27 pages • 54 minutes read
Walter JohnsonSoul by Soul: Life Inside the Antebellum Slave Market
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1999A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Soul by Soul by Walter Johnson examines the inner workings of the New Orleans slave market, revealing how the 19th-century Southern economy relied on the commodification of enslaved individuals to support the sugar, tobacco, and cotton industries. Using primary sources like slave narratives, bills of sale, and slaveholder correspondence, Johnson discusses the "chattel principle" that stripped identity from individuals, how slaveholders justified dehumanization, and the pervasive culture and rhetoric that sustained the slave market. The book also explores rituals of sale, the development of racial categories, and the struggles between slaveholders and enslaved people, culminating in the harsh realities of plantation life post-sale. The book covers topics of human commodification, violence, and the dehumanizing impact of racism.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Walter Johnson's Soul by Soul has garnered praise for its meticulous research and compelling narrative, offering profound insights into the antebellum slave market. Critics laud its vivid portrayal of enslaved individuals' agency and the moral complexities faced by all parties. However, some find its academic tone dense. Overall, it's a pivotal work in understanding American slavery.
Who Should Read Soul by Soul?
A reader fascinated by antebellum Southern history, the economics of slavery, and its human impact will find Soul by Soul compelling. Similar to Edward Baptist’s The Half Has Never Been Told and Ira Berlin’s Slaves Without Masters, Johnson's work appeals to those seeking in-depth analysis of slavery's interpersonal dynamics.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsBook Details
History: U.S.