A breathtakingly original work of history that uncovers a massive enslaved persons' revolt that almost changed the face of the Americas On Sunday, February 27, 1763, thousands of slaves in the Dutch colony of Berbice--in present-day Guyana--launched a massive rebellion which came amazingly close to succeeding. Surrounded by jungle and savannah, the revolutionaries (many of them African-born) and Europeans struck and parried for an entire year. In the end, the Dutch prevailed because of one unique advantage--their ability to get soldiers and supplies from neighboring colonies and from Europe. Blood on the River is the explosive story of this little-known revolution, one that almost changed the face of the Americas. Drawing on nine hundred interrogation transcripts collected by the Dutch when the Berbice rebellion finally collapsed, and which were subsequently buried in Dutch archives, historian Marjoleine Kars reconstructs an extraordinarily rich day-by-day account of this pivotal event. Blood on the River provides a rare in-depth look at the political vision of enslaved people at the dawn of the Age of Revolution and introduces us to a set of real characters, vividly drawn against the exotic tableau of a riverine world of plantations, rainforest, and Carib allies who controlled a vast South American hinterland. An astonishing original work of history, Blood on the River will change our understanding of revolutions, slavery, and of the story of freedom in the New World.
Newsworthy historical discovery: Dutch-speaking historian discovered long-forgotten evidence of the uprising in Dutch archives; will attract human-interest coverage in national media, akin to Dawn of Detroit. Rare historical evidence: Collection of over 900 interrogation transcripts is one of largest repositories of first-person accounts from slaves, allows author to narrate events in real time, over the period of a year. Perennial interest in slavery: Book will appeal to growing interest in slave studies, from a totally unique perspective. TNP track: The New Press has exceptional sales track in this area, including Dawn of Detroit (7K copies in all editions) and Remembering Slavery (50K copies in all editions). Expert author: Kars is a prominent slavery historian with a unique background; this is her breakout book. Major blurbs: We have commitments from David Blight, Tiya Miles, Martha Jones, and Alan Taylor. Prize potential: Book is contender for major historical prizes, incl