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rachelemm 's review for:
Black Spartacus: The Epic Life of Toussaint Louverture
by Sudhir Hazareesingh
I was curious to read this book because, although I was vaguely aware of Toussaint as a cult figure among Haitian people as the founder of their free nation, I really didn't know much else. Add that to the very cool title and front cover and I was sold.
As a route to gaining insight into Toussaint's approach to battle and strategy this book is excellent, it is packed with sources and references. I appreciated the inclusion of artwork, posters and newspaper clippings which brought the text to life. Unfortunately not much is known about the early life of Toussaint, even the year of his birth is in contention and so understandably the focus of this book is on his time as a general and leader of the people of Saint Domingue, which eventually became modern day Haiti following the slave revolt of 1791. While I found Toussiant's war victories interesting to read about, I was disappointed there wasn't more about his personal life. Call me nosy but those are the things that really interest me, there was minimal reference to his wife, children and mistresses. Toussaint didn't seem to have many confidantes or friends either which made it hard to connect with him as a person and get to know him on a deeper level.
Hazareesingh's writing style is quite academic and while the language is clear and easy to read, I did not always find it entertaining or compelling. As the book went on, I struggled to focus on what seemed to be unending descriptions of battles and negotiation strategies. I suspect I would have benefited from reading the book more slowly alongside other lighter works to break it up a bit as it was dense in some parts.
What I can't fault Hazareesingh on is his research, he did the work no question! He even manages to dispel some myths about Toussaint. Rather than describing him as a blood-thirsty rebel who sought freedom for himself and his people at any cost, we see that Toussaint was ultimately a man of principle who valued rules and wanted to gain freedom through the correct channels. He did not gain respect from his people through tyranny but rather by unifying them under a shared purpose and giving them a sense of self worth. Toussaint wanted to work alongside the French not in opposition to them and everything he did had the underlying objective of proving to his white counterparts that black people were capable of behaving honourably and ruling themselves. Towards the end of the book, Hazareesingh demonstrates how Toussaint has influenced modern art and literature; it was fascinating to see how a figure who has been dead for over 200 years still has the power to inspire.
If like me you would like to know more about Toussiant and how he came to hold his current mythical status, this book would be a great place to start and will no doubt act as a springboard to seek out more information on this exceptional historical figure. `
As a route to gaining insight into Toussaint's approach to battle and strategy this book is excellent, it is packed with sources and references. I appreciated the inclusion of artwork, posters and newspaper clippings which brought the text to life. Unfortunately not much is known about the early life of Toussaint, even the year of his birth is in contention and so understandably the focus of this book is on his time as a general and leader of the people of Saint Domingue, which eventually became modern day Haiti following the slave revolt of 1791. While I found Toussiant's war victories interesting to read about, I was disappointed there wasn't more about his personal life. Call me nosy but those are the things that really interest me, there was minimal reference to his wife, children and mistresses. Toussaint didn't seem to have many confidantes or friends either which made it hard to connect with him as a person and get to know him on a deeper level.
Hazareesingh's writing style is quite academic and while the language is clear and easy to read, I did not always find it entertaining or compelling. As the book went on, I struggled to focus on what seemed to be unending descriptions of battles and negotiation strategies. I suspect I would have benefited from reading the book more slowly alongside other lighter works to break it up a bit as it was dense in some parts.
What I can't fault Hazareesingh on is his research, he did the work no question! He even manages to dispel some myths about Toussaint. Rather than describing him as a blood-thirsty rebel who sought freedom for himself and his people at any cost, we see that Toussaint was ultimately a man of principle who valued rules and wanted to gain freedom through the correct channels. He did not gain respect from his people through tyranny but rather by unifying them under a shared purpose and giving them a sense of self worth. Toussaint wanted to work alongside the French not in opposition to them and everything he did had the underlying objective of proving to his white counterparts that black people were capable of behaving honourably and ruling themselves. Towards the end of the book, Hazareesingh demonstrates how Toussaint has influenced modern art and literature; it was fascinating to see how a figure who has been dead for over 200 years still has the power to inspire.
If like me you would like to know more about Toussiant and how he came to hold his current mythical status, this book would be a great place to start and will no doubt act as a springboard to seek out more information on this exceptional historical figure. `