TOUSSAINT L'OUVERTURE

By Thomas and Dorothy Hoobler
Chelsea House Publishers, New York, 1990
ISBN # 1-55546-818-7 (cloth)
ISBN # 0-7910-0705-7 (paper)

Reviewed by Brian Corbett

Toussaint L'Ouverture is one of Haiti's greatest hero's. He led Haiti to victory over French General Leclerc in the revolution of the slaves lasting from 1791 to 1802.

Toussaint was born a slave around 1743, and raised on a plantation owned by a relatively humane nobleman, the Compte de Noe. Fortunate enough to receive adequate education, Toussaint studied tirelessly, setting himself apart from the other slaves.

When, in 1791 the slaves rebelled, Toussaint joined their ranks as a medic. Before long, he was their leader. He led his warriors to victory over the superpowers France, Spain, and Britain.

But, he did not live to see complete victory. The French captured and imprisoned him with treacherous deception. He soon died in the cold Swiss prison fortress of La Joux.

This short biography by Thomas and Dorothy Hoobler, is a well written, historically precise narrative of Toussaint's Since the book is easy to read and informative, I'd recommend it for all ages.


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