A review by erine
Blades of Freedom: A Tale of Haiti, Napoleon, and the Louisiana Purchase by Nathan Hale

5.0

I vaguely recall the tale of the Louisiana Purchase, but this version fills in all the gaps and cracks in the history. There’s a bit of Napoleon’s early history; brief mentions of American colonial exploration; a lightning round of the French Revolution; a quick tie-in to the transatlantic slave trade; some details of European monarchy and U.S. government; a reminder about how disease affects the path of history, especially during war; and what single-minded activism can do (obtain your freedom but at a very bloody cost). It’s a lot to cover, and it’s a bit haphazard, but it’s also an endless series of fascinating tidbits.

I think one of the oddest pieces in this history is how the Haitian revolution did not inspire the U.S. to give slaves their freedom after seeing this violence. Instead they doubled down on restrictive and humane measures.