This was a really informative read that was a little dry in places and leaned on the scholarly side. There were some fascinating moments, including the early life of Harriet Tubman, but there was also a lot of information about wills, mortgages and pensions, which was a bit of a slog. Overall, this was a bit of a mixed bag, but those with a real interest in the period can definitely get a lot out of it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I listened to the audio edition of this book, so I'm going to fully separate my comments about the content of the book itself from some quibbles about the audio experience to not detract from the brilliant achievement of research and analysis the author has provided us.

The book - *****+
I'm not sure that anyone who hasn't spent a lot of time with 19th century (or earlier) primary sources can fully appreciate what an enormous contribution this book represents to our collective understanding of not only the events of the Combahee River Raid itself, but of Black social structures and culture in the low country and beyond before, during, and after the Civil War. The author rather modestly describes her process in her note at the end of the book, but consider that she had to:

1. Recognize that Harriet Tubman working with the US Army was not the only significant story to tell about the raid (although the book adds new insights to that angle as well).
2. Decide to focus her research on primary sources rather than oral tradition, despite the fact that the sources in question were unindexed, handwritten pension files and loose papers (also handwritten - typewriters were not a thing in 1863) from the estates of long-departed enslaver families.
3. Physically locate, read, transcribe, and index these records, mostly during a worldwide pandemic.
4. Figure out who was who in the records, despite the use of multiple names by almost everyone and the fact that the pension files reflect what the government needed to hear to deem the applicant eligible, even if it included some "partial truths" and the enslavers' papers reflect an attempt to procure the largest possible compensation for their losses.
5. Map out all of the relationships involved despite the previously mentioned challenges.
6. Weave all of this into the existing historical record to provide context and put those involved into the story where they belong.

And then, after all that, she wrote a book that is accessible to a broad audience. This isn't a textbook or reference material. It's like the raid itself is the eye of the hurricane and the book encompasses the arms that spiral out from it. From the ships themselves to the land the enslaved laborers were forced to work; from the transatlantic slave trade to the importance of rice to the South Carolina and US economies; from languages to marriages to basket names to military politics: this is truly an epic. And it's all told with full documentation, no attribution of unknowable feelings or dialogue, and a dedication to honoring the memory of these forgotten events and people.

I will admit to some level of frustration in the early chapters with what I considered to be unnecessary background - but then I remembered that we live in a world where it's considered controversial or dangerous to speak (or write) basic truths about our country's origins and history. Authors can no longer assume that their audience has even the most basic information about slavery, the antebellum south, or even the chronology of the Civil War itself. To have produced this work in this environment only adds to its magnitude.

Now, as for the audio version.....
***
The fundamental problem is that this is not a book that is well-suited to the audio format. The plethora of names of both people and places, the (necessary) skipping around the chronology, and the author's accurate and useful but somewhat-wordy-in-verbal-form language are made to be read, annotated, flipped back and forth through, and quoted. These are not things that are easily accomplished in most audiobook interfaces. There is no good way that I have seen to include footnotes or references in an audiobook (aside from providing them in written form, which rather defeats the purpose of listening), so while I support the decision to not try, it is a loss compared to the written edition.

The narrator generally does a good job with the somewhat repetitive and wordy language (not a criticism - it's just not a style that rolls naturally in speech). However, I'm not sure if there was an error in her script or what, but I have never in my life heard a person substitute Calvary for cavalry so many times in a row. Perhaps she usually narrates religious texts or travel guides to the holy lands. But there is a chapter about the Charleston Light Dragoons that (unsurprisingly) includes the world cavalry dozens of times that I was shocked was not re-recorded. I understand that it's time consuming and expensive to make corrections, but this rose to the point of distracting from the text.

So go get yourself a written copy and a set of sticky notes, and prepare to learn something.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is such important history that Dr. Fields-Black has done phenomenal research putting together! This text should be in all colleges and universities across the country. Thank you!

If you have ancestors that you’ve wondered about and know they may have lived around the time of this raid or was involved in it, read. This. Book.

If you want a more factual, document-like telling of a part of American history, read. This. Book.

I felt more like I was reading documents than hearing a story but talk about extremely extensive and thorough details pre raid, of the raid and post raid.

The most beautiful part of this novel is the names. Something tells me the majority of the names given throughout are not well known whatsoever and are of the many slaves, freed, fighting Black Americans of this country’s history. Although we hear much about Harriet Tubman, which drew me to the novel in the first place, I felt that a legacy was given to all those named, maybe some for the first time in a public work.

This is such an important story of our own history. I am grateful to have listened to Tubman's narrative and learn more about the origins of Combee and it's influence on the river collective.

I absolutely enjoyed this book. I loved the deep history with true oral accounts. I writer's passion and love for this is felt in ever word. Once I understood the relationship of the writer to the situation, my love grew exponentially. It did read like a typical history book. That does not take away from the charm, as long as you enjoy the knowledge gained. Highly recommend for my history buff fans!

This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Dr. Eddie L. Fields-Black, RB Media, and NetGalley.

This is so much more than a history of the Combahee River Raid. This covers the history of the area from colonization until 1863 and beyond. It also goes over the basic laws that governed the Transatlantic Slave Trade and how that functioned on the West African coast as well as in English colonies and later the United States. To label this as 'thorough' does not do it justice. This is unbelievably meticulous. Dr. Fields-Black outdid herself with this. I'm blown away.

This offers a fascinating look at Harriet Tubman and her family, of course. Also, other Black folks of this era and beyond are discussed: Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth come immediately to mind. This isn't a biography of Tubman. There already exist at least two very thorough biographies of her, as the author herself points out. This does give some biographical information on other participants in the Combahee River Raid.
This really offers a tremendous education not only on this particular Raid but also how chattel slavery functioned during the Antebellum period full stop.

I pre-ordered this in book form as soon as I read about it, though this review is based on the audiobook. After listening to this, I also ordered a copy from Audible. I look forward to rereading this. This is information dense, and I need to return to it to see what it can add to my own personal studies of US chattel slavery. The information is organized in logical ways, and the narrative flows smoothly.
I highly recommend this for my abolitionist friends as well as my history friends. This offers something for everyone.
Harriet Tubman was amazing. She has been a personal hero of mine my entire life. May she rest in power♥️

The narrator of this history book is Machelle Williams. Her voice is crisp, educated, and relaxed. Her skill with narration makes this feel not at all long or like a history lecture. Well done.

Thank you to Dr. Eddie L. Fields-Black, RBMedia, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

Combee is a meticulously researched and compellingly written account of a pivotal moment in American history. Cate Lineberry successfully brings to light the bravery and strategic brilliance of Harriet Tubman, offering readers a deeper appreciation of her legacy and the impact of the Combahee River Raid. This book is a valuable addition to Civil War literature and an inspiring read for anyone interested in the history of Black freedom and resistance.

5 Stars!!!!! Combee, by Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black is a well researched history about the extraordinary Harriet Tubman, and one of her most important accomplishments, the Combahee River raid. This incredible true story is not boring, or dry, it is an engaging audio book that had me memorized from beginning to end. The narrator did a wonderful job bringing this exceptional book to life.