The Business of Slavery - Two Princes of Calabar

Like The Diligent, Sparks’ Two Princes of Calabar sheds new light on the familiar topic of African slavery – at least, a topic I thought was familiar until I read these two books. My previous understanding of slavery was entirely based on what I had read about the experience of slaves, slaveholders, and abolitionists in America, primarily in the 19th century. These books take the reader into the roots of slavery, forming a whole new understanding.

One of the things that struck me most about Two Princes was the way that Sparks’ focus on the intricate business aspects almost obscures the abject horror that permeated the entire business. There were points in the book when, after several pages of examination of the profits, negotiations, and wealth-building involved, Sparks almost had to remind the reader that the entire foundation of these financial transactions was a system that routinely destroyed lives and families. The experience of being shocked back into that recognition after focusing on the practical aspects of slavery gave me another insight: a slight, fleeting understanding of how the British traders, ship owners, and others who facilitated the system without getting their hands dirty could exist in a state of denial, focusing on the business at hand without having to witness the shocking reality of slavery’s human impact.