Reviewed August 2006 A quick read of only a couple hours, but lots of information and pictures are crammed in. This book would make an excellent reference for a lecture about the subject. To the point with enough detail to explain the difficulties with the case but not enough to bore students into confusion or sleep. I feel the author did a good job showing the conflict Americans had with slavery. They wanted cheap products from the South which could only be produced by free labor. Northerners were very prejudiced people who sometimes believed the propaganda. the Abolitionists were discussed in a good light but the author didn’t explain how divided they were on what to do with freed slaves. The missionary work and teaching the Amistad slaves to speak English so they could defend themselves and become Christians was distressing to hear, but to a lot of anti-slavery people winning Africans over to Christ was their goal. I knew almost nothing about this revolt except the basics this book really helped to understand the slave trade. It really showed off Adams and Van Buren in the spotlight - interesting. 20-2006 ( )