Tag: slavery

  • Tower Hill by Alan Taylor

    There is one thing about slavery in America that I will never quite understand. Why torture and enslave your fellow man when nobody benefits? If you don’t understand my question, then you absolutely must read Tower Hill by Alan Taylor. Basically, while it is obvious slavery was bad for the enslaved, it didn’t help the…

  • The Crown’s Silence by Brooke Newman

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Crown’s Silence: It’s kind of their favorite move. Quick synopsis: The history of the British monarchy and the slave trade. Fact for Non-History People: The British slave trade enslaved and transported approximately 3.1 to 3.4 million Africans between 1640 and 1807. Fact for History Nerds: The UK government finished paying…

  • Heiresses by Miranda Kaufmann

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Heiresses: You don’t even need to be there to be a terrible person. Quick synopsis: A look at the women who inherited Caribbean slaves. Fact for Non-History People: British enslavers were compensated over 20 million pounds when slavery was abolished. Fact for History Nerds: The debt I just mentioned wasn’t paid…

  • The Zorg by Siddharth Kara

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Zorg: A historical horror story. Quick synopsis: The story of the slave ship which ignited the abolition movement. Fact for Non-History People: Netting was attached to slave ships to keep Africans from trying to drown themselves. Fact for History Nerds: Liverpool, England was responsible for 82% of all slaves trafficked…

  • Freedom Ship by Marcus Rediker

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Freedom Ship: If you can’t run, sail. Quick synopsis: A look at the Underground Railroad but from a maritime perspective. Fact for Non-History People: If you broke the original Fugitive Slave Law, you might get a fine of around $15,000 in today’s dollars. Later, the penalties increased a lot. Fact for…

  • The Sugar Barons by Matthew Parker

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Sugar Barons: Before the tea party was the sugar hell. Quick synopsis: The story of how a sugar empire was built in the Caribbean in the years after 1650. Fact for Non-History People: Processing sugar could kill you in many ways including by exploding stills. Fun Fact for History Nerds:…

  • The Great Abolitionist by Stephen Puleo

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Great Abolitionist: Who would have thought slavery proponents could be so violent? Quick synopsis: The life of ardent American abolitionist and senator, Charles Sumner. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: While I don’t condone caning someone, it turns out Sumner did mock a colleague who just had a stroke during…

  • Hell Put to Shame by Earl Swift

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Hell Put to Shame: Hell is definitely where they are going. Quick synopsis: The story of the Murder Farm Massacre in 1921 Georgia.    Fact for Non-History People: From 1889-1918, Black victims made up 93.3% of lynching cases in Georgia. Fact for History Nerds: The peonage system is tough to pin…

  • Flee North by Scott Shane

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Flee North: Thomas Smallwood is the KING of trolling 1800s slaveowners. Quick synopsis: The story of an extremely successful branch of the Underground Railroad in the 1840s. Fact for Non-History People: After helping slaves escape, Smallwood would write and articles that Torrey published mocking the slaveowners for “losing” their slaves. Again,…