Rough Crossings, Cross Reader

More controversy, this time over a book review I wrote for Charleston's Post & Courier newspaper.

The book's Rough Crossings by Simon Schama, an in-depth look at the African American experience during the Revolutionary War.

The 1780s saw the first mass freeing of slaves in the Americas—an emancipation not by the revolutionaries but by their enemies. The Brits weren't always nice to their allies, but they still freed some of the men and women who'd fought beside them before the Redcoats went home with their heads bowed low.

Stan Barnett didn't like Schama's general statements, which I paraphrased in my brief review. Barnett especially didn't like the idea that one of the reasons the South got involved in the war was to protect slaving interests. So he wrote a letter titled "Absurd Statement," printed in the August 7th issue of the P&C. (He thought Schama's words were absurd, not mine, thank goodness).

Of course, nothing is cut and dried about this period in history - but some aspects have been covered in more depth than others. According to Publishers Weekly, "The Library of Congress catalogue lists 271 books or other items to do with George Washington's death and burial alone."

Rough Crossings tackles a thornier subject, and one which I commend Schama for sticking with. Any academically important book that gets some debate going in a lettercol has obviously hit its mark.