Beyond the River brings to brilliant life the dramatic story of the forgotten heroes of the Ripley; Ohio; line of the Underground Railroad.From the highest hill above the town of Ripley; Ohio; you can see five bends in the Ohio River. You can see the hills of northern Kentucky and the rooftops of Ripley’s riverfront houses. And you can see what the abolitionist John Rankin saw from his house at the top of that hill; where for nearly forty years he placed a lantern each night to guide fugitive slaves to freedom beyond the river. In Beyond the River; Ann Hagedorn tells the remarkable story of the participants in the Ripley line of the Underground Railroad; bringing to life the struggles of the men and women; black and white; who fought “the war before the war†along the Ohio River. Determined in their cause; Rankin; his family; and his fellow abolitionists—some of them former slaves themselves—risked their lives to guide thousands of runaways safely across the river into the free state of Ohio; even when a sensational trial in Kentucky threatened to expose the Ripley “conductors.†Rankin; the leader of the Ripley line and one of the early leaders of the antislavery movement; became nationally renowned after the publication of his Letters on American Slavery; a collection of letters he wrote to persuade his brother in Virginia to renounce slavery. A vivid narrative about memorable people; Beyond the River is an inspiring story of courage and heroism that transports us to another era and deepens our understanding of the great social movement known as the Underground Railroad.
#159369 in Books Simon n Schuster 1999-02-03 1999-02-03Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x 1.70 x 6.12l; 2.62 #File Name: 0684835657912 pages
Review
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Outstanding and DefinitiveBy CanailleIt's taken a long time to get through it; but it is worth the journey.An epic; detailed examination of the African Slave Trade from its inception by the Portuguese in the 15th century to its demise in Brazil in the late 19th. There is so much missing from our popular understanding of the slave trade; the biggest - in my opinion - being the participation of coastal African peoples as kidnappers and traders themselves. You will learn in fine; granular detail about every aspect of the trade; from the financing of voyages to the relative merits (as slaves) of the various groups that populated Africa. One thing I really like about Thomas' treatment of this subject is his avoidance of overtly shrill moralizing; instead letting the appalling facts reveal themselves in the details he provides. His chapter on the slaves' experience of crossing the Atlantic is horrifying. Overcrowded ships was merely one aspect of the crossing.All in all - a fantastic book.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A heavy read; but worth the timeBy CustomerThis is a very deep; comprehensive read -- rich with history and information; very educational and enlightening on an enormously important subject. But some sections are extremely thick with details and it can be a slow read through some parts; especially the first few chapters. But it's worth the time to get through. Not a light read. In fact; I took my time with this book; setting it aside for lighter reading from time to time.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent work by the historian Hugh ThomasBy tmazzilloIt is a bit too long; but it is a very deep analysis of the slave trade ! if you are interested in finding out about humanity; this is the right book. It discloses; fearlessly; the reality of the character of the human being. It is a deep voyage into the character; soul and cruelty of the human being. Worth reading. Excellent work by the historian Hugh Thomas.
