Edward Ball explores his family's history, addressing five taboo topics: "Religion, Sex, Death, Money, and the Negro." He reveals the story of the Ball family, prominent slaveholders in the South, who had over four thousand slaves working on their rice plantations until their liberation in 1865.
Edward Ball Books
Edward Ball delves into the complex legacy of the American South, unearthing the hidden histories of his family and the enduring impact of slavery. His work offers a penetrating examination of historical injustices and their persistent echoes in the present day. Ball employs a deeply personal yet rigorously researched approach, weaving memoir with historical investigation. His writing challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about the past and its ongoing influence on contemporary society.




Slaves in the Family
- 576 pages
- 21 hours of reading
Explores the slave-holding dynasty of Elias Ball, a South Carolina plantation owner, the history of slave uprisings, and the memories of the descendants of those slaves.
Die Saga der Familie Ball, einer Dynastie von Plantagenbesitzern in South Carolina, die über hundertsiebzig Jahre hinweg insgesamt mehr als viertausend Sklaven besaß, ist zugleich die wie unter dem Mikroskop betrachtete Geschichte des amerikanischen Südens, der Revolution, des Bürgerkriegs und der Sklavenbefreiung. '(.) ein Meisterwerk der Geschichtsschreibung über die Sklaverei und die Folgen.' Die Welt
Slaven in de familie
Persoonlijke speurtocht naar voorouders, slaven, handelaren en hun verbondenheid door de eeuwen heen
- 384 pages
- 14 hours of reading
De geschiedenis -vanaf 1698- van een familie van grootgrondbezitters en slavenhouders en hun slaven in het zuiden van de Verenigde Staten.