History, Politics & Society
Jean Barr opens the antique chest she inherited from her great-great-uncle Alexander and unravels the strands of his life as an evangelical Presbyterian minister in late nineteenth century Italy, unpacking the cover-ups in Britain’s history of Empire.
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Jean Barr opens the antique chest she inherited from her great-great-uncle Alexander and unravels the strands of his life as an evangelical Presbyterian minister in late nineteenth century Italy, unpacking the cover-ups in Britain’s history of Empire, and bringing to light the ingenious but ordinary ways in which a handful of families, even today, continue to shore up their wealth.
She uncovers a series of marriages that placed Alexander within shouting distance of a network of powerful families stretching over generations, families whose staying power has been rooted in hoarding and passing on land and capital. This is the backdrop to Alexander’s extraordinary life. It enabled him to flourish in Italy and, in his final years, to become a cheerleader for a dictator.
The Legacy: A Memoir is a telling of family history as world history.
Here's what readers have to say about this book....
This is an illuminating, meticulously researched and compelling account of the way in which a network of families accumulated wealth from participation in the slave trade and passed it onto succeeding generations. An exploration of the life of the author's great, great uncle broadens into a narrative that reveals how a small minority continue to benefit from the profits of slavery. Investments in property and land have continued to gain in value for a small elite of powerful families. The author's voice is clear and engaging throughout the book. Highly recommended!
