Concise History of Haitian Revolution 1st Edition

This is an outstanding book by a brilliant yet humble scholar. I've read several books about Haitian history and, in particular, about the Revolution, but this one is, by far, the clearest of the lot. Popkin leaves no stone unturned, he takes the reader by the hand and develops the narrative slowly but surely. The causes of the insurrection are presented in detail, every development is commented upon, and the main characters (French Commissioner Sonthonax, Toussaint Louverture, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, André Rigaud and others) are as fully delineated as surviving documentation allows. In addition, the book calls the reader's attention to apparently insignificant details or episodes which hold a key to understanding Haiti's national character. While I wouldn't do without Laurent Dubois (Avengers of the New World), C.L.R. James (Black Jacobins) and even Philippe Girard (Haiti: A Tumultuous History, a very iconoclastic book), this is where I would start my study of Haitian history. And believe me, it's a fascinating history. Thank you, Professor Popkin, for a job wonderfully done.

A very readable introduction to the Haitian Revolution. It is a good place to start if you are new to the subject matter and is suitable to assign to undergraduate classes (as I have done). Popkin adeptly narrates the complicated ins-and-outs of the uprising, without losing sight of its historical significance or larger international context. Thankfully, it avoids the hero worship of some other works on the topic, while still giving the truly talented leadership of the revolution (L'Ouverture, Dessalines, Christophe, Moise, etc.) their due. For those interested in further reading, I recommend C.L.R. James's seminal study, *Black Jacobins*, as well as more recent works by Laurent Dubois and Carolyn Fick. For a more inside-baseball view that gets into the fine print and details of the Haitian Revolution and its context, have a look at some of David Geggus's books and edited volumes.

Very informative, bought for a class

This is an excellent, well-researched book on the history of Haiti’s revolution. The text is a must-have for serious scholars of Caribbean history—or even for interested laymen. I’ve read it twice: once in preparation for teaching the subject and again in preparation for my doctoral exams. Popkin has done an outstanding job of assimilating the information and of presenting it in a linear, comprehensible format. He also points the reader to other valuable sources of information. I highly recommend this text.

Excellent read from beginning to end great book on the topic. Excellent source for teaching the Haitian Revolution, very vivid.

Need more true stories like this to come out.

GREAT READ

Nice clean book