06/26/2017
Rediker (Outlaws of the Atlantic), professor of Atlantic history at the University of Pittsburgh, successfully rescues Lay from obscurity, arguing that the adventurous, single-minded Quaker was one of the abolition movement’s forebears. Living in a pre–Revolutionary War era during which Quakers owned slaves, England-born Lay used his impressive oratorical command of Scripture and a penchant for big gestures to shock and berate Christians of multiple denominations into opposing slavery. Quaker records express their leaders’ befuddlement regarding their “wayward” member; Lay’s own controversial and unconventional book—which Benjamin Franklin quietly published—shows Lay’s undiminished devotion to his cause. Rediker adroitly describes nuances of the Quaker faith’s evolution, with Lay’s anti-materialist beliefs and refusal to adhere to church hierarchy evocative of the sect’s early years. While the emphasis is on abolition and Lay’s difficulties with fellow Quakers, Rediker also describes how Lay’s marriage to a fellow minister, Sarah, strengthened his resolve. Lay’s significant experience as a sailor and traveler added greater insight into the horrific conditions of slaves in Barbados and the Colonies, which he described in his frequent verbal barrages. Though the Quaker Comet was known for his impatience and stridency, his revolutionary beliefs regarding abolition, vegetarianism, gender equality, and simplicity prove that Lay’s farsightedness and extensive advocacy deserve to be remembered. Illus. (Sept.)
The little-known story of an eighteenth-century Quaker dwarf who fiercely attacked slavery and imagined a new, more humane way of life
In The Fearless Benjamin Lay, renowned historian Marcus Rediker chronicles the transatlantic life and times of a singular man-a Quaker dwarf who demanded the total, unconditional emancipation of all enslaved Africans around the world. Mocked and scorned by his contemporaries, Lay was unflinching in his opposition to slavery, often performing colorful guerrilla theater to shame slave masters, insisting that human bondage violated the fundamental principles of Christianity. He drew on his ideals to create a revolutionary way of life, one that embodied the proclamation “no justice, no peace.”
Lay was born in 1682 in Essex, England. His philosophies, employments, and places of residence-spanning England, Barbados, Philadelphia, and the open seas-were markedly diverse over the course of his life. He worked as a shepherd, glove maker, sailor, and bookseller. His worldview was an astonishing combination of Quakerism, vegetarianism, animal rights, opposition to the death penalty, and abolitionism.
While in Abington, Philadelphia, Lay lived in a cave-like dwelling surrounded by a library of two hundred books, and it was in this unconventional abode where he penned a fiery and controversial book against bondage, which Benjamin Franklin published in 1738. Always in motion and ever confrontational, Lay maintained throughout his life a steadfast opposition to slavery and a fierce determination to make his fellow Quakers denounce it, which they finally began to do toward the end of his life.
With passion and historical rigor, Rediker situates Lay as a man who fervently embodied the ideals of democracy and equality as he practiced a unique concoction of radicalism nearly three hundred years ago. Rediker resurrects this forceful and prescient visionary, who speaks to us across the ages and whose innovative approach to activism is a gift, transforming how we consider the past and how we might imagine the future.
The little-known story of an eighteenth-century Quaker dwarf who fiercely attacked slavery and imagined a new, more humane way of life
In The Fearless Benjamin Lay, renowned historian Marcus Rediker chronicles the transatlantic life and times of a singular man-a Quaker dwarf who demanded the total, unconditional emancipation of all enslaved Africans around the world. Mocked and scorned by his contemporaries, Lay was unflinching in his opposition to slavery, often performing colorful guerrilla theater to shame slave masters, insisting that human bondage violated the fundamental principles of Christianity. He drew on his ideals to create a revolutionary way of life, one that embodied the proclamation “no justice, no peace.”
Lay was born in 1682 in Essex, England. His philosophies, employments, and places of residence-spanning England, Barbados, Philadelphia, and the open seas-were markedly diverse over the course of his life. He worked as a shepherd, glove maker, sailor, and bookseller. His worldview was an astonishing combination of Quakerism, vegetarianism, animal rights, opposition to the death penalty, and abolitionism.
While in Abington, Philadelphia, Lay lived in a cave-like dwelling surrounded by a library of two hundred books, and it was in this unconventional abode where he penned a fiery and controversial book against bondage, which Benjamin Franklin published in 1738. Always in motion and ever confrontational, Lay maintained throughout his life a steadfast opposition to slavery and a fierce determination to make his fellow Quakers denounce it, which they finally began to do toward the end of his life.
With passion and historical rigor, Rediker situates Lay as a man who fervently embodied the ideals of democracy and equality as he practiced a unique concoction of radicalism nearly three hundred years ago. Rediker resurrects this forceful and prescient visionary, who speaks to us across the ages and whose innovative approach to activism is a gift, transforming how we consider the past and how we might imagine the future.
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940169939781 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Brilliance Audio |
| Publication date: | 09/05/2017 |
| Edition description: | Unabridged |
Videos
