Slaves in the Family (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
Worth buying if: You value memoir shaped by archival research.
Skip it if: You prefer tightly plotted fiction.
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780345431059. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.
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Summary
In Slaves in the Family, Edward Ball investigates his ancestors' involvement in slavery and follows the African American families tied to that history. The book combines family memoir with historical inquiry.
Why this book now
Its examination of inherited responsibility and American slavery remains urgent wherever private family history meets public memory.
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Best for readers who...
Good fit if you want...
- You value memoir shaped by archival research.
- You want slavery history rooted in one family's record.
- If you appreciate moral ambiguity, the wit is understated and piercing, bringing lightness without undercutting the stakes of the story.
- You prefer tightly plotted fiction.
- You want a brief or purely academic treatment.
- If dense prose feels tiring, this book invests more in character and mood than in fast-moving plot events.
Decided it fits?
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780345431059
Worth buying if: You value memoir shaped by archival research.
Skip it if: You prefer tightly plotted fiction.
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.
Reader guide
Cues to help you decide faster.
Reading commitment
Steady Needs some room
At 544 pages, this is a substantial reading project, suited to sustained attention rather than a quick overview.
What stands out here
This 1998 Ballantine Reader's Circle record presents the full 544-page edition of Ballantine Books' title.
Best way to approach it
Read it as both a family investigation and a historical account, noticing how personal testimony and documented ancestry meet.
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Exact edition: ISBN-13 9780345431059
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.