Winner of:• The Black Caucus of the American Library Association Nonfiction Book Award• The Tampa Bay Historical Society's D. B. McKay Award• The Florida Historical Society's Rembert Patrick Award for Best Book in Florida History"This is the definitive account of slavery in Florida. It covers all aspects of the institution and the lives of those who were its victims. Especially revealing are its thorough examination of the slave family and its detailed account of the relations between black slaves and Seminole Indians. I know of no other state study that does as much so well."--George M. Fredrickson; Edgar E. Robinson Professor; Stanford University"Applying the results of extensive research in the primary and secondary sources to a broad conceptual framework; Larry E. Rivers has written a comprehensive social history of slavery in Florida."--Jerrell H. Shofner; Professor of History Emeritus; University of Central Florida"A highly significant study. . . . Rivers has brought Florida up to date in the field of American slavery. This study; well-written and based on a variety of sources; is balanced and informative."—William W. Rogers; professor emeritus of history; Florida State University"Rivers has filled a tragically neglected gap in Florida’s published history. The evolution and complexities of slavery unfold from an easily readable narrative in a manner that will move the reader and shed new light on a key element of southern and African American history."—Canter Brown; Jr.; historian in residence; Tampa Bay History CenterThis important illustrated social history of slavery tells what life was like for bond servants in Florida from 1821 to 1865; offering new insights from the perspective of both slave and master. Starting with an overview of the institution as it evolved during the Spanish and English periods; Larry E. Rivers looks in detail and in depth at the slave experience; noting the characteristics of slavery in the Middle Florida plantation belt (the more traditional slave-based; cotton-growing economy and society) as distinct from East and West Florida (which maintained some attitudes and traditions of Spain). He examines the slave family; religion; resistance activity; slaves’ participation in the Civil War; and their social interactions with whites; Indians; other slaves; and masters.Rivers also provides a dramatic account of the hundreds of armed free blacks and runaways among the Seminole; Creek; and Mikasuki Indians on the peninsula; whose presence created tensions leading to the great slave rebellion; the Second Seminole War (1835-42).Slavery in Florida is built upon painstaking research into virtually every source available on the subject--a wealth of historic documents; personal papers; slave testimonies; and census and newspaper reports. This serious critical work strikes a balance between the factual and the interpretive. It will be significant to all readers interested in slavery; the Civil War; the African American experience; and Florida and southern U.S. history; and it could serve as a comprehensive resource for secondary school teachers and students.Larry Eugene Rivers; President of Fort Valley State College and professor of history; is the author of numerous works; and the recipient of the Arthur W. Thompson Award from the Florida Historical Society and the Carter G. Woodson Award from the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.
#123155 in Books Random House Trade Paperbacks 2013-12-10 2013-12-10Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.70 x 1.00 x 5.00l; .80 #File Name: 0812979397480 pagesRandom House Trade Paperbacks
Review
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful. Terrible Title; Good BookBy Fredric M. BlumThis is a very good book; but not the book the title suggests. The title suggests that the book focusses on the engineering achievements that contributed to winning WWII; whereas in fact; the book is actually a history of the strategies that won the war. Whoever created the title deserves a dope-slap. "Engineering" has two meanings; (a) the most common meaning: the development of a device; like engineering a new machine gun; and (b) the less common meaning: a means to achieve an objective; like engineering a way to get Johnnie accepted into the college of his choice. Both meanings of the word contributed mightily to success in WWII; but the book only deals with the "scheme" meaning of the word (it mentions the tremendous contributions of new equipment developed during the war; but does not go into the engineering details thereof; rather; equipment developments are discussed as how they contributed to strategies). Therefore; use of the "engineering" in the title is extremely misleading. That said; the book is highly informative; presenting the comprehensive history of the war at the most macroscopic level. (I accept other reviewer's criticisms that some of the facts are wrong; but in my opinion this detracts very little from the value of the book. It would take a huge amount of fact checking to determine how pervasive the errors are; but from my knowledge of the history of the war; the book is probably mostly correct.) The book is written clearly; and discusses not only American strategies; but also British; German; Japanese; Russian; Italian and other countries' strategies as well. The book truly presents the Big Picture; in contrast with most other books that have narrower purviews.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Bare AssertionsBy Ron N. ButlerPaul Kennedy is to be commended for taking a fresh and broader look at just how the Allies won the Second World War; conceptualizing the path to victory as how five strategic and logistic needs were satisfied: How to supply Britain across the Atlantic; how to achieve air superiority over western Europe; how to counter combined-arms tactics; how to conduct large-scale amphibious assaults; and how conduct operations at very long distances. (This is my phrasing; not Kennedy's.) His reconsideration of the conventional history of WW2 does not require any original research and there is little evidence of any in the book. Unfortunately; neither does Kennedy present evidence for (or even convincingly argue for) any explanation of how all these things were done. In the end; the book is all assertion; no proof. Anyone with a middling familiarity with the history of WW2 will find little of interest here.(The text is also studded with little attention-getters - the chief of the American Volunteer Group in China was not `Claude' Chennault; for instance - that bring reading to a halt. I expect better of a Yale historian.)0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Sadly disappointing.By CustomerMediocre. Nothing new. Much from Wikipedia. Try that on your term paper. Author was a ghost writer for Liddell Hart and produces a similar mediocre product in the same manner. A survey of literature. Emphasis on UK. Can you believe a 26 page introduction? Explains his definition of engineer. Applies only to the Brits who pushed the P51 Mustang with RR Merlin engine. I agree with that one. No discussion of fight for Normandy and result. Holocaust's effect? Too many errors. I am not a professional so I am not inclined to verify factual errors. Even the name of a referenced author was misspelled. Can't believe Yale would claim this guy.
