THE SLAVE SHIP A Human History

The chilling accounts of eighteenth-century slave ships written by captains, sailors, and the captives themselves depict more cruelty and suffering than fiction could imagine. One sadistic captain chopped off the extremities of rebellious captives, ending with the head, to quell any uprisings by others. Narrator David Drummond pronounces the African names, places, and tribes with ease, and his precise speech enunciates every word. He separates the author's writing from the stilted English of the time with a beginning pause, but gives no clue when the quotes end. The frequent switches would have been cleaner had he employed some accents or voices for the hundreds of personal accounts. Another improvement would have had Drummond reading the poetry with more expression. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 08]