The Black Count

“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