The Black Count - by Tom Reiss (Paperback)

About the Book

Originally published in hardcover in 2012 by Crown Publishers.

Book Synopsis

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER - NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - A "richly imagined biography" (The New York Times Book Review) of General Alex Dumas, who rose from slavery to command vast armies in the French Revolutionary Wars--and whose exploits were immortalized in his son's novels The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers

"Fascinating [and] entertaining."--The Wall Street Journal
"Remarkable."--The Boston Globe
"A truly amazing story."--NPR

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Time, The New Republic, NPR, Salon, Essence

General Alex Dumas is a man almost unknown today, yet his story is strikingly familiar--because his son, the novelist Alexandre Dumas, used his larger-than-life feats as inspiration for such classics as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers.

But hidden behind General Dumas's swashbuckling adventures was an even more incredible secret: he was the son of a black slave--who rose higher in the white world than any man of his race would before our own time. Born in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti), Alex Dumas made his way to Paris, where he rose to command armies of more than 50,000 men at the height of the Revolution.

No matter how high he soared, Dumas continued to live by his blade and his boldness in the face of overwhelming odds. Yet, because of his unwavering principles, he ultimately became a threat to Napoleon himself.

Time magazine called The Black Count "one of those quintessentially human stories of strength and courage that sheds light on the historical moment that made it possible." It is also a window into the modern world's first multiracial society and a heartbreaking story of the enduring bonds of love between a father and son.

FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD

Review Quotes

"Fascinating . . . a richly imaginative biography."--New York Times Book Review

"Fascinating [and] impressively thorough . . . Reiss moves the story on at an entertaining pace."--Wall Street Journal

"Fascinating . . . Reiss argues that Dumas is an important, criminally neglected figure [and] it's difficult to argue with him. . . . A truly amazing story."--NPR

"To tell this tale, Reiss must cover the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and the rise of Napoleon toward Empire; he does all that with remarkable verve."--Boston Globe

"A piece of detective work by a prize-winning author . . . brilliantly researched."--Daily Mail (UK)

"Richly detailed, meticulously researched, and beautifully written."--Tucson Citizen

"Triumphant . . . Reiss directs a full-scale production that jangles with drawn sabers, trembles with dashing deeds, and resonates with the love of a son for a remarkable father."--The Herald (UK)

"A remarkable and almost compulsively researched account . . .The author spent a decade on the case, and it shows."--Christian Science Monitor

"A story that has everything . . . The Black Count has its own moving narrative thread, made compelling by Reiss's impassioned absorption with the general's fate."--The Literary Review

"A thoroughly researched, lively piece of nonfiction that will be savored by fans of Alexandre Dumas. But The Black Count needs no partner: It is fascinating enough to stand on its own."--Bookpage

"Thrilling . . . Reiss makes clear that Alex lived a life as full of adventure, triumph, and tragic loss as any of his son's literary creations. . . . This absorbing biography should redeem its subject from obscurity."--Booklist

"We believe we know the glories of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. We believe we understand the horror of slavery and the oppression of Africans. But what is the relationship between the grand goal of liberation and the deep tragedy of racism? As Reiss shows us, answers can be found in the extraordinary life of a forgotten French hero of the great revolutionary campaigns--a hero who was black."--Timothy Snyder, author of On Tyranny

About the Author

TOM REISS is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Black Count and the author of the celebrated international bestseller The Orientalist. His biographical pieces have appeared The New Yorker, The New York Times and other publications. He makes his home in New York City.