Unspools the complex lives of Black and white residents of Prince Edward County, Va., before the Civil War ... Each dissected in detail, Ely convincingly reveals how the antebellum social order was defined both by violent white supremacy and by a surprising variety of interracial relationships ... Historians typically process their research behind the scenes and serve up a relatively smooth narrative, using citations or summaries of evidence to buttress their interpretations. By contrast, Ely gives us an X-ray view into how he works ... His conversational tone echoes the intimacy of the relationships he traces in the book, although in a few instances his affection for details ends up distracting from his larger points.
This is an outstanding book. Ely offers a deep dive into courthouse records and brings private lives of the past into the present in a format readers will respect, cherish, and learn from.
