Reviews for Rough Crossings

The average rating for Rough Crossings based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-05-29 00:00:00 Marcelo Nascimento The lives and stories of both escaped and freed slaves are rarely covered in America's history prior to the Civil War, and Simon Schama indulges the audience with a captivating history of their journeys and those most-ardent supporters who granted them a new world, livelihood, and an overall "pursuit" of happiness. Having read Schama's prior works such as his monumental account of the French Revolution, Citizens, the casual reader may be hesitant in undertaking another drawn-out chronicle. However, Rough Crossings is less academic in its approach by following a simple timeline and narrative, focusing on the major players that helped slaves whom were loyal to the Crown gain freedom in Nova Scotia and Sierra Leone. The book begins with a helpful summary of the Revolutionary War's end'complete with its overall disregard for the "liberty" not granted to slaves'as well as the major players whom were key to early abolition discussions. Indeed, he diligently covers these liberty-minded pioneers and their radical fight to seek justice for the rights of those African Americans who stayed loyal to the Crown. Granville Sharp easily takes center stage throughout the narrative as one of the more interesting and concise biographies covered, genuine in taking on the cause of former slaves in England as well as pioneering the plan for blacks to settle in Sierra Leone. Upon inhabiting Nova Scotia, the dynamics and institutions developed by freed slaves are discussed in great detail, with fascinating insight on their relations with the local government and that of Great Britain itself. This includes their abhorrence to excessive taxes, voting privileges, employment and living conditions, voyages, and eventual settlement in free territories and states. Schama paints this setting with defined descriptions on such matters as the innovative designs of ship conditions prior to crossing the Atlantic'and the association and treatment of blacks by whites in the new settlements: What John Clarkson had designed was an inter-racial, floating Christian republic: bound for freedom, glory and the merited blessings of God. The journey was not just about an escape from bondage, as all the others had been; it would be an experimental voyage of social transformation. Because no distinctions would be tolerated between blacks and whites, Clarkson wrote, "they [the blacks] are to become Men." What was more, he wished them, in their own land, to throw off all the old habits of servility, not just as slaves but even as servants. Those higher in command in the British army are appropriately given their due respect in their involvement and empathy towards both escaped and former Loyalist slaves'including Lord Dunmore, Henry Clinton, Guy Carleton, and Cornwallis. The book's shortcomings are few and far between, though the one disappointment to be considered involves the brief second half of Schama's work, which could have focused more on the day-to-day life following the initial settlement in both Canada and Africa. The final "Endings, Beginnings" epilogue is suitable in adding closure to each of the major characters discussed, as well as abolition's gradual effect through time in Europe and the United States from 1802 to 1847. A list and short description of each of the men and women portrayed is included at the beginning titled "Dramatis Personae", as well as illustrations that can be found in the middle of the book. Read the Full Review and More

Review # 2 was written on 2018-04-16 00:00:00 Jeffrey Schmidt Interesting take on the campaign for the abolition of slavery. The central contention of the book is that in the American War of Independence, the British were seen by the black community as representing freedom and liberty. At one point Schama provocatively claims that it was only when it became clear that the British were prepared to arm slaves to fight against the colonial uprising in the North East that the political uprising over representation and taxes became a full fledged war of independence as the Southern plantation owners realised their whole economic system was under threat. However, aside from this contention, the section focusing on the War is (a little like Schama's "A History of Britain" series, hard to follow at times, with lots of minutiae but little of the bigger picture and an assumption that the reader knows the subject under discussion already). The second half of the book concentrates on the journey of the now freed slaves who did fight for the British to Sierra Leone (via Nova Scotia) including the role of key British abolitionists such as Granville Sharp, Thomas Clarkson (and the role played by his brother John as a father figure for the fledgling black community) as well as Thomas Peters - the first black politician in the white world. This section although too detailed is very interesting and well written.