In THE ZORG, Siddharth Kara utilizes primary-source research, gripping storytelling, and painstaking investigation to uncover the Zorg’s journey, the lives and fates of the slaves on board, and the mysterious identity of the abolitionist who finally revealed the truth of what happened on the ship. In his letter to librarians, he dives into the importance of the story, and his desire for it to be passed along to patrons.
Dear Librarian,
THE ZORG tells the astonishing yet largely unknown tale of the most consequential slave ship that ever crossed the Atlantic.
A series of cascading consequences of the American Revolutionary War would place the Zorg in the hands of a woefully inadequate British crew. These men would commit the deliberate mass murder of slaves on board the Zorg when only the stars could bear witness. By fluke of circumstance, their actions would be exposed for all to see in a legal contest before the Lord Chief Justice of the British Empire. For the first time, extraordinary questions were being asked: were the Africans people or property? Were they animals or human beings? The contest would inspire the first movement to abolish slavery in England.
THE ZORG brings this fascinating story to a mass audience through a page-turning nautical tale that dovetails into a riveting courtroom drama. The story is rich in history and characters: a first-time slaveship captain, a shadowy figure in Africa who ends up in control of the ship, and a pioneering leader in the abolition of slavery.
As the reader follows the ship’s journey, the audacious machinery of the Atlantic slave trade is revealed: from the bustling docks of Liverpool to the slave dungeons in European forts and castles in Africa, to the dreadful “middle passage.”
By the time the journey ends, the Zorg would become the first undeniable argument against slavery. It became the one slave ship to stand for them all.
I hope you will support THE ZORG by offering this remarkable tale to your library patrons.
Yours sincerely,
Siddharth Kara
Pulitzer Prize finalist and NYT bestselling author of COBALT RED
Download a PDF of Siddharth Kara’s letter here!
The owner of this website has made a commitment to accessibility and inclusion, please report any problems that you encounter using the contact form on this website. This site uses the WP ADA Compliance Check plugin to enhance accessibility.
