An Emancipation of the Mind
Radical Philosophy, the War Over Slavery, and the Refounding of America

The publisher's description may make this title seem like it could be a bit of a slog, but let me assure you that this is a very lively account of the intellectual underpinnings of the abolitionist movement. For me the most surprising aspect of the movement was that it defied the organized religions......more

An extraordinary work. Stewart diverges from the usual retelling the history of slavery and the antislavery movement featuring the usual cast of characters to delve into the philosophical underpinnings of each. Frederick Douglass is there, of course, but he focuses also on less remembered, but incre......more

Definitely don’t read hardly any philosophy books but I think this one was just the right amount of mixing philosophy and history for me. The origins of the abolition movement from philosophical thinking is very cool as well as seeing how the abolitionists of the 19th century used them. Always great......more

If you are looking for a "you are there" dip into the reality of pre-Civil War America and the twists and turns involved on all sides about the "Southern system" and the true nature of slavery and those who fought to end it, this is a good book to consider. Quite ably and fluidly written, it most abl......more

This is one telling of the journey the United States took in the 19th century from a country with slaves to one without. The author frames this as one based on religious principles, but I would say it really was based on the premise of white supremacy. The driving force in American politics in the d......more