Plantation Goods: A Material History of American Slavery
by Seth Rockman
Rockman approaches slavery through objects and economies, showing how exploitation was engineered and normalised in daily life. The book makes “material history” feel urgent rather than academic, revealing the systems behind the things people bought, sold, and depended on. It traces how wealth was created and maintained, and how violence was built into the logic of production. Rockman’s method is quietly devastating: a ledger entry becomes a moral document; a commodity becomes a record of coercion. The writing is rigorous, but it’s also readable—guided by clear questions and sharp examples. The book helps explain how slavery shaped American capitalism in tangible, legible ways. It’s the kind of history that changes how you look at museums, archives, and even everyday goods. After reading, “the past” feels far less distant.
