On February 27, 1763, thousands of slaves in the Dutch colony of Berbice (in present-day Guyana) launched a rebellion that came stunningly close to succeeding. Informed by 900 interrogation transcripts collected by the Dutch, this Cundill Prize winner is the explosive story of a little-known uprising that almost changed the face of the Americas.

"A masterpiece…. You'll find no easy platitudes herein. Instead, you'll find human beings in full relief, acting with courage, kindness, calculation, and mendacity in their quest for self-determination."—Elizabeth Fenn