A seminal and original work that delves deeply into what slaveholders thought."Outstanding . . . One of the few books that systematically explores what slaveholders thought. A great book, essential for black history courses and for intellectual studies"-- John Blassingame."Required Reading for every serious scholar in the field." - F. N. Boney, The American Historical Review"I recommend this volume to the attention of all conservatives, students of historiography, and historians of the South.. Genovese is perfecting the instrument of Marxist historical scholarship. Those of us who are otherwise persuaded should even now prepare to answer. For he is clearly the variety of Marxist we can ignore only at some peril. - M. E. Bradford, National Review"Sparkles with originality . a most important contribution." -J. H. Plumb, New York Review of Books"The book is full of fresh material and striking instances of analysis.. [It] also contains a large number of obiter dicta that will inspire readers to make novel economic studies and adopt unconventional lines of thought." - Allan Nevins, Saturday ReviewEUGENE D. GENOVESE is Distinguished Professor of Arts and Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Rochester. In 1987-1988 he was on leave at the Humanities Research Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and in 1988-89 he was visiting professor at William and Mary.