Diaries of nineteenth-century plantation managers are rare; diaries of French sugar planters are rarer still. Although such works as the diaries of Ella Gertrude Thomas and James Henry Hammond provide insight into the plantation societies of the antebellum South; virtually no contemporary source treats planter-slave relations as extensively; or presents a white planter's views on slave society in as much detail; as do the letters and diary of Pierre Dessalles.Now Elborg Forster and Robert Forster have translated and edited the most historically and socially significant portions of this unusual work. Previously available only in a four-volume French edition; these materials treat a wide range of topics; including the slave economy; management and socialization of the labor force; the role of free blacks in society; the lives led by the plantation owners; and; significantly; black-white relations before; during; and after emancipation.
#1718271 in Books Cornell University Press 2002-10-10Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.92 x .69 x 6.08l; .87 #File Name: 0801488184288 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Dean William Dean William LudwigExcellent**0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Sean GlissonPerfect15 of 17 people found the following review helpful. Shannon gets it rightBy A CustomerDr. Shannon has exploded a series of myths in this landmark study. His research is impeccable; his analysis bulletproof; and his writing elegant. Anyone interested in the collapse of the British Empire in North America should read this book and; I daresay; commit major parts of it to memory.You may have seen Dr. Shannon on The History Channel commenting on the authenticity of popular movies like Dances with Wolves and The Patriot. This man is serious; smart; and incisive. Read this book and hope he is working on more.
