggests many inventors could learn a lot from television detective Columbo -- ask a lot of questions, listen and say no more than necessary.

The last chapter has 11 pages of up-to-date resources available to inventors.

Reading this book, or any book, will not make you a licensing expert, but it will alert you to many of the landmines out there. The book is down-to-earth and is based on the author's practical hands-on experience in the real world. The pretentious vocabulary some writers seem prone to is avoided.

Louis L'Amour is such a good writer that it is so hard to say which are his best books because all of his books are superbly written. "Matagorda" is no exception. The characters are all great, with the main character, Major Tappan Duvarney who is handsome, brave, fast with a gun, yet smart enough to know when not to use it. I also like the character, Jessica Trescott, his fiance. Though she is rich and beautiful, because of her love for Tap, she is willing to go anywhere with him, even to the West. The end of the book is surprising (...)