Blood On The River: A Chronicle Of Mutiny And Freedom On The Wild Coast
by Marjoleine Kars
Buy on AmazonA breathtakingly original work of history that uncovers a massive slave 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.…
Recommended by
"A fascinating, hitherto untold account of the 1763-64 slave rebellion in Dutch Berbice (modern Guyana), predating the better-known Haitian slave rebellion by nearly three decades. Blood on the River comes alive with period illustrations, as well as meticulous attention to primary sources. Kars recounts a tale of oppression, bloodshed and some triumph; rebelling slaves held off their masters for nearly a year. Her book is a gripping tale about the human need for freedom. It is also a story of shifting loyalties among slaves, between slaves and Amerindians, and among the Europeans themselves."
NPR Books We Love — 2020 · apps.npr.org