I have not read much about the Wanderer and Charles Lamar in the past, but these letters and Jordan's book are a valuable piece of American History. Jordan uses the book to give information in two ways: the first part a narrative of Lamar's life, the second: his letters. The first helps readers understand bits of the man, the second the slave trade. Jordan also makes good use of other sources to comprise a complete work that can interest anyone that enjoys American history. Reading the book makes one wonder what else is hiding in an old attic, or what is being squirreled away from the eyes of historians that could add valuable information about America's past. Occasionally, I got lost in all the names and places, but I still enjoyed reading this book, which is why I only give it 3 stars (I read a lot of history and nonfiction, and do not usually get lost when reading). I would recommend this to anyone wanting to know more about the African slave trade and the type of people that would engage in such behavior.

Every English literature PhD student’s wet dream, a found text in need of exegesis. Snark aside, this is a fascinating work and a truly engaging examination of a piece of history.

As a history buff and researcher, this title appealed to me right away. I am from the Brunswick/Jekyll Island area and my family has been there since before we were a country. 

Lamar is a reckless and troubled man. Having his livelihood pretty much handed to him by his father, he proceeds to run every business he touches into the ground. 

The book give the reader quite a bit of information that even I haven't seen before. These letters are a valuable piece of history not only for Georgia but for the entire country. I would hope that this information would be widely spread in our schools.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone searching for answers about our beginnings and what almost tore our country apart.

I had never heard of the story of Charles Lamar and the tale of the Wanderer before. It was eye opening and shocking. The one thing I would have liked to have known....whatever happened to the Africans that landed in the U.S. from the Wanderer.
I think that the author needed to stay focused more on the important details...I got lost in the names and places of all that was happening.

I have to admit that up to reading this volume - which I received in exchange for this hopefully unbiased review from Netgalley & the publisher; University of Georgia Press, my knowledge of slavery in the US Southern states was based on British attitudes and a large portion of fiction read during my younger days.
The book cannot be a comfortable read because it deals with the horrors, misery and death of Africans who through no fault of their own were abducted and sold into slavery by unscrupulous traders to other unscrupulous business men with a distorted view of their own supposedly natural privileges of a bygone era.
The writing of the author is exemplary and his treatment of the material and the subject appears totally reliable and true to the original papers.
I cannot feel sympathy for the protagonists but the author does allow the opportunity for the reader to comprehend in part the reasons, motives and rationale behind the slavers' actions. Greed certainly, a perverted sense of their own exclusive rights, also the drive to prove their belief in their superiority added to their untrammelled belief that the were not doing wrong.
The book also highlights their own unscrupulous treatment of their partners in these crimes. If you want to get a glimpse of the "Southern Gentlemen" of mid nineteenth century America this is a must read.
I have given the five stars for the very competent handling by the author of this fascinating research.

The author does and excellent job of presenting an academic text in a very readable, and enjoyable fashion. As a student of U.S. southern history, this is a must read. The aspect of states desire to reopen slave trade in the 1850's and 60's is often overlooked.