Description: Atlantic Biographies: Individuals and Peoples in the Atlantic World, profiles individuals who dramaticaly impacted and shaped a world that connected the Americas, Africa, and Europe. Each contributor sketches a biography that demonstrates how important individuals were to creating and imagining the Atlantic world from 1600 to 1850.
Review Quotes: "Fortin and Meuwese employ biography as a means of providing unique insights into Atlantic societies. The edited collection highlights the tensions and contradictions within the Atlantic world to demonstrate how individuals navigated, confronted, and shaped this world. The 13 essays are organized into three overarching categories: Atlantic Sojourners, Slavery and Freedom on the Edges of the Atlantic World, and Forging Atlantic Identities. The subject matter is diverse, and readers are presented with a wide range of interesting stories, including Alexander von Humboldt and his scientific investigations in the Americas; an Irishman sent to Africa as punishment for his crimes; indigenous and Maroon leaders in the Atlantic world; the story of Pierre Biard, a priest accused of piracy. By including such a wide array of topics, the book is certain to be of value to a broad range of scholars. Taken as a whole, this thought-provoking work demonstrates the value of biography as a tool for understanding Atlantic history. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above." - J. Rankin, East Tennessee State [This review appeared in Vol. 51 No. 08 (April 2014) issue of Choice. Copyright 2014 American Library Association]