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Dec 05, 2000 | ISBN 9780679753056 Buy
Dec 08, 2010 | ISBN 9780307773296 Buy
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Dec 05, 2000 | ISBN 9780679753056
Dec 08, 2010 | ISBN 9780307773296
From historian Charles Royster–winner of the Francis Parkman, Bancroft, and Lincoln prizes–comes the history of one of eighteenth-century America’s most fantastic land speculation deals: William Byrd’s scheme to develop 900 square miles of swamp on the Virginia-North Carolina border and create fabulous wealth for himself and other shareholders, including George Washington.Royster scrupulously follows the paper trail through the byways of transatlantic deal-cutting, providing a rare view of early American economic culture. Elegantly written and impressively researched, The Fabulous History of the Dismal Swamp Company is an eye-opening account of greed, folly, and venture capitalism in the revolutionary era.
Charles Royster is a historian, a teacher, and an author. He served as the Boyd Professor of History at Louisiana State University and is the recipient of the Bancoft, Parkman, and Lincoln Prizes. His works include Light-Horse Harry Lee, The Destructive… More about Charles Royster
"Here is a narrative history of scope and of abundance, a fascinating story." —The Washington Times"Vivid. . . . plunges readers into the rough world of colonial capitalism–a world swarming with adventurers, aristocrats, fools, rogues and visionaries all wearing masks of gentility." —The News & Observer (Raleigh)"A veritable encyclopedia of early American get-rich-quick schemes." —Men’s Journal"[Royster] is a seasoned stylist, and tells this colorful story in rich detail." —The Washington Post"Imagine Barbarians at the Gate with lace cuffs." –Wilton Barnhardt
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