Avengers of the new world The story of the Haitian Revolution

In a remarkable year in which the 200th anniversary of Haiti's independence collided with the undeniable recognition that Haitian politics are still being shaped by outside forces, Harvard Univ. Press has had the prescience to launch a wonderful retelling of the events and individuals who engineered the Haitian Revolution. Although the history of the slave rebellions and the severing of Haiti's colonial ties with France has been told (and well) several times, this wonderfully readable account is a timely reminder of the perils and sacrifices that marked Haiti's revolutionary path, resulting in only the second independent nation of this hemisphere. Dubois (Michigan State Univ.) rightfully emphasizes the impact of French revolutionary principles (i.e., the Rights of Man) on the Haitian rebel slaves, as well as the inextricable influence of French politics on the fate of its Caribbean colony, highlighted by the power struggles between Napoleon and Louverture. The author's insights about the nature of solidarity, trust, and leadership among the slaves, as well as the organization of insurgents across the colony, are well worth recalling, especially in this fateful year. Highest recommendations. ^BSumming Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. R. M. Delson American Museum of Natural History

Like many other books (e.g., David Geggus's The Impact of the Haitian Revolution in the Atlantic World), Dubois's analyzes the Haitian Revolution of 1791-1803, the largest and only successful slave revolt in history, responsible for transforming the Caribbean's richest colony into the first independent nation in Latin America. Dubois (history, Michigan State Univ.) asserts that the events of the revolt and their results in Haiti symbolized that the rights proclaimed in "France's 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen were indeed universal." He sees the Haitian Revolution as a "uniquely transcultural movement." Unlike other authors, he places the violence of this massive uprising in context, validating its complexity; analyzes its participants regardless of their racial designations-white, mulatto, or black; and focuses on the political schemes that surfaced at the different phases of the revolution. Clearly written, well researched, and with excellent notes, this work would be useful for researchers, since Dubois's intent is to "spur the imagination as well as to invite response and revision." Recommended for anyone interested in Caribbean history and slavery.-Edward McCormack, Univ. of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Lib. & Media Ctr., Long Beach (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.